Chapter 545: Perhaps We Can Work Together
"Who are you? How dare you!" Clement’s head was covered with a black bag. He could not see what was going on. The darkness fueled his fear.
Didn’t Christian say he had taken care of everything? Why was he still taken in captivity at the airport?
Michael gave a wave. His bodyguards understood what he meant and removed the bag from Clement’s head.
Clement tried to shield his eyes as he blinked. He could not get used to the brightness immediately. Just as he was about to move, he realized that both his hands were tied. His face was covered in bruises. It seemed like he was beaten up on his way here.
Wendy couldn’t help but shiver the moment she saw Clement. He had disguised himself. However, since she knew that he was Clement, she could easily see through his disguise.
Michael held Wendy’s hand even tighter when he noticed her reaction.
He then whispered into Wendy’s ears. "Don’t worry, I am here."
Michael’s words managed to calm Wendy down slightly. Since she had decided to face her fears, she would never back down.
"Let me warn you guys. You’d better let me go right now. How dare you capture me without finding out who I am," Clement threatened them loudly before he could even see who they were. "Let go of me. Otherwise, when Christian finds me..."
There weren’t many people in Lake City who knew who Clement was. He had no choice but to mention Christian. But he managed to see who the people in front of him were before he could finish his sentence.
Clement stopped his sentence midway when he saw Michael and Wendy.
"Mi....Michael..." Clement gulped. He suddenly became less domineering when he saw Michael. After all, he was currently in Lake City, which was Michael’s turf.
"Why are you here?" Clement was probing him. "Christian told me that you didn’t have time to deal with me."
"Didn’t Christian also tell you that Wendy was hospitalized due to a miscarriage and that I am currently panicking?" Michael sneered at Clement.
"Erm..." Clement’s gaze then landed on Wendy, who was standing beside Michael.
She was wearing a dress that was stained with blood.
"She’s bleeding. Aren’t you going to show some concern? Don’t you love her?"
Clement said these words instinctively before realizing that something was wrong.
"What’s going on?" Clement couldn’t help but widen his eyes.
Michael’s bodyguard brought a chair over. He then sat Wendy down. He whispered softly and gently into Wendy’s ears. "Watch me avenge you."
Wendy took a deep breath. She then gave him a slight nod. Michael waved his hand.
His bodyguards then rushed forward immediately and started to give Clement a brutal beating.
At first, Clement could stop himself from screaming out loud. But no matter how tough he was, there was no way he could endure this brutal beating.
"Stop hitting me!" Clement screamed at last. He was currently on the ground.
Michael waved his hand again to signal for his bodyguards to stop. Clement said weakly while holding back his pain, "Michael, how did you manage to get me? I don’t believe this!"
Michael walked towards Clement and looked down at him. He then stepped on Clement’s hand savagely with his foot. Clement cried out in pain.
Michael didn’t feel sorry for him. He then stepped on Clement’s hand even harder, which made him cry out even louder.
...
After screaming out loud for a while, Clement finally ran out of energy. His voice became softer and softer.
"You don’t believe this?" Michael exerted even more force on Clement’s hand with his foot.
Clement was in so much pain that he couldn’t scream anymore. His forehead was covered in cold sweat.
"Do you believe it now?" asked Michael coldly.
"No..." Before Clement could finish his words, Michael let go of his hand.
Michael turned around and picked up his bodyguard’s gun. He then pointed the gun at Clement’s head. Clement didn’t dare to speak.
"Michael, how did you manage to get me?" Clement didn’t want to die without knowing this. "Christian told me that everything was going according to his plan. I had clearly arrived at the airport. Could it be that Christian had betrayed me?"
"Yes, he did betray you. He was the one who sent you to me." Michael deliberately went along with Clement.
"That’s impossible!" Clement said.
Michael couldn’t help but sneer as he said, "Weren’t you the one who said that? Why do you now think that it’s impossible?"
Clement was just making a wild guess. Michael and Christian had always been enemies. Besides, Clement was Christian’s partner. How could he possibly send his partner into the hands of his enemy?
"Christian needs money. He betrayed you after I told him that I will help him financially," Michael lied without batting an eyelid.
"How is it possible for you to help Christian just because of me," said Clement.
"I am not helping him. I am offering him a deal," said Michael.
"Unless you’re dumb, you would never offer such a deal." Clement was sick of beating around the bush with Michael. "How did you managed to get me?"
Clement knew that he had fallen into Michael’s trap when he saw Wendy. However, he wanted to know how Michael did it. Besides, he wanted to buy some time.
Christian would definitely send someone to look for him. The longer he dragged the conversation, the higher the chance of Christian finding him.
"Since you want to make things clear before you die, I will fulfil your wish," Michael sneered. "I asked Wendy to put up to show to make Christian think that all of my attention was on Wendy.
"I assumed that Christian will send you away via a private plane. So I sent someone over to his private airport in advance. Since Christian wanted to send you away quietly, he wouldn’t bring too many bodyguards with him. So my men had been waiting for your arrival."
"Michael, you are very cunning indeed. It’s no wonder that Christian still can’t beat you even though it’s been many years," said Clement. "You are not only smart, but you know Christian very well. Perhaps we can work together. Who knows we might make better partners as compared to Christian and I."
"Partners?" Michael glanced at Clement who was lying on the floor. He then asked, "Doing shady business together, you mean?"
"Earning lots of money is all that matters. Does the way we’re doing it even matter?"
Clement replied with another question.
"Of course!" Michael’s tone became harsh. "A gentleman only earns money through proper channels. How many lives and families have the both of you ruined just for money? How many families have you destroyed for money?"
"I have never expected Mr. Lucas to be such a righteous man." Clement couldn’t contain his laughter after hearing what Michael said. But his pain intensified when he laughed, so he stopped.
...
"Mr. Lucas, are you really not giving it any consideration?" Clement was trying his best to buy himself some time.
Michael had realized his motive since a while ago. He then chuckled as he exposed Clement, "Stop trying to buy yourself some time. I have many bodyguards with me right here right now.
"It is still possible for Christian to show up. But if up to thousands of people started fighting here, Christian would definitely be dragged into the fight. Do you think he would be able to continue with his new project after that? Besides, I can always kill you before he arrives!"
Michael pointed the gun at Clement’s forehead once again.
"Michael, you are well aware of my background. Life won’t be easy for you if you were to kill me."
Since Clement’s ploy to buy time had been useless, he decided to go head on with Michael. "Although I have stronger influence in Rheinsville City, my followers will definitely come all the way to Lake City to avenge me if I were to die in your hands.
"Even though Lake City is your turf, the consequence of offending a gang is still too much for you to bear. Even if they failed to avenge my death, they would harass you from time to time. You wouldn’t want that, do you? Your wife and kids would be living in fear by then. Gangsters are the best at assassinations."
"Since I dared capture you, do you think I will feel threatened by you?" Michael shook his head while laughing. Although Michael looked indifferent, he did feel slightly threatened.
He wasn’t worried about his own safety. He was worried about Wendy and their two children. Clement was right. A gangster could do anything.
However, he couldn’t just do nothing about Clement. He must avenge Wendy.
Besides, Michael was aware that Clement was trying to intimidate him.
How could it be that easy for his followers to come all the way from Rheinsville City to Lake City just to seek revenge for Clement?
"Michael..." Clement had no choice but to change to a soft approach since his threats weren’t working. "You had been sending people to investigate me when I was in Rheinsville City. I know you hate me for what I did to Corrine back then.
"But she was the one who seduced me. I was merely turning her trick against her.
"You were the ones whose scheme did not work, yet you’re trying to kill me now?
Michael, you should be reasonable, but I’m innocent."
It would have been better for Clement not to bring this up. But since he had mentioned it, Michael pointed the gun at his chest furiously.
Clement shouted in fear when he saw Michael’s reaction. "You don’t have to go that far! I didn’t do anything to Corrine. Besides, you were the ones who were scheming against me in the first place and now you want to kill me for your blunder? Michael, please be reasonable."
Michael came to a halt after hearing what Clement said. Clement thought that his persuasion was working. He added on immediately, "I know that people from Zeilheim City are more conservative. However, you don’t have to kill me just because I touched her hand, right?"
"What did you say?" Michael shouted loudly while staring straight at Clement. "Can you repeat what you just said?"
"I..." Clement was frightened by Michael’s voice. He then subconsciously softened his voice. "I said that I didn’t do anything to Corrine. You don’t have to kill me for that, right?"
"You didn’t do anything to Wendy?" Michael asked once again.
"I..." Clement gulped. He then replied truthfully, "I really didn’t do anything to her."
