Chapter 70

Chapter 70

After carefully weighing the pros and cons, I decided to pretend to negotiate, set up snipers at the scene as an ambush, and contact the FBI at the same time.

This matter would be hard to resolve without someone else getting involved.

"I'm going to request federal intervention in exchange for reporting smuggling."

Hearing me say this, Virio bit his lip. "The situation on site might be more complicated than we think. We can't possibly notice every detail."

"Then we'll pull in more people. At the very least, I can't let the first thing I do after returning to the family end here."

Virio and Luca couldn't talk me out of it. Even though they voiced their own opinions, in the end, I still insisted on doing things my way.

In fact, I knew I was doing this because I still harbored hatred for Killian deep down.

If our plan succeeded this time, I could bring Killian back, but I needed to make sure he would be under my control and torment going forward.

If the plan failed this time, the snipers on site would handle silencing everyone, and we could pin everything on the Camorra.

To the Lacey family and to outsiders, I would say I had done everything I possibly could. After all, I went to rescue my uncle—I didn't let the Camorra deal with him.

I would earn myself a good reputation.

The next morning, when Alberto contacted me again, this was how I responded.

We agreed to negotiate early on the third day.

This didn't give either of us much room to prepare, but I made my decision early, so I felt I had the upper hand in this matter.

In one day's time, we quickly got ready. On the day of the negotiation, I went to the location Alberto had mentioned.

Another dock belonging to the Lacey family.

It was also an abandoned dock where Killian had once asked Virio and me to meet him.

Last time I came here, Virio and I stood together facing Killian.

But today I was going alone, and I had to face both Alberto and Killian.

The two of them appeared together. Killian looked terrible, with many new injuries on his body.

There was also a conspicuous white bandage on his abdomen.

It seemed he had aggravated the wound on the way here—there were some dark bloodstains on the bandage on his abdomen.

Noticing me looking Killian over, Alberto smiled. "Ms. Lacey, I know you're about to return to the Lacey family as the person in charge, but he is your uncle after all, so I imagine you still have some pity for him?"

Hearing Alberto say this, Killian beside him was even more upset than I was. "Who says Elvira is going to be in charge? I'm not dead yet!"

"Ms. Lacey has already announced her family seal and the will her father left behind. You don't think you can still make a comeback at this point, do you?" Alberto said, patting Killian on the shoulder.

"The fact that you're still being stubborn even now—I have to say I'm impressed."

I followed with a cold laugh. "Mr. Watson, you seem to have everything figured out. But do you remember? That day, I said Killian was the enemy who killed my father."

Hearing me say this, Alberto's expression changed. "So you mean you'd rather sacrifice your uncle than give up power in your own family?"

"I didn't say that, but you want to trade my uncle's life for control of the entire port. I don't think I'm willing to do that."

Alberto's face immediately darkened. "So you really want to do this. In your eyes, your uncle isn't worth as much as profit?"

"You should ask my uncle what he was thinking back then. If he could have valued his family above everything else, my father wouldn't have died." As I spoke, I suddenly felt like laughing.

At such a critical moment, it turned out that negotiation was nothing more than a tug of war.

We all had our own positions, fighting for our own interests.

Killian stood beside Alberto, pain making him hunch over slightly. Only then did I notice that his hair was already streaked with white.

The strain of these years had aged him long ago.

But when I stayed by his side, I didn't notice. I only knew he was a dignified person who could control everything about me.

As long as he spoke, I had to go to whichever business partner he wanted, just as he said.

Thinking of this, sadness welled up in me. "Why did you have to kill my father back then?"

"The family is so big, you knew everything would be exposed one day. You never thought about the future, did you? Or did you think I was really as weak as you imagined, that I could never discover the truth?"

Listening to me question Killian, Alberto raised his eyebrows like he was watching a show. "What a fight between uncle and niece. Wait, or should I say now you should be considered father and daughter?"

Alberto was clearly provoking me, but I still instinctively replied, "I'm just an adopted daughter, and this is my father's killer. I could never acknowledge him as my father!"

Killian beside us trembled all over. I couldn't see the expression on his face clearly, but in that instant, I understood the emotion in his eyes.

The sudden change happened in a flash.

Killian's hunched body suddenly straightened up, and then, with incredibly quick movements, he snatched a gun from one of Alberto's men beside him.

He raised the gun and fired directly at Alberto. "Go to hell!"

"The Lacey family's ports and docks will never be handed over to you!"

The chaos started immediately. As they fought, I instinctively backed away, and at that moment Virio also hurried toward me.

My gaze still fell on Killian, but just then, I suddenly noticed Killian and Alberto quickly exchange a glance.

I was sure I hadn't seen wrong, and I realized that although Killian had fired at Alberto just now, his marksmanship shouldn't have been that bad.

Not a single shot hit.

At such close range, even if he aimed at Alberto's shoulder, he should have hit him.

What they were doing seemed more like they were covering for each other.

I bit my lip, about to say something, but then I saw one of Alberto's men turn toward me and pull out a gun.

But the barrel wasn't pointed in my direction—it was more like it was aimed at Virio behind me.

Realizing that the person wanted to take advantage of the chaos to shoot at Virio, I immediately understood Killian and Alberto's trick.

Everything today was probably deliberately staged by them to deal with Virio and me!

So their real purpose was here...

As the person pulled the trigger, I didn't have time to think carefully. I threw myself at Virio, pushing him away with force.

But Virio instinctively caught me, his hands on my shoulders. "Elvira!"