"How's your injury? An ASP collapsible baton, huh? That's definitely Lucas' style! Should we take you to the hospital for an X-ray?"
After dealing with Sophia, Cronus went upstairs to Capone's study, where Joey was already present. Capone was frowning at his laptop, which was filled with information about Lucas' recent projects.
"Yeah, boss, you didn't get any proper rest all night and now you're injured. Let's get you checked out at the hospital! I can take over the Lucas situation—I don't think he'll make any moves anytime soon!"
Capone waved his hand dismissively. "I'm fine. The fact that he dared to send people to the island to seize land shows he's serious. The old man from the Donkin family doesn't have much time left; if Lucas doesn't seize this opportunity to make his mark, when will he? If I'm not mistaken, he'll soon come to negotiate with me personally. By then, I hope the Diaz family will be of some use."
"You're planning to return Sophia Diaz to them?" Cronus asked casually.
"That might be for the best. I've always felt that girl is trouble; she could end up drawing the Diaz family's wrath toward us. If Lucas ever uses her, she could become a weakness that's exploited against you, boss," Joey quickly agreed.
Capone smiled. "Don't worry, I won't let anyone become my weakness."
His father had taught him from a young age not to let anyone into his heart. The moment you care about someone, they become your weakness. If the enemy catches on, it becomes a fatal flaw.
He wouldn't be that foolish. The grudge with Lucas had been festering for years and needed to be settled. He didn't want someone like Sophia getting caught up in it.
Despite his words, after closing his laptop, Capone went to Sophia's room to check on her. She had eaten some porridge, taken her medicine, and her injuries, including the one on her ankle, had been tended to. She was sleeping peacefully. He stood by her bedside for a while, feeling a bit lost. He wanted to tuck the blanket around her, but when he saw Cronus standing at the door, he hesitated and pulled his hand back.
"If we're not in a rush to return her, why not change our strategy?" Cronus suggested after Capone walked out and closed the door behind them.
Capone raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"What do you see her as now? A plaything for your amusement, a tool for revenge? I don't think it's either. If you fancy her, why not make her truly yours?"
"I don't fancy her, and besides, she's already mine. What more proof do you need?" Capone replied indifferently, though his tone carried a strong sense of possession.
"She may be yours physically, but her heart isn't. Otherwise, she wouldn't keep trying to escape, right? You may have unresolved feelings toward the Diaz family, wanting to see them suffer for your amusement, but since they can be useful to us, the best strategy would be to form an alliance rather than a feud. Imagine if their most cherished princess were completely devoted to you—what would her father and brothers have to worry about?"
"You're suggesting I make her fall in love with me, so she'll follow me loyally?"
"With your charm, boss, it wouldn't be difficult. Just treat her a bit better, avoid being too rough, and don't hit her. She's just a young girl; over time, she'll naturally soften and develop a dependency on you. By then, even if you let her go, she might not want to leave."
The room was dark, and Capone's expression was hard to read in the shadows. The words "she's just a young girl" seemed to strike a tender spot in his heart. After a long pause, he appeared to smile slightly and said, "That's an interesting idea, though it seems a bit cruel."
"If you don't intend to love her, then it's cruel. But if…"
"There's no 'if'!" Capone interrupted. "I will not fall in love with the daughter of my enemy!"
Many times, the person who knows you best isn't necessarily a friend—it could be an enemy.
As Capone expected, Lucas soon arrived at the port in person. As soon as he landed, word reached Capone, and everyone immediately became alert.
"How many people did he bring?" Capone asked.
"He only has two men and a woman with him, who seem to be his assistants. More people might join them later."
"Where is he staying?"
"At the Pullman Hotel near the airport."
Capone sneered. It was far from the city center, indicating that Lucas was still wary of him. Even though he had arrived at the port, he stayed away from the city and the Royal Club, as if he was ready to flee if things didn't go his way.
"Joey, take more men with you and probe into his situation. Find out what exactly he's here for. Report back to me once you have more information."
Joey nodded.
Capone then turned to Cronus and said, "I'm increasingly thinking your suggestion the other day was a good one. The best way is to achieve our goals without shedding a single drop of blood!"
Cronus just smiled. Good or not, it was too early to tell. What he cared about now was that the girl wouldn't suffer any more.
Capone made his arrangements and stayed at the villa to await news, but he didn't idle around. He locked himself in his study and held a conference call with the senior management at the Hong Kong headquarters.
When you pull one thread, the whole situation can unravel. Since he was going to clash with Lucas, he needed to ensure funds and manpower were in place.
The Diaz family's involvement was the external force he needed to set things in motion. He had already contacted the Diaz family several times, and out of concern for Sophia Diaz's situation, they had made repeated concessions.
The fight over Catherine's inheritance was no longer a major issue. The Diaz family had abandoned this risky move, and without any backing, Catherine couldn't even afford a decent lawyer, let alone talk about contesting the inheritance.
Capone was now increasing pressure, forcing Catherine to release her shares in IDGM. Along with the portion left by his father, he was on track to become the largest shareholder of IDGM. This would allow him to remove those stubborn old board members who wouldn't yield to him.
If it weren't for those old fools standing in the way, he wouldn't have missed the opportunity to develop the land at nishiyama.
Letting Lucas interfere on their turf was nothing short of an insult to Capone and his brothers.
As things grew busier, Lucy continued her routine of making a pot of rich soup every other day, adding plenty of ingredients, and serving it to the young people living there.
Capone rarely finished his portion. When Lucy personally brought it to him, he would take a symbolic sip or two. If Diana or Joey brought it up for him, it often came back untouched.
"Sigh, that little white wolf is so stubborn, even as an adult! Sophia, why don't you take this bowl of soup to him? Make sure he drinks more of it!"
Sophia was forced to take the bowl, feeling conflicted. She knew he'd been so busy lately that his days and nights were turned upside down. He was even holding meetings with the U.S. branch at night, leaving him no time to torment her. But the thought of pretending to be a concerned, dutiful person for him made her uncomfortable.
Still, it would be even harder to refuse Lucy's kind request, so she took the soup to his study.
Perhaps from overwork and exhaustion, Capone had fallen asleep, reclining in his large chair.
Normally so alert, he didn't even wake up when Sophia entered the room.
Sophia set down the bowl and gazed at his sleeping face. His perfect features, striking good looks, and slightly curled long lashes covered the eyes that were usually so intense. In sleep, he looked peaceful and almost childlike.
Sophia felt something stir in her chest, her eyes involuntarily shifting to the letter opener on the desk.
It wasn't the first time. This wasn't the first time she had thought about hurting him—or even killing him—when she saw him so defenseless!
That way, she could finally be free.
But today was different. She noticed the laptop by his hand. She didn't understand the complex project data on the screen, but she could read the contracts, all of which targeted Lucas's Sunshine Group.
Diana had told her that in recent days, Lucas had arrived at the port with his subordinates to personally oversee the project's progress, causing Capone and his team to be on high alert. That's why they were so busy.
Sophia knew that Diana wouldn't deceive her. The time they had spent together had been enough for her to realize that Capone's scheme to sow discord between them was merely a ploy to create distance. In reality, Diana's background and her connections with the other brothers were not within her control, and Sophia felt it was unfair to blame her.
As for the grudge with Lucas, Diana couldn't explain much, only saying that he had betrayed them and joined their enemies, the Donkin family, using his exceptional intellect and skills to oppose Capone.
Sophia felt a slight stir in her heart. As she hovered her hand over the mouse, about to continue exploring more information, Capone woke up.