Chapter 212: A Thirty Percent Share
Saint Denis.
When Stella spread the word, as Davey had instructed, that he was willing to give up eighty percent of the profits from the moonshine business, it immediately caused an uproar among the upper circles of Saint Denis.
No one had expected Davey to be this bold. The first to feel the pressure was, naturally, Bronte.
Bronte had originally planned to meet Davey later, but the situation clearly couldn’t wait. The very next day, he personally arrived at the Land Manor estate.
“Mr. Bronte, your visit is truly unexpected,” Davey said warmly. “I was actually planning to call on you myself in the next few days to thank you for all your help.”
“I never imagined you would come first, Mr. Bronte. That’s quite discourteous of me.”
“Elisa, bring out my finest wine and my best cigars. I want to entertain Mr. Bronte properly.”
Seeing Bronte, Davey stepped forward and gave him a warm embrace before calling out to Elisa.
It felt nothing like a meeting between hidden rivals—more like a reunion between old friends.
“Davey, my friend, I was overjoyed when I heard you’d come to Saint Denis,” Bronte said enthusiastically.
“I don’t think we need so many formalities between us, do we? We’re the best of friends—now and in the future.”
“You know, I’m always free, with nothing much to do. And my house is right nearby.”
“So, my friend, that makes us neighbors, doesn’t it?”
Bronte responded just as warmly. The two of them exchanged exaggerated pleasantries with perfect understanding, drinking strong liquor and smoking cigars together.
Soon, they drifted into casual conversation. Davey talked about amusing stories from the western frontier, while Bronte spoke about the unique flavors of life in Saint Denis—this tycoon’s mistress, that official’s embarrassing scandal.
They chatted for over an hour, and neither of them mentioned moonshine even once.
That was the rhythm of negotiation. Whoever spoke first would lose half the advantage.
Davey clearly wasn’t as anxious as Bronte. In fact, the moment Bronte came to him first, he had already lost ground.
Finally, Bronte couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Davey, my best friend, I’ve heard some things… about moonshine.”
“People are saying you’re giving up eighty percent of the profits. Damn it, I don’t know who’s spreading such rumors, but it sounds completely insane.”
Davey calmly took a puff of his cigar before replying slowly, “Oh, Angelo, I don’t think that’s a rumor. It’s exactly what I said.”
“Good things should be shared, shouldn’t they? If I kept everything to myself, I’d end up stuffed and bloated, and I really don’t enjoy that feeling.”
“Besides, it makes a lot of people happy. And seeing other people happy is what I enjoy most—it makes me happy too. Wouldn’t you agree, Angelo?”
Bronte sighed helplessly. “Yes, Davey, you’re right. A lot of people are certainly very happy about this.”
“But I’d like to ask about our cooperation. What are your thoughts, Davey? You know, I have many businesses, but quite a few of them lose money. And my family… there are many people relying on me to support them.”
“So, Davey, if possible, I was hoping for a little more.”
At this point, Bronte had finally revealed his true intent.
His tone was polite, but if the outcome didn’t satisfy him, he would naturally start causing trouble behind the scenes.
Davey had been prepared for this. Smiling, he said, “Of course, Angelo. I’ve always been grateful for your help. Without you, I wouldn’t even be living in Saint Denis right now.”
“That’s why I’ve reserved a thirty percent share for you. I’d like to offer more, but you know how many people have their eyes on this pie. This is probably my limit.”
Bronte froze for a moment.
A thirty percent share was far beyond what he had expected. Saint Denis had no shortage of powerful elites, and many of them were eyeing the moonshine business.
His own mental bottom line had been around twenty percent.
Davey offering thirty percent outright genuinely caught him off guard.
“Oh, Davey, you truly are my best friend,” Bronte said, breaking into a broad smile.
Davey smiled just as happily.
The meeting ended with Bronte thoroughly satisfied. Watching Bronte and his men leave, Davey stood at the entrance of the mansion and took the cigar Elisa handed him.
Stella walked up beside him, clearly puzzled.
“Thirty percent, Davey. Isn’t that too much?”
“We still need to deal with many others—the mayor, the police department, the tax office, key officials and wealthy figures, even some gangs. I’ve counted them. There are more than thirty people in total. And yet you gave Bronte thirty percent. That’s really a lot.”
The situation in the city was completely different from a western town like Valentine. There were far too many people capable of interfering with the moonshine business. It wasn’t like Valentine, where dealing with a single town sheriff was enough.
Government departments, the police, local gangs, powerful wealthy families—only by cutting this pie into enough pieces could the moonshine business truly take root and flourish throughout Saint Denis.
Author's Note
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