Chapter 20 Selling Prisoners, Earning Ransom
Grace was trembling with anger because of me.
I was a bit worried. "You can't handle just a few words? Take a deep breath and calm down. If you die of anger in the hotel, it'll be really awkward for me."
Grace's intelligence finally returned. "You're just good at talking. Do you dare kill me? I'm warning you! If I lose even a single hair today, the Valeri family won't let you off!"
"What bad luck." I curled my lip and instructed James, "Go contact Lucas and tell him—I've captured some prisoners from the Valeri family. He needs to pay ransom to get them back."
Amelia stood there dumbfounded, not understanding how things had turned out this way.
Grace wanted to rush over and hit me, but didn't dare. "How dare you treat me like this? You think Lucas will back you up? My father is the head of the Valeri family. You're finished if you offend him! You parentless bastards!"
A flash of coldness crossed my eyes. "James, the Sorelli family tradition is to treat prisoners well. Get some good food and drinks to entertain Grace."
Soon, someone brought various foods. I pointed to a cup of coffee on the cart and asked, "What temperature?"
"120.2 degrees Fahrenheit!" The person pushing the cart was the dessert restaurant supervisor. She answered me somewhat nervously.
"What temperature did Grace request before?" I asked.
"120.2 degrees Fahrenheit! The coffee we prepared before was definitely this temperature, guaranteed to be drinkable right when served—warm but not scalding. But Ms. Valeri didn't drink it right away. She waited a few minutes, so the coffee cooled down." The supervisor explained rapidly.
I nodded. "Give me this cup of coffee. Get Ms. Valeri a cup at 212 degrees Fahrenheit."
"Okay." The supervisor didn't even glance at Grace and quickly brought a cup of scalding hot coffee.
The more nervous Grace got, the more she talked, but after talking for so long, she got thirsty and kept sneaking glances at the coffee, thinking she was being subtle.
When the steam above the coffee cup became very faint, Grace reached for the coffee. I called out to the supervisor in time, "The coffee has cooled down. Get Ms. Valeri another cup, still scalding hot."
"Yes!" The supervisor brought new coffee with a beaming smile. Grace protested angrily, "How can I drink it when it's this hot? I don't want coffee anymore. I want water!"
"Sure. Give her a cup of water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit," I said.
"You're doing this on purpose!" Grace shrieked furiously.
I smiled and asked back, "When you were making things difficult for my staff earlier, wasn't that on purpose?"
Grace probably finally realized there was no benefit in opposing me. She stayed quiet for a while, kept checking the time, and couldn't help asking, "Why isn't Lucas here yet? Give me back my phone. I need to call Lucas!"
Amelia chimed in, "I want my phone too!"
Grace glared at her. "This is all because of your stupid idea, telling me to stay at the hotel, causing me to get caught! Now Lucas has to pay the ransom. I've lost all my dignity!"
Amelia was quite indignant and retorted quietly, "You were the one who heard that Gale and Marcus weren't around, that no one was backing Bella up, and said you didn't want to miss this opportunity."
Grace snapped, "Shut up!"
I leisurely sipped my coffee, listening to them blame each other. Lucas finally showed up an hour later.
Amelia complained in a sweet voice, rushing to speak first, "Lucas! That awful woman, Bella, is bullying your aunt!"
I looked at Amelia with wonder. Did she really not know that Lucas hated Grace?
Lucas's mood was complicated with a touch of gloom.
Back then, he had stood up to Grace for Amelia's sake. He never expected that Amelia and Grace would actually get along well!
Lucas looked at me.
We hadn't seen each other since our anniversary. Now, as he looked at me, there was less emotion in his eyes—somewhat indifferent, with a hint of familiarity, as if he was just looking at an ordinary acquaintance.
These past few days, he had probably thought things through and calmed down, waking up from that inexplicable unwillingness and possessiveness, realizing how absurd it was for him to leave Amelia behind and chase after me.
I looked back at him just as calmly. I didn't know if I was overthinking it, but Lucas seemed to have lost a bit of weight, with faint fatigue between his brows. He probably hadn't been sleeping well.
"I'm here to pay the ransom," Lucas said, his voice somewhat hoarse. "Let's do this by the rules."
Grace shouted emotionally, "This is ridiculous! Lucas, if you pay the ransom, I'll really become a prisoner! I'll be a laughingstock, and the Valeri family will become the joke of all Dawnharbor!"
"You already are a joke," Lucas said coldly.
Grace clutched her chest, looking like she couldn't breathe from his words.
"Lucas, even if Grace was wrong, isn't it too much for you to talk like that?" Amelia said.
I couldn't help but sigh, "You really are such a thoughtful, kind girl."
Amelia was shocked. "Why are you complimenting me? That's weird!"
"You don't know anything, so just say less!" Lucas impatiently told Amelia to shut up.
I'd had enough of the entertainment and said to Lucas, "Those four bodyguards, two million dollars each. Grace, fifteen million dollars. Amelia is a freebie—you can just take her."
Amelia immediately exploded. "You're saying I'm worthless?"
Being taken prisoner was humiliating enough, but I was treating her like trash, preferring not to take money rather than keep her. Amelia was furious.
I laughed and asked her, "You're not part of the Valeri family. Why should the Valeri family pay ransom for you?"
Grace actually agreed. "That's right. Why should we pay her ransom? Doesn't the Gambino family have money?"
I nodded. "Perfect. Gale and Marcus are in Dawnharbor. It'll be very convenient for them to go to the Gambino family to demand ransom personally."
"No!" Amelia's face went pale instantly.
Back then, the Gambino family's betrayal was actually done very secretly. The outside world thought enemies killed my parents. But according to my brothers' and my investigation, the Gambino family did what they did because of Amelia's mother, Michelle!
Amelia might not know exactly what Michelle did, but thinking of Michelle's strict discipline, if she found out about this huge embarrassment, she would definitely fly into a rage. Amelia was genuinely scared.
"I'm worthless. I can go for free!" Amelia said hurriedly and scurried over to Lucas's side. She tried to hold Lucas's hand, but he dodged her.
"Two and a half million dollars per bodyguard, twenty million for Aunt Grace. I'll round it up to thirty million dollars for you," Lucas said generously.
Grace couldn't believe it and cursed Lucas for having lost his mind. But I knew very well that Lucas had grievances against both Grace and the Valeri family and planned to use this to extort money from them.
Of course, I wouldn't mind more money. I happily accepted and handed him the surveillance footage of Grace bullying the hotel staff, along with the injury assessment report.
With these things, it would be easier for Lucas to extort the Valeri family.
Lucas and I completed the transaction with perfect understanding.
Then I announced, "Starting today, Grace is on Platinum Haven Hotel's blacklist. All hotels and restaurants under my company will never serve her again."
"Even if you begged me to come, I wouldn't come back!" Grace didn't want to stay another second and left angrily.
Amelia also left, looking dejected.
I reminded Lucas, "In three days, the divorce application should have results."
Lucas nodded without saying anything and turned to leave.
Alfred looked at Lucas's retreating figure, then at me, and said hesitantly, "Mrs. Valeri, Mr. Valeri has been eating little and sleeping poorly lately. I can tell Mr. Valeri is very unaccustomed to life without you."
"He'll get used to it eventually," I said coldly, turning my head away.