Chapter 137
An hour later, Uri appeared punctually at the door of Sawyer's private suite.
The door opened. Sawyer still sat in that oversized sofa, a glass of red wine in hand, his posture relaxed as if waiting for an old friend. When he saw Uri, a satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Mr. Noah, please sit."
Uri sat across from him, his face showing just the right amount of compliance and helplessness. Sawyer studied him, gray eyes glinting with scrutiny.
"Made up your mind?"
Uri took a deep breath and nodded. "Mr. Scott, the terms you offered—I can't refuse them."
Sawyer smiled, that smile carrying a certain triumphant satisfaction. He poured Uri a glass of wine and pushed it toward him.
"You're a smart man, Mr. Noah. I like dealing with smart people."
Uri accepted the glass but didn't drink, only held it in his hand. He lifted his head, looking at Sawyer, his face showing an expression of wanting to speak but hesitating.
Sawyer raised an eyebrow. "Speak your mind."
Uri hesitated, then said in a low voice, "Mr. Scott, I want to know what you plan to do next. After all, now that I'm working for you, I should at least know what's going on."
Sawyer looked at him, a trace of amusement flashing in his eyes. He took a sip of wine and spoke slowly, "My people have already investigated thoroughly. Nightfall spent a full hundred million dollars tonight to acquire that person called Nolan. I'm very curious—why would you spend such a huge sum? What's it really for?"
Uri's heart tightened, but his face remained calm. He'd anticipated Sawyer would ask this question.
"For profit," he said, his tone candid. "As Mr. Scott just said, Nightfall makes money by taking contracts, but after risking our lives every year, what we actually pocket isn't much. But Jacob is different. For the truth about his father's death, he's willing to pay anything."
He paused, then continued, "The shipping route operating rights are just the first condition he offered. If we hold Nolan in our hands, what we can squeeze out of him goes far beyond one shipping route. The Smith Family has plenty of industries and resources. A hundred million dollar investment in exchange for ten or a hundred times the return—that's a very profitable deal."
Sawyer listened, his smile gradually deepening.
"Interesting," he said softly. "Your calculations are indeed shrewd. It's just a pity..."
He set down his wine glass, a cold gleam flashing in his gray eyes. "Your money is about to be wasted."
Uri froze. "Mr. Scott means..."
Sawyer stood up and walked to the window, turning his back to him. Outside the window, the sea surface was pitch black, with only distant lights flickering in the darkness.
"Mr. Noah, you've just arrived in this city. You may not fully understand the situation here yet." His voice was calm but carried an unquestionable certainty. "Jacob is indeed capable and bold, single-handedly propping up the entire Smith Family. But precisely because of this, he's made too many enemies."
He turned around, looking at Uri. "The Parker family, the Moretti family, and those veterans within the Smith Family whom he's suppressed—they all want him gone. Before, they feared his power and didn't dare make a move. But now it's different."
"Now?"
Sawyer smiled, that smile carrying a kind of confident ease.
"Now, I'm here."
He walked back to the sofa and sat down again, crossing his legs. "The Scott family, as an outside power, must first eliminate a local force to establish authority if we want to take root here. Pacquiao is too cunning, Vincent too weak. Only Jacob—strong enough, tough enough, and hated enough."
He looked at Uri, enunciating each word. "He won't survive past tomorrow."
Uri's pupils contracted slightly. He stared at Sawyer, his face showing perfectly calibrated shock and a well-hidden trace of fear.
"Mr. Scott..." His voice was somewhat tight. "You're going to..."
"Don't be nervous." Sawyer waved his hand dismissively, his tone as casual as if discussing tomorrow's weather. "You just need to keep your people in check and stay out of it. After tomorrow, the power dynamics of this city will have changed."
He paused, suddenly remembering something, his gaze returning to Uri's face. "Oh, one more thing."
Uri's heart leaped.
"That female companion of yours." Sawyer looked at him, his eyes carrying a trace of amusement. "She's Jacob's people, right?"
Uri's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained control, only looking at Sawyer in silence.
Sawyer observed his reaction, the corner of his mouth curving into a meaningful arc. "Mr. Noah, you'd better be careful. After all, that woman's identity is questionable. Who knows when she might betray you?"
Uri took a deep breath, about to say something—
"I'd betray?" A cool female voice suddenly sounded from the doorway.
Both men turned to look simultaneously.
The suite door had been pushed open a crack at some point. Elizabeth stood in the doorway, her silver mask back in place, covering her eyes and brows, revealing only the beautifully contoured lower half of her face and those eyes—currently cold as frost.
She stepped inside, her stride composed, her posture upright, her entire being radiating a powerful, undeniable presence.
Sawyer looked at her, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes, quickly transforming into appreciation.
"Ms. Windsor," he stood up, his tone carrying a trace of amusement, "eavesdropping on other people's conversations isn't exactly ladylike behavior."
Elizabeth walked to Uri's side and stopped, facing Sawyer directly.
"Mr. Scott says I would betray?" Her voice was cool, processed through a voice modulator into a neutral, emotionless electronic tone. "Then I can tell you clearly—"
She paused, enunciating each word. "My approach to Jacob, from beginning to end, has had only one purpose."
Sawyer raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Elizabeth looked at him, her gaze unwavering. "To find out the truth about my grandfather's death."
The air in the suite seemed to freeze.
Sawyer stared at her for several seconds, then suddenly laughed. That smile carried a kind of dawning appreciation, along with a trace of unexpected delight and excitement.
"Interesting," he said softly, settling back into the sofa and crossing his legs. "So that's how it is. Ms. Windsor, you've hidden yourself quite deeply."
He paused, a gleam flashing in his gray eyes. "So now, are we allies?"
"Who the hell is your ally?"