Chapter 134
Behind her mask, Elizabeth's eyes betrayed no flicker of emotion, as if Sawyer's words were meant for someone else entirely.
"Mr. Scott," she said, her voice carrying a formulaic hint of a smile, "if you wish to discuss a partnership with Nightfall, you should speak with Noah. I'm merely a companion for the evening; I have no authority to make such decisions."
Sawyer stared at her for a few seconds, the amusement in his eyes slowly receding, replaced by a sharp, assessing scrutiny.
He was testing her, probing to see if she was, in fact, "Noel."
If she were, her reaction would either betray a crack in her facade or a desperate denial.
But she did neither. She simply, immaculately, deflected the issue to Uri.
This woman, he thought, was far more formidable than he had anticipated.
A sudden smile broke across Sawyer's face, a smile that held a trace of admiration mixed with a chilling coldness.
"Ms. Windsor, did you know," he began slowly, his voice laced with a condescending arrogance, "that Nightfall didn't just materialize out of thin air? It has roots."
Elizabeth's heart skipped a beat, but her expression remained impassive.
Sawyer stated, his gaze fixed on her, enunciating each word, "Nightfall was originally founded by the Scott family. My father, Ryder, was its first leader. He built this organization with his own hands and trained its initial core members. Later, for certain reasons, he relinquished it, severing all ties."
He paused, a cold glint flashing in his gray eyes. "So, the current leader of Nightfall, this so-called Noel, is, when it comes down to it, nothing more than a regent. A proxy, managing it on my father's behalf."
The air in the private box seemed to solidify.
Elizabeth sat motionless, but behind the mask, her complexion had already shifted.
Sawyer's father was the first leader of Nightfall?
Hughes had never mentioned a word of this when he took over the organization. But if what Sawyer said was true…
In an instant, many details that had previously been incomprehensible suddenly clicked into place.
Why was Sawyer so fixated on Nightfall, even going so far as to orchestrate a trap to lure Noel out.
Why he seemed to possess an intimate knowledge of Nightfall's structure and methods.
Because his father had once been the master here.
Elizabeth's mind buzzed, but her face still showed no crack in its composure.
She just sat there, watching Sawyer with a gaze so calm it bordered on indifference.
Sawyer waited a few seconds, receiving no reaction. A flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes, which he quickly masked with that same playful smirk.
"You have remarkable composure, Ms. Windsor," he said, taking a step back and adjusting his cuffs. "In that case, please be so kind as to inform Noel that I am ready to discuss a partnership whenever he is. After all…" He shot her a meaningful glance. "The connection between us may run deeper than the one he has with Jacob."
With that, he turned and walked toward the door.
Just as he was about to step out, he paused, and without turning back, added, "Oh, and a word of advice. That man, Jacob, despises deception above all else. If he were to find out his fiancée is actually part of Nightfall…"
He didn't finish the sentence, letting out a soft chuckle before pushing the door open and leaving.
Silence descended upon the box once more.
Elizabeth sat alone, the mask finally failing to conceal the true emotions playing across her face—shock, doubt, and a deeply buried thread of fear.
Could Sawyer's words be true?
Was Nightfall really founded by the Scott family?
Then who was Hughes?
Was his takeover of Nightfall a legitimate succession, or did he seize it from the Scotts? She had to find out, and quickly.
Moreover, Sawyer's final words were no casual warning.
Jacob hated being deceived.
The thought of him discovering she had been lying to him all along sent a wave of genuine panic through Elizabeth.
The grand banquet hall was a blaze of light, an exclusive dinner for only the most important figures. A mere "companion" like Elizabeth had not been invited.
Uri was seated at the main table, his gaze placid behind gold-rimmed glasses. He maintained a perfectly calibrated distance from the curious, probing, and reverent stares directed at him, preserving his aura of mystery.
Jacob sat to his side.
The distance between them was not great, yet it felt as if an invisible river flowed between them.
The surrounding guests chattered and laughed, but in this corner, the atmosphere was subtle and taut.
Jacob hadn't touched the food on his plate. He simply held his wine glass, his calm gaze fixed on Uri.
He was furious. It seemed his recent displays of weakness had emboldened certain people to conspire against him, creating trouble for him at this auction.
As a result, the crucial clue to his father's death had slipped through his fingers.
He didn't care what Nightfall's motives were for acquiring the clue. As long as they had a goal, Jacob wasn't worried.
"Mr. Noah," he finally said, his voice low but clear enough to cut through the surrounding noise, "I'd like to propose a deal."
Uri set down his knife and fork, elegantly dabbed his lips with a napkin, and looked up. "Mr. Smith, please, go on."
"Tonight's auction item," Jacob paused, his eyes darkening slightly. "The clue regarding my father's death. I want to buy it from Nightfall."
Uri didn't answer immediately, his mind racing to formulate a strategy.
He had known Jacob would approach him. The one-hundred-million-dollar bid had announced to everyone that Nightfall was interested in the Smith family's old affairs.
And Jacob, a man who would walk into danger alone for the sake of his father's memory, would never let this opportunity pass.
But Uri also knew that Jacob couldn't produce a hundred million in cash.
Unlike an organization like Nightfall, which earned immense wealth through its contracts, the Smith family's power, while vast, was tied up in real estate, stocks, and various gray-area underground enterprises. Forcing Jacob to liquidate a hundred million in cash on short notice would be a difficult, if not impossible, demand.
That didn't mean Jacob was without resources.
Uri looked at the man across from him, at his composed expression, and made a quiet assessment.
A man like Jacob, when he truly wanted something, could always offer something of equal or greater value in exchange.
Of course, from Uri's perspective, their leader was Jacob's fiancée, which effectively made their two houses allies.
Noel had come personally to help Jacob win this clue, which surely meant she intended to give it to him.
This put Uri in a tricky position, uncertain of what price would be appropriate.
"Mr. Noah," Jacob continued, his tone steady, "I know Nightfall isn't short on money. To you, a hundred million dollars might just be a number. But the Smith family has more to offer than just money."