C6 Pledge

The sound of "click" echoed, signifying the loading of a gun. Andrea turned around, and their gazes crossed amidst the pouring rain, meeting in the haze of gun smoke.

No wonder Viktor struggled to find her so much. It turned out she had played a trick on him with her disappearing act.

Her piercing gaze roamed from the mud-splattered feet to the tousled, slightly curled hair. Andrea furrowed his brows, surprised that she managed to exude a charming vibe even in practical hunting gear.

Just then, Viktor and his crew rushed in.

A swarm of armed figures closed in, surrounding the two in the seemingly calm standoff.

The chilling sound of guns being loaded echoed along with the hurried footsteps, creating a tense atmosphere in this small open space. Everyone held their breath.

Andrea put down his gun, casually removing the earplugs.

Standing still, he maintained a straight back when facing Jade's sudden intrusion, and his stern gaze remained unaffected.

"You don't think that by using me as a hostage, you'll leave here alive, do you?" he said, lowering his head with a touch of nonchalance.

Jade was not that naive. Even if she miraculously escaped today, given Navoi's influence in New York, there was no chance she would leave the city alive.

So, from the moment she aimed her gun at him, Jade's plan was never about coercing him to let her go. On the contrary—

"I want to negotiate with Mr. Caruso," the woman's icy voice softened but carried an undeniable determination.

"I know that I won't escape today no matter what, so there are two options," she continued, raising her hand. The gun's muzzle slid from her chest to his forehead. "Option one, kill Mr. Caruso, and I go down with him. Option two..."

Jade's gaze was intense, fixed on the man in front of her. "Trade Mr. Caruso's life for a chance to explain myself."

At these words, Andrea turned his head, and his eyes darkened a bit more.

Regardless of whether her actions were too bold, she was undeniably smart.

She understood his intentions, knew her own leverage, and had such adaptability.

Suddenly, he found a bit of interest in her so-called deal, eager to hear more.

"Mr. Caruso directed this performance today because he suspects I'm the mole in the Branconi Family, right?" Andrea neither confirmed nor denied.

"I can prove that I'm not."

"Do you think I care now?"

Indifferent tone, Jade was cornered.

He truly didn't care, so he couldn't be bothered to confirm it. Today's setup was merely to save face for the Wen family.

What he wanted was simple: for Willow to marry him without causing any trouble.

Even if she managed to escape due to her innocence, now, by openly challenging Andrea Caruso's authority in front of so many people, she had signed her death warrant.

So, Jade needed more than just innocence to survive.

"I can help you take down the Branconi Family."

The man's long lashes half-closed, hiding the brilliance in his eyes, making him look indifferent as if he wasn't interested in her proposal.

Jade didn't hesitate and continued, "The reason Branconi Family has risen in New York all these years is because they have the support of Steven Murphy, one of New York's senators."

"Do you think I wouldn't know this information?" Andrea interrupted her.

Jade paused and went on, "Eight years ago, when Murphy was just a city council member in New York, he was investigated for a sexual assault scandal involving an underaged Asian girl. Unfortunately, the investigation led to an Italian man named Lorenza. He admitted to the crime, and the police arrested him, closing the case."

The man's brows furrowed.

"That Lorenza was a member of the Branconi Family. He died violently in prison. After that, every year, nearly a dozen cases of sexual violence against women in New York were related to the Branconi Family, and almost every victim was Asian."

"All right," the deep, cold voice rang out, icy and leisurely. "Even if your speculation is correct, how do you plan to move against him?"

"As far as I know, Murphy has never targeted the same victim twice. From the frequency of the incidents, I guess he might have a fetish for collecting Asian women."

Seeing Andrea's lack of reaction, Jade explained, "People like him often record the criminal process during the crime to satisfy their collector's fetish. So, if I can get close to him, there's a chance to find that evidence."

"You plan to find those evidence?" Andrea Caruso asked.

Jade nodded.

The man in front of her looked at her, and this time, his eyes showed a hint of inquiry. "So, why you?"

"Because it can only be me," Jade said, "I'm Asian, I have the skills, I'm smart, courageous, and, most importantly..."

She paused, then continued, "Your life is in my hands. Accept my pledge is a win-win situation."

As soon as these words were spoken, Jade keenly sensed that she might have touched a nerve with Andrea.

But before she could figure out why, Andrea sidestepped, and at the same time, she felt a sharp pain in her wrist.

"Bam!"

The bullet was fired, unfortunately missing its mark. The nearby tree trunk was pierced, and leaves cascaded down.

In the next moment, a powerful force surged forward. Jade felt a tightness in her wrist, followed by a solid thud.

Her hand had been forcefully slammed against the rocky wall by Andrea.

The gun slipped from her grip, her back collided with a hard surface, and a painful sensation accompanied a cold sweat spreading all over her body.

The man's hand clasped her throat, and the cold touch of the gloves felt like a snake biting into her neck.

His rigid body blocked her view, and Andrea lowered his head to look at her.

"You got it wrong, Miss Ouyang," his deep voice echoed in her ears. Andrea added with an unpleasant tone, "My life has never been in anyone else's hands, and I don't accept cooperation through coercion."

Breath compressed, a sense of suffocation spread.

In the brink of death, her mind went blank, and amidst the gunshots echoing in her ears, the touch of Marta collapsing in her arms felt vivid and distinct.

However, she forced herself to stay calm. In front of such a formidable opponent, any sign of negligence could be fatal.

Unexpectedly, the hand around her neck trembled slightly, a subtle vibration as if an illusion.

Jade silently lifted her head and noticed the storm in the man's eyes had inexplicably calmed a bit. After the chilly atmosphere dissipated, a hint of bewilderment even surfaced.

It was a kind of familiar confusion—Andrea seemed to see someone irretrievably lost in her eyes.

"I'll give you one last chance," he abruptly spoke after a while, his voice no longer as icy, "Think carefully about what you gonna to say."

This sentence pushed Jade to a desperate situation.

Judging by Andrea's previous reaction, he seemed interested in her proposal; otherwise, he wouldn't still spare her life now.

So, the problem lied in the leverage for him to cooperate, as he wouldn't exchange his life, and he rejected threats. What did she have left? What could make Andrea drop his guard and be willing to work with her?

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock...

The sound of the mechanical watch on the man's wrist echoed in her ears, irritating her like her current heartbeat.

In a sudden shift of thought, Jade realized that Andrea must have investigated her before taking action. He might not have found anything, or he wouldn't have given her this chance to explain. However, a person who lived amidst deceit and danger naturally possessed a keen ability to discern lies, and he probably already suspected her true identity.

If that were the case...

Why not leverage the slope? A semi-truthful lie, partially true and partially false, would be the most convincing.

So, she raised her head, meeting his gaze with openness and determination.

"Mr. Caruso," she gritted her teeth, "Your suspicion is correct. I've been in this business for less than two years, and getting close to Ms. Wen was indeed for a purpose..."

Her words exploded like thunder.

Everyone dared not make a sound, carefully observing Andrea's expression.

Yet, he showed no anger at being deceived. His misty gray eyes lowered slightly, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Taking a deep breath, she finally uttered, "I'm here for revenge."

"My family died in a shooting incident organized by the Branconi Family in Little Italy a few years ago. Due to lack of evidence, the police couldn't even file a case. The murderer went unpunished, and I had no choice but to use external forces."

"Ms. Wen is my stepping stone, and Mr. Caruso," Jade looked at him with humiliation but also unwillingness, "You are the external force I intend to use."

Once spoken, the atmosphere, already quiet, dropped to freezing point.

Hardly anyone would have expected that this woman, facing an enemy several times more powerful than herself, standing on the brink of life and death, would argue her final words as—

"I want to use you."

Frank and naked.

A faint muffled laughter broke the solidified air.

Due to their almost touching bodies, Jade felt the vibration in his chest.

In the next moment, the hand around her neck loosened, and she could finally breathe normally. As she released a long sigh, she realized the exhaustion in her body, and she involuntarily leaned against the wall.

"Remember," her face was lifted again by the cold glove, and Andrea looked at her, only to continue after a moment, "that's what I call cooperation."

Having the same motivation and equal capabilities.

He offered no protection, accepted no threats.

What he wanted was not a servant to follow him, nor a potential threat. He sought an ally of equal strength.

Only such a person had the qualifications to stand by his side and discuss cooperation.

"Boss!" Viktor caught up from behind, wearing a resentful and unwilling expression. "Are you really going to let her go like this?"

"Otherwise?" Andrea turned coldly, his eyes sharp enough to cut through. "Are you offering yourself?"

"..." The lacking confidence Viktor instinctively touched his neck, choosing silence.

The sound of the torrential rain washing away all things echoed in their ears. The wind stirred the grass, and black hair and windbreakers fluttered in the storm.

"Keep investigating her background," Andrea added, but at this moment, his stepped froze.

He inexplicably turned back, looking toward the elevated stone he had set up before.

In the pouring rain, layers of white mist obscured everything.

Frowning, he reached out and pinched his five fingers that had just touched her neck—

There was a red birthmark on her neck, as bright as blood.