Chapter 48

The dock was very quiet.

The abandoned dock hadn't seen many people for years.

Occasionally someone would come by to see what was still left here, but this place had undoubtedly become a forgotten existence.

I stared into the distance.

When night fell, some lights would still come on here, but it was no longer what I remembered.

When I turned back around, I happened to meet Killian's eyes.

Killian was staring at us. He had been looking at me intently, but suddenly turned his head away. "I'm guessing you brought a lot of people with you?"

It was a reasonable guess.

After all, we were dealing with an enemy of the same level.

He must have made plenty of arrangements against us too. A few days ago when Virio and I decided on this plan, we had already discussed what kind of tricks Killian might use against us.

I shrugged noncommittally without answering his question, and instead greeted him. "Long time no see, Uncle Killian."

As I said those last words, my tone grew heavier.

I had once truly considered him family.

But facts proved that it was all a huge lie.

Hearing me say this, Killian smiled. The wrinkles on his face were deep, and every wrinkle held his schemes against us. "Indeed, it's been a long time, Elvira. When I came to the old dock today, I remembered what you looked like as a child."

Hearing this, I laughed coldly. "What I looked like as a child? Do you really remember what I was like back then?"

"Of course. Back then, you were well-behaved. At least you wouldn't go against the family's wishes and be with this man. You were an obedient and sensible child who never made things difficult for the family. Looking at little you back then, your father and I both wished that you could grow up healthy and happy, never having any troubles."

Hearing Killian say this, I burned with anger. "If you really remembered what I was like as a child, you wouldn't have framed my father!"

In front of me, he could still say these things.

They were clearly crocodile tears. Besides, I didn't believe a single word of it.

To this, Killian wasn't as angry and embarrassed as I'd imagined. Instead, he said to me seriously, "Elvira, I don't know what methods you used to find out what you think you know, but what you know isn't true."

"Someone is trying to drive a wedge between us. They created those rumors to make you betray your own family."

Even at this point, Killian was still trying to make excuses.

I shook my head. "You're wrong. The one who's been hiding all kinds of things from me has clearly been you."

"From beginning to end, Mr. Soren has only been helping me. And I need to tell you, I didn't get this information by believing anyone. I used my own methods to investigate and find clues, which is how I learned everything."

Hearing me say this, Killian smiled with amusement. "So you'd rather believe the gossip you heard through various channels than believe the family member standing right in front of you?"

"Uncle Killian, do you still count as family to me?" My words made Killian freeze for a moment.

I guessed that being from the same family, his humanity hadn't completely disappeared.

But what this man was really thinking, I had no way of knowing.

I only knew that at this moment, to him, Virio and I were just annoying pebbles in his plans.

Virio, who had been letting us exchange greetings, finally spoke up leisurely, "I've also made many arrangements these past few days, so, Mr. Lacey, you can ask your men what's happening around the dock's perimeter right now."

"You set up snipers in advance, and explosives too. I know all about it. To let our conversation proceed smoothly, please take those things back."

Hearing this, Killian's expression changed. "That's just like you, Virio."

"Before deciding to meet with you, I thought about what kind of tricks you might use against me, but I didn't expect it to come this fast."

Virio shrugged noncommittally. "I think it's not fast at all. The day you suggested meeting with me, I was already wondering what you were trying to do."

The two sides just stood there in quiet confrontation.

From beginning to end, I stood beside Virio. We stood shoulder to shoulder. Even though Virio's tall figure made me look especially small, and even Killian across from us in his trench coat looked so tall.

But I realized that since Virio and I joined forces, I was no longer afraid of Killian.

No longer afraid of everything he had done before.

I had also learned to shoot, to protect myself. Even if I were alone with Killian now, I wouldn't show weakness.

This was something I had longed for.

To see their true faces. To get revenge.

Killian shook his head. "Fine, I also thought you might make corresponding preparations against my plans."

"I just didn't expect it all to come this fast..."

After saying this, he took out his phone and made a call.

A moment later, we heard him say to the person on the other end, "Have the snipers stand down. Today's meeting is just a test."

Right in front of us, he actually said this.

It seemed Killian hadn't taken today's meeting seriously, but then why did he make such a big show of calling us out?

Was it because he had previously underestimated Virio's power and made a wrong judgment?

Or was this meeting itself just a way to flush us out, only meant to make Virio and me let our guard down?

I didn't understand what he was trying to do. "If you called us out today just to say this nonsense, it won't be so easy to get us to meet you next time."

Killian frowned. "You're wrong, Elvira. It's precisely because I knew today's firefight was unavoidable, but I just don't want to lose too much strength at this moment."

"Since I know Virio brought enough men, and has already surrounded my people on the perimeter, and several of my men are already injured. To continue fighting with you under these circumstances would be a mistake in judgment on my part."

Killian said all this very calmly.

"I really didn't expect that Virio would make such a big fuss for you. I also didn't expect that in just a short time, you could gain such a position by Virio's side. It seems sending you to Hamilton back then was my mistake."

He should have just sent me to Virio instead.

I could almost guess what Killian was thinking, but only found it ironic. "Mr. Soren isn't the kind of person you think he is."

If Killian had actively delivered me, Virio might not have liked me anymore.