Chapter 146

Elliott interlocked his hands and nodded, "That's good. I called you both out today so that even if there was any awkwardness, you two could make up."

Lawrence hadn't seen this woman in several days. He kept his mouth harsh but his heart soft, giving her cold glances multiple times.

Elliott's gaze shifted.

"Mr. Rodriguez, I wanted to meet with you today and make a request. Winnie told me that you have been involved in significant real estate transactions. Coincidentally, my small company is about to be acquired, so I was wondering if, through Winnie, you could give me a chance to collaborate."

Winnie's fingers stiffened as she concealed her shocked expression, looking at her obviously acting uncle.

His humble expression and courteous tone frightened Winnie.

She immediately looked at Lawrence, hoping he would refuse her uncle.

But the man paused, his deep gaze flicking over her face. He lifted his chin and nodded decisively, "Since you've made the request, of course, cooperation is not a problem."

Then, in an arrogant manner, he said to Winnie, "You are the Vice President of the Kingdom Estates and can represent me in signing the contract. I'll leave this matter to you."

He was indirectly comforting himself, and Winnie could see through it.

However, she didn't want to express gratitude; her heart felt only an immense burden.

Elliott chuckled, "Mr. Rodriguez is very generous and dotes on Winnie."

Winnie found this side of her uncle somewhat unfamiliar and hypocritical.

"Well, I won't waste any more of your precious time. Let's have a pleasant collaboration," Elliott said, extending his hand with a smiling expression.

Lawrence reached out his hand and shook Elliott's, his eyes deep and open.

Winnie stared at his fierce gaze, feeling stunned.

He suddenly looked away as his phone rang, but he didn't leave immediately, seemingly waiting for her to give him a chance.

Winnie frantically avoided his inscrutable gaze.

At this moment, her uncle spoke with a smile, "As I have difficulty walking, I'll trouble Winnie to accompany me back and discuss the collaboration. I'll also persuade her to return home early."

Lawrence looked at this woman. Couldn't she take the initiative to say a few words to him?

She had already given her uncle a chance to collaborate, was this woman still not satisfied? What did he need to do to let go of Darcy?

The phone rang again.

He had an important meeting, and the bidding for the five-star hotel project was about to start.

Lawrence furrowed his cold brows, and Bryan was already respectfully waiting at the door. He had to leave.

Winnie leaned against the chair, her heart pounding heavily and anxiously, as her uncle took her away and returned to his apartment.

Apart from his assistant, there was another man in the apartment!

Tall and slender, wearing a well-tailored suit, the man stood casually at the table with his back to Winnie, holding a stack of contracts in his hand.

Her uncle took the stack of contracts and turned around, asking Winnie with an indifferent expression, "Do you have the seal of the Vice President of the Kingdom Estates with you?"

She had it in her bag, but Winnie pressed her lips tightly, unable to help but ask, "Uncle, why did you want to come with me today?"

"He mentioned about cooperation?"

"Of course, I genuinely want to cooperate," Elliott smiled at her, gently stroking her cold head. "I know you struggle with making decisions, so let me help you. Revenge can finally begin!"

Winnie shuddered instantly, feeling a chilling sensation from within her body. Tears of discomfort welled up in her eyes.

She was led by her uncle towards the direction of a cliff, and ahead, there was no bright path left to be with Lawrence.

As if sensing her sadness, Elliott's eyes coldly sneered, "You will eventually gather yourself and help me seek revenge!"

"But uncle, why did he not even suspect you today? He agreed as soon as you mentioned cooperation," Winnie expressed her doubts.

"With Lawrence's ability to disguise and his cunning schemes, what can you deduce?" Elliott replied coldly.

"Besides, I never involved myself in Cameron's business back then; he was certain that I didn't know the truth. Even with a small collaboration, he was confident it wouldn't have any significant impact!"

"Bring out your seal, he has already agreed," Elliott pressured her.

With a pale face, Winnie slowly took out the seal. Elliott held the contract and did not let her see it. Winnie glanced at it and discovered it was a foreign company.

She furrowed her brows, feeling something was amiss. "Uncle, didn't you say that your company has already relocated within the country? But this foreign company, is it his? Who is he?"

Finally, the young man turned his face around. He had handsome and devilish features, and a playful smirk appeared on one side of his lips while looking at Winnie.

Winnie frowned; it was the man she saw at the airport!

There was an air of wickedness about him, and that face gave Winnie a faint sense of familiarity that she couldn't pinpoint.

"Miss Anderson's heart still leans towards Lawrence, huh? Are you guarding against your uncle?" the man teased with a meaningful smile.

Elliott's face immediately turned cold.

He snatched the seal from Winnie's hand, pressing her hand onto it.

"He is here to help me, you don't need to concern yourself with who he is. I co-own this overseas company with him. This is just a small collaboration with Lawrence, it won't be enough to kill him. But Winnie, you cannot disappoint me! Don't make my ten years of torment be in vain!"

His words trembled with a painful undertone, not giving Winnie a chance to respond.

As the seal was pressed, the young man promptly took away the contract.

Winnie had no idea if there were any issues with that contract. Fortunately, it was only the Vice President's seal.

Lawrence trusted her and wanted to appease her by handing over the authority.

Her heart ached, entangled with pain, unwilling to be a betrayer.

She couldn't bring herself to be ruthless, caught in the midst of it all, and it seemed destined to disappoint her uncle...

But her uncle immediately pressured her further, "Winnie, you must understand your position. You have to help me. The Kingdom Estates' current biggest project is the five-star hotel group, rumored to have billions of dollars in financing. The project is ready, we just need to bid for the land. I want you to follow up on this project along with Lawrence..."

"Go bid for the land, and we'll work together then..."

"Uncle! What are you planning to do?" Sweat formed on Winnie's forehead, and her fingers turned pale.

Elliott's eyes revealed obsession as he smirked, "Don't ask questions, just do as I say and please Lawrence to go bid with him."

"Uncle, I can't..." Winnie's face turned pale, showing signs of struggle and resistance.

As Winnie refused, Elliott's eyes turned cold, and he unbuttoned his collar, revealing numerous scars on his body.

With an intense and resentful gaze, he said, "Do you see how I've lived all these years when you couldn't help me? Scar tissue proliferated all over my body, I've had five surgeries in ten years, Winnie. All of this was given to me by him, as well as Cameron and Irene. Think about it!"

Winnie hugged her head with both hands, not wanting to listen anymore, the suffocating pain making it impossible for her to utter a word.

Faced with such harm, she couldn't refuse her uncle.

She looked into her uncle's eyes filled with hatred, preventing him from reasoning. Winnie couldn't stop his obsession, and he thrust the knife into her hands.

He wanted her to strike Lawrence, but in the end, would it be his flesh or her own heart that she would be cutting?

"You'll go to the Kingdom Estates tomorrow to follow up on the hotel project. I'm tired, go back now," Elliott instructed with deep concern, rubbing his right leg and turning pale.