At the mention of "Gladstone," Conner looked less than pleased.
He used to like people discussing him and Gladstone together. They were close friends, brothers!
But now, he disliked it!
There were always people outside who believed that he occupied the subordinate position in their friendship. In other words, Gladstone had pushed him into becoming president merely to consolidate his own power indirectly.
It was not because they were friends, nor because Conner himself was outstanding or capable.
He disliked that kind of talk. It made him sound like a useless man, while Gladstone, who could even make a useless man president, was supposedly the truly remarkable one.
On top of that, Gladstone had recently been losing his temper for no apparent reason whenever he spoke with him. As a result, Conner had suddenly begun to feel somewhat resistant toward his old friend Gladstone.
The two had not fallen out yet. Whenever they needed to show intimacy, they still appeared together on newspaper front pages.
However, once the election ended and the results were announced, their relationship might undergo some changes.
Gladstone's desire for control was simply too strong, while Conner was not truly the sort of person who would let others manipulate him. This was their inevitable fate!
Linch had played a part in this. He did not want Gladstone and Conner to remain extremely close.
One was the Progressive Party Committee Chairman, while the other was very likely to become the Federal President.
If their relationship was exceptionally close and dependable, both sides would strengthen their control within their respective domains.
Gladstone's control over the Progressive Party would increase, allowing Conner to take control of the Federal Government sooner instead of having to wait until after winning reelection.
But that would bring Linch no benefits. If they banded