Chapter 26: You Have No Choice

Coffee shop.

Night had fallen deep, and Manhattan's neon lights flickered outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Sophia pushed open the glass door of the coffee shop and walked straight toward the corner table in her high heels.

Leo was already sitting there, two cups of hot coffee in front of him, leisurely smoking a cigar.

Sophia sat down across from him, crossed her long legs, took out a lady's cigarette from her purse, and lit it elegantly. After exhaling a puff of smoke, she spoke coldly, "Let's get straight to the point, Mr. Ashford."

"You went through all that trouble to get that document. Now, name your terms."

Even after being played at the auction, she maintained perfect composure, not a trace of panic on her face.

This was the woman New York's business world called the "Black Rose"—Sophia.

Beautiful, proud, calm, deadly.

"I like how direct you are."

Leo exhaled a puff of smoke and pushed the document to the center of the table. "You want to use this document to blackmail John, force him to give up his position as family head, so you—the rightful heir from twenty years ago—can take back control."

Sophia's hand paused slightly as she reached for her coffee cup.

She raised her deep blue eyes and looked coldly at Leo. "Your intelligence network is pretty good. Since you know everything, let's stop beating around the bush. Name your price. What do you want for this document?"

Leo flicked his ash. "Do I look like I need money?"

Sophia put down her coffee cup, leaned back in her chair, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes. "So what? You want to use this document to threaten me? Make me agree to some condition?"

"Threaten you?"

Leo suddenly laughed, a dismissive laugh. "Ms. Vanderbilt, how can you be so naive? You're overestimating this document's value and underestimating the Drake family's shamelessness."

Sophia said coldly, "This document is enough to prove John's collusion with the Drake family, enough to make him lose all support within the family..."

"And then what?"

Leo interrupted her. "Even if John falls, do you think the Drake family will let you take over?"

Sophia froze.

Sophia's hand holding the coffee cup paused slightly, but quickly returned to normal.

"The Vanderbilt family has long been in the Drake family's pocket."

Leo exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes ice-cold. "How do you think John got his position? The Drake family's support. Why do you think the Vanderbilt family has gotten such a big piece of the energy sector pie all these years? Still, the Drake family's favor."

"The entire Vanderbilt family has been infiltrated by the Drake family until it's full of holes. You take down one John, and the Drake family will immediately prop up another puppet."

"In fact..." Leo paused, "This new puppet might be even more obedient, easier to control than John."

Sophia had never thought of this.

She'd always believed that as long as she took down John, with her direct bloodline status and twenty years of accumulated business skills, she could retake control of the family.

But now...

Leo's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head.

"I... I can ask the Rosenberg family for help."

Sophia took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. "Caroline is from the Vanderbilt family. She was involved in the plot to murder the Rosenberg family heir. Once the Rosenberg family knows the truth, they'll definitely help me clean house, then join forces against the Drake family!"

"You're really wishful thinking."

Leo picked up his coffee and took a sip. "This document is useless to the Rosenberg family."

"Why?" Sophia didn't understand.

"Because..."

Leo leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. "The Rosenberg family already knows the truth about what happened back then, knows how Caroline's brothers worked with the Drake family!"

"This morning, the Rosenberg family held an emergency family meeting."

"At the meeting, Mira personally announced the truth about Emily's death. Caroline from the Vanderbilt family and the traitor Edward from the Rosenberg family were both executed on the spot."

"What?"

Sophia suddenly stood up, shock and disbelief flashing in her eyes.

Caroline... was dead?

The Rosenberg family... had already made their move?

"Sit down," Leo said flatly.

Sophia slowly sat back down, her cold composure finally showing a crack.

"So... you're telling me I'm out of options?" Sophia bit her lip.

"No."

Leo shook his head. "You're wrong. The Rosenberg family will indeed go after the Drake family, and will indeed go after the Vanderbilt family. On this point, your goals align. The Rosenberg family can work with you."

Hope rekindled in Sophia's eyes. "Then..."

"But the problem is..."

Leo interrupted her, his sharp gaze fixed on Sophia. "Why would the Rosenberg family help you?"

"Within the Vanderbilt family, you're not the only one who wants to seize power. Why would the Rosenberg family choose you over anyone else?"

Sophia was stunned.

She suddenly understood what Leo meant.

"You... you represent the Rosenberg family?" Sophia stared at Leo, asking seriously.

"Smart."

Leo exhaled a puff of smoke. "We can help you, but not as partners—you'll be asking us for help."

"You need to pay a price."

Sophia was silent for a few seconds, then slowly spoke, "What do you want?"

"It's simple."

Leo leaned forward, his eyes as deep as an abyss. "The condition is that from now on, you become the Rosenberg family's representative within the Vanderbilt family."

Sophia looked at Leo quietly, no emotion visible in her deep blue eyes.

"Why should I?" Sophia gritted her teeth. "Why should I trust you?"

A cold smile curved Leo's lips as he leaned close to her ear, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Because you have no choice."

Sophia's whole body trembled, and she closed her eyes.

After a long moment, she slowly opened them. In those ice-blue eyes, all pride and struggle had faded. She slowly extended her hand. "Deal. But I have one condition. After the Drake family falls, I want back the assets that were taken from the Vanderbilt family."

"Fine." Leo took her hand. "Provided you live that long."

"I will." A cold, beautiful smile curved Sophia's lips.

Just then.

The coffee shop's glass door was suddenly kicked open.

Seven or eight burly men in black trench coats rushed in, holding long knives that gleamed coldly under the lights.

"Sophia!"

The leader was a muscular bald man with a vicious expression. "The family head has ordered—you must die tonight!"

Sophia's expression didn't change at all. She simply took out a wet wipe from her purse and methodically wiped her fingers.

"John's dogs got here pretty fast. But these are all family death warriors, trained in combat since childhood, vicious with their blades. Mr. Ashford, your people didn't bring guns, did they?"

Leo just smiled faintly.

He slowly stood up and took off his expensive black suit jacket, casually draping it over the chair back.

Then he unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his shirtsleeves to his elbows.

"Ms. Vanderbilt."

Leo rolled his neck, bones cracking. "You seem to have some misconception about me."