Chapter 575 - 269: Fearless
It was a clean break, allowing him to reap the rewards of the coup without being branded a traitor.
But now, what Leo was demanding was on a completely different level.
He wanted Monroe to step into the spotlight, take up the knife, and personally stab the old boss who had once promoted him.
Once he did that, there would be no turning back for Monroe.
Leo was even prepared for a round of intense negotiations with Monroe.
But he hadn’t expected Monroe to agree so quickly—a speed that unsettled him.
But Monroe had already extended his hand, leaving Leo with no choice.
Leo grasped Monroe’s hand.
Their hands met mid-air.
Leo felt Monroe’s palm. It was cold and dry.
It didn’t feel like a handshake. It felt more like touching the scales of a snake.
"Don’t disappoint me, Leo."
Monroe tightened his grip.
"I’ve pushed all my chips onto the table. I’ve betrayed Washington, betrayed Campbell, and betrayed the rules of the party."
"If you fail to take down Campbell."
Monroe stared into Leo’s eyes, his gaze fierce.
"I’ll sell you out to Washington."
"I’ll walk over your corpse to return to the fold of the Establishment Faction."
"That’s fair."
Leo didn’t avert his gaze, nor did he try to pull his hand away.
"Don’t worry, Aston."
Leo’s voice was steady.
"That won’t happen."
"Campbell is already history."
"From the moment we shook hands, the countdown on his political career began."
Leo released his hand.
"Prepare your inaugural address, Mr. Governor."
"In that speech, you’ll need to properly explain why you’re pardoning that young man, Luigi."
Monroe pulled back his hand, took a handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped his palm.
"I will."
"I’ll frame it as a move for unity in Pennsylvania, or as correcting a miscarriage of justice."
"After all, this is what I’m good at."
Leo adjusted his collar.
"Good."
"I should be going."
"There are people waiting for me in Pittsburgh."
Leo turned and walked towards the office door.
"Leo."
Monroe called out from behind him.
Leo stopped but didn’t turn around.
"Do you know what we’re doing?" Monroe’s voice was suddenly tinged with a complex emotion. "We’re creating a monster. A Frankenstein made of radicals, opportunists, and oligarchs."
"We’re destroying the political traditions of this state."
Leo stared into the dark hallway before him.
"Tradition can’t save Pennsylvania."
Leo replied.
"Only a monster can defeat a monster."
With that, he pushed open the door and left.
The door closed behind him.
Monroe was left alone in the office.
He walked to the window, looking at the lights of the Governor’s Mansion in the distance.
The lights were still on, but in Monroe’s eyes, they were already out.
Leo left the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and got back into his car. The moment he slid into the back seat and the door shut, he let out a long breath.
"Back to Pittsburgh."
Leo said to the driver.
The car started, pulling out onto the late-night streets of Harrisburg.
Leo leaned back in his seat, watching the streetlights fly by outside the window. The sense of unease still lingered.
’Mr. President.’
’Don’t you think something is off?’
’What’s off?’
Roosevelt’s voice echoed in his mind, tinged with confusion.
’Monroe,’ Leo thought, frowning. ’He agreed far too easily. This is a public backstabbing, burning his bridges completely.’
’The old Monroe would have at least haggled with me, or demanded more assurances. But his behavior just now... it was as if he’d been ready to do this all along.’
’And his attitude toward Washington was strange, too. He didn’t seem the least bit worried about offending the Democratic National Committee. That’s not how an elite Politician bent on climbing the ladder should act.’
’I can’t shake the feeling that I’m missing something.’
Leo’s fingers tapped on the edge of the car window.
’Does he have another card up his sleeve? Or is he just using me?’
Roosevelt’s laughter echoed in his mind.
’Leo, you’re too suspicious.’
’Suspicion is a virtue, but at a time like this, it will only make you hesitate.’
Roosevelt began to counsel Leo.
’You think he agreed too quickly? That’s because you’ve underestimated the allure of power, as well as the resentment that’s been festering inside him.’
’That kind of suppression can twist a man’s soul.’
’When an opportunity like this finally presents itself, he isn’t going to think about an escape route. He’s just going to charge in and kick that old bastard down.’
’As for Washington?’
Roosevelt snorted.
’Monroe’s no fool. He knows Washington has its hands full right now. As long as he can keep Pennsylvania stable, as long as he wins, Washington will forgive all his transgressions.’
’Victors are never judged.’
’His reaction right now just proves your strategy was a success. You stoked his ambition.’
"But..." Leo was still hesitant. ’I just feel like it’s not that simple.’
’We’re building an incredibly complex web of balanced interests. Monroe, the Republican Party, the Union, the Industrial Revival Alliance... if even one link breaks, the whole web will collapse.’
’Complex?’
Roosevelt interrupted him.
’Child, you truly are making things too complicated.’
’Do you think you’re weaving some intricate spiderweb, with every node precisely calculated? No. You’ve just dumped a puddle of sticky syrup on a table and are watching the flies get stuck in it all by themselves.’