116-120

Chapter 116: I Promise to Stay with You for a Night

At noon, in the luxurious suite of the hotel, a group of people sat together drinking coffee. The rich aroma filled the room, invigorating everyone's spirits.

“Della, Hubert seems pretty confident about winning this lawsuit. Do you know why?”

Kate, sitting in the middle, furrowed her brows slightly as she spoke.

The prominent lawyer, Della Cobell, put down her coffee cup and gave a cold smile, “It’s the same old tactics—destroying evidence by any means necessary and bribing witnesses. From what I’ve gathered, they’ve already destroyed a lot of evidence, including several cars and double-barreled shotguns seized by the police. They’ve even bought off the truck driver.”

Kate stared at her for a few seconds, “Yesterday, you all said in the group that you were confident about winning this lawsuit. That’s the only reason I agreed to help you. But now, with only three days left, are you still confident?”

“Of course, we have a winning strategy!”

Della Cobell smiled faintly and took out her laptop.

She was about to say something when she suddenly glanced at Luca, sitting on the side. “You, step out for a moment!”

“Uh, me?”

Luca was taken aback, “Why?”

Ms. Della shot him a sidelong glance, “Because you’re a man. This lawsuit is a battle between men and women. Is that reason enough?”

Kate, Lima, and Miranda were taken aback for a moment, then chuckled lightly.

“Yes, Luca, step out for a bit. This is a girls-only session. I’m a witness, and Miranda is the plaintiff. What are you, an outsider, doing here?”

Lima nudged his shoulder playfully.

Luca smirked, stood up, and was about to leave when he noticed that Della’s two male assistants were still in the room. He asked indignantly, “Aren’t they men? Why can they stay?”

“Oh, Mr. Big, can I date you?”

One of the men in a black suit suddenly winked at him.

The other, a blond pretty boy, said nothing but glanced at his pants, blushing and lowering his head shyly.

“WTF!”

Luca covered his forehead, wiped the cold sweat off his face, and walked out willingly.

The noon sun was bright. Bordeaux, near the Atlantic Ocean, is influenced by the Bay of Biscay current, creating a typical temperate maritime climate—mild winters and cool summers, with humid conditions year-round. It was early April, yet the city’s green parks were already lush, and flowers were in full bloom.

With his hands in his pockets, Luca strolled through the Plum Square near the hotel, casually taking in the sights like the tourists and locals around him.

He had been in Bordeaux for two days, but due to Kate’s situation, he hadn’t had much chance to sightsee. Now, taking advantage of some free time, he bought a cruise ticket at the square’s pier, went up to the deck to bask in the sun, and enjoyed the light river breeze and the view along the shore.

There weren’t many people on the deck at noon, just a few folks sitting around drinking and chatting.

“Bella, I just got word that Hubert and Kate have had a falling out. Do we have an opportunity this time?”

Luca was leaning on the railing, watching the sparkling water and fish below when he suddenly heard a familiar voice not far away. The words included the keywords ‘Kate’ and ‘Hubert.’

Surprised, he turned his head and, as expected, the familiar voice belonged to Gisele Bündchen. She was wearing a purple velvet gown, her golden hair cascading down, her long legs crossed, and her brows slightly furrowed. She exuded a sharp aura, much like Kate, with a natural queenly presence.

Ding!

As he was looking at her, Gisele's eyes happened to glance over, and their gazes locked. In that silent moment, there was an unspoken connection.

He raised the corners of his mouth into a charming smile.

Gisele was startled. Her phone slipped from her hand, spun twice on the deck, and the battery flew out.

With a soft swoosh, it slid over and hit his foot.

“Hi, Gisele!”

Luca picked up the battery and walked over.

“Luca, are you stalking me?”

Gisele frowned, questioning him.

Luca shrugged, placing the phone battery down, “Why would I stalk you?”

“Hmph, you know why.”

Gisele glanced at the seat not far away and saw her bodyguard dozing off. She secretly cursed him as useless.

“Well, I really don’t know. Care to remind me?”

Luca sat down and noticed a bottle of wine on the table—'96 Lafite, a nice choice.

“May I?”

He pointed at the bottle.

Gisele quietly stared at him for three seconds, “What did you just hear?”

“I heard what I needed to.”

Luca poured a glass of red wine, swirled it, and smiled mysteriously.

“Hurry up and say it!”

Gisele urged impatiently.

“Haha, don’t rush me. I’m savoring the wine!”

Luca raised an eyebrow and took a small sip. The enzymes in the wine blossomed in his mouth, gradually awakening his taste buds.

“Perfect!”

Luca said, a little intoxicated.

“Stop pretending. You and Kate are both country bumpkins. Do you even know how to appreciate wine?”

Gisele said disdainfully.

Luca chuckled indifferently, “I caught a sentence and roughly figured out your plan.”

“My plan? What plan?”

Gisele crossed her long legs, exuding a cold aura, quite similar to Kate.

Two queens cannot coexist on one mountain; perhaps that’s why they dislike each other?

Luca smirked slightly, “The Commanderie wine party was orchestrated by you and your team, wasn’t it?”

“What?”

Gisele frowned.

“You secretly incited Raul Balmer, that scumbag, to target the newcomer Miranda. Then you informed Kate, knowing her nature. She’s righteous, brave, loyal, and values her emotions.”

“Pfft~ That’s not righteousness and bravery; that’s stupidity and recklessness!”

Gisele sneered.

“Well, Kate can be impulsive at times. I guess she takes after me in that regard.”

Luca spread his hands. “So you seized on this, fully exploiting it to provoke a feud between Kate and the Balmers, both to suppress Kate's popularity and to curry favor with the Balmer family, possibly securing the Givenchy endorsement, right?”

Gisele snorted lightly and shook her head, “Firstly, Raul frequently preys on newbie models at fashion parties, and Miranda was the most dazzling newcomer. It was inevitable he’d target her, with no need for incitement.

Secondly, I’m not the only one wanting to suppress Kate’s popularity; many in the industry do. This year, Kate’s been too conspicuous, and a lot of people want to see her fall.”

Gisele took a sip of red wine and spoke calmly, “Since Kate became a bestselling author, she’s gradually forgotten her identity. When the company arranged for her to attend high-level parties, she refused without hesitation, not once but multiple times. Wouldn’t the higher-ups be angry?

Also, with this car chase incident, hmm~ If it were in the past, she might have saved Miranda but would never have chosen to go head-to-head with Raul, let alone openly feud with the Balmers like this. It’s only because she’s too proud now, forgetting she’s still just a model.”

Luca leaned back, crossed his legs, and stared at the woman before him, silently admiring her insight. No one knows you better than your adversary.

“What are you looking at?!”

Gisele, using her hand to shield her chest, asked angrily.

Luca snapped out of it and smiled, “Gisele, as you said, Kate has indeed forgotten she’s still a model. That’s true, because she plans to leave the modeling industry in five years and become a full-time author. So, you don’t have to target her. Once she’s gone, the fashion world will be yours alone.”

“Ridiculous. She’s on the rise, with her endorsement fees continuously increasing. It’s the perfect time for her to cash in. Why would she want to leave modeling?”

Gisele held her glass of wine, scrutinizing him, seemingly discerning the truth of his words.

“It’s true.”

Luca blinked, “If you paid attention, you’d notice that Kate hasn’t taken on any contracts beyond 2008. This year is her last year for endorsements, so she’s taking on more to stock up. That part you should understand.”

Gisele was silent for a moment before suddenly raising her head, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because we’re both Brazilians.”

“Hahaha~ That’s hilarious!”

Gisele covered her mouth, chuckling softly. Then she said coldly, “Brazilians? 40% of the top models in the fashion world are from Brazil. Your sister became a popular supermodel by stepping on the backs of other Brazilians. Now you’re saying we’re all Brazilians? Oh, how laughable, how hypocritical. So, Luca, whatever you have to say, just say it straight. Don’t play tricks on me. Your sister isn’t my match, and neither are you.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll be honest then.”

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you the truth."

Luca chuckled softly, "Gisele, you should know that this time Kate might be in trouble. I think after her confrontation with Balmain, she'll not only offend French fashion brands but also brands worldwide will have an opinion about her."

"So you want me to back off?"

Gisele swirled her wine glass, speaking with a hint of smugness.

"Yes!"

He didn't know what those feminists were planning or how confident they were, but the result would be the same—Kate was bound to lose. The fashion industry's top players wouldn't favor a feminist.

He thought letting this happen would mean Kate could leave the scene sooner, so he didn't stop it.

At the same time, he also wanted to see how powerful the Betty Club was. If this club proved to be a better platform, maybe Kate's sacrifice would be worth it.

"Haha, are you begging me to back off?!"

Gisele raised her chin, looking vibrant and full of life.

"Begging? No, no, no. I'm talking about a trade."

Luca said seriously.

"A trade?"

Gisele was taken aback, "What kind of trade?"

"If you agree to back off, I'll spend a night with you."

Pfft~

Gisele spat out her wine.

Luca wiped his face, "Gisele, is that a yes?"

Gisele touched her lips, glaring at him with clenched teeth.

"I remember you were in the national team."

"Yes."

"How can someone as shameless as you be in the national team?"

Gisele said angrily.

Luca shrugged indifferently, "If you ever meet Kaka, he'll tell you that there was once 'the world's most despicable forward' in the national team, and that was me. So, about being shameless, I admit it."

Gisele took a deep breath in frustration, "Get out of here. This is my seat. I don't want to see you anymore."

"So about our deal—okay, okay, don't throw the wine glass. I'm leaving right away."

Seeing Gisele raise her glass as if to smash it, Luca waved his hand. As he was getting up, he suddenly noticed someone not far away snapping photos like crazy with a camera.

He smirked, "Gisele, if you weren't satisfied with the previous offer, how about I trade you a secret about Leonardo?"

"You think I'll believe you?"

Gisele said dismissively.

"This time, it's true."

Luca lowered his head and said slowly, "According to my investigation on Leonardo, out of the eight girlfriends he's dated, the longest relationship lasted a year. All of these girlfriends were no older than 25 when they broke up with him. You're 23 and a half now. How much longer do you think you two will last? So, let me give you a piece of advice—make plans early. It's better to dump Leonardo beforehand than to be the poor one who gets dumped."

Gisele's expression changed. These figures were roughly accurate. Could she be the exception?

Wait!

That damn Luca was trying to drive a wedge between her and Leo. How could she believe his words?

Gisele snapped back to her senses, ready to retort loudly, but that damn guy was already gone, his tall figure slowly disappearing on the deck.

Only a boarding card was left on the table, with a boarding time of half an hour ago.

"Isn't this stalking me?"

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 117: Eva Green

Returning to the hotel, the meeting in the room had not yet ended. Luca grabbed a few newspapers and went to the hotel cafe, reading them to pass the time.

"Hi~ Luca!"

Miranda walked into the cafe, waving her hand gently.

Luca was sitting in a corner, back to the light. As Miranda walked in from the door, the sunlight from outside fell on her, making her golden-brown hair shine with a golden glow. Her fair skin also glowed slightly, like an angel walking out of a halo, stunningly beautiful.

As she stepped out of the light, losing the halo effect, she transformed into a sweet beauty. Wearing a white letter art shirt and white casual pants, her figure looked tall and sexy, with a touch of serene cuteness.

"Hi~ Miranda, why did you come down?" Luca asked, waving his hand.

"They're discussing the lawsuit, and it's all professional jargon. My head was about to explode," Miranda said, scratching her hair and pouting cutely.

Luca smiled slightly, "I'm envious of you. I want to listen, but I'm not qualified."

Miranda paused for a moment, then chuckled softly. Suddenly, she lowered her head and gently said, "Do you want to know what they're talking about?"

Getting so close, Luca caught a sweet scent, like a mix of ice cream and jackfruit. The smell was very refreshing.

He scratched his nose and asked, "What are they saying?"

"I'm not telling you, hahaha~"

Miranda laughed out loud, covering her mouth. She leaned back on the fabric sofa, her body bouncing with the sofa's elasticity, with a hint of mischief hidden in her smile.

Luca kept a straight face, lips pursed, quietly watching her. Kate once said that when he doesn't smile, his face looks very cold, a bit intimidating.

"Uh~"

Miranda laughed a few times, sticking out her pink tongue slightly, then softly said, "Luca, actually, I only know a little. Della and the others brought a very crucial piece of evidence, so they are confident of winning. So, you don't need to worry."

"Crucial evidence?" Luca rubbed his chin, thinking but not coming up with an answer. "A witness, physical evidence, or something else?"

"Something more crucial~"

Miranda blinked, the dimples on her cheeks deepening, like they were filled with sweet wine.

"More crucial?" Luca looked at her suspiciously, "Didn't you say you didn't know?"

Miranda fluttered her long, curled eyelashes, "That's all I know. I wasn't going to say anything, but when you asked, I accidentally told you everything."

Luca tugged at the corner of his mouth, stared at her for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "Miranda, seeing you like this now, I'm relieved."

"What kind of look?"

Miranda was taken aback for a moment, then gave a slight bitter smile, "Do I have a strong self-healing ability?"

"Yes, Miranda, you are very strong!" Luca said, holding her hand.

Miranda shook her head, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, her head leaning back on the cushion, eyes staring at the ceiling, blinking a few times.

"Luca, do you know? That night, after I drank Raul's glass of wine, I felt weak all over, but my mind was still a bit clear. When he took me to the car, I was terrified. I tried my best to resist, but I had no strength at all. I was extremely desperate, like someone sinking slowly into an abyss, struggling desperately."

Miranda gripped his palm tightly, very, very hard.

"Miranda, it's okay now. It's all over," Luca comforted.

"Yes, it's all over."

Miranda smiled gently, a tear falling from the corner of her eye onto the beige sofa, leaving a brown stain.

Luca felt a bit apologetic. If he hadn't introduced Miranda to IMG, she wouldn't have encountered this.

"Luca, you know, I'm not actually strong. I'm just very lucky. Like you said, I'm a lucky person. I'm lucky to have friends like you, people who care about me. If it weren't for you..."

Miranda shook her head, "I don't know what would have happened to me. I wouldn't be like this now, so thank you."

"No need to thank me. I didn't do much," Luca said, a bit regretfully.

"Haha, of course, I have to thank you. Thank you for being here, like that night. As long as you're around, I feel very, very safe."

"We're friends!" Luca said with a slight smile.

"Yes, we're friends," Miranda replied, smiling sweetly.

"Hey~ so here you two are!"

Kate and Lima came over.

"Huh~ Miranda, why are you crying?" Lima asked in surprise.

"Miranda, did Luca bully you? Tell me, and I'll teach him a lesson," Kate said, her face cold, looking like a big sister.

Luca was speechless, "Kate, am I that kind of person?"

"Aren't you?" Kate made a gesture of twisting his ear, "Tell me, why did you bully Miranda?"

"I didn't!"

Luca covered his ears, giving Miranda a look.

"Pfft~"

Miranda laughed softly, "Kate, Lima, Luca didn't bully me. I was just thinking about what happened that night."

"Is that so?"

Kate hugged her shoulder comfortingly, "Miranda, it's all over. You're safe now. Don't think about it anymore."

Lima nodded, "Yes, Miranda. You suffered this time, but just be careful in the future."

"I will, thank you, Kate and Lima. If it weren't for you..."

"Alright, alright, you've thanked us many times. No need to thank us again. We're all friends," Kate said with a faint smile.

"Okay!"

Miranda wiped away her tears.

"Kate, is your meeting over?" Luca asked, changing the topic.

"Yes!" Kate took a sip of coffee and smiled, "This time, we're sure to win."

"Why? Is there crucial evidence? What is it?" Luca asked curiously.

"It's a video!"

"Video?" Luca was surprised. "What video? Dashcam? Did you have a dashcam installed in the car that day?"

"Want to know?" Della walked into the cafe with some people. She sat down and said indifferently, "Come with me tomorrow, and you'll find out."

"Where to?"

"The scene of the incident!"

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 118: The Supermodel Showdown*

The next day, the weather was clear in Bordeaux, with an expanse of blue sky as far as the eye could see, much like the Atlantic Ocean 98 kilometers away—deep blue and crystal clear. Occasionally, a white cloud would float by, catching the eye against the backdrop of the vivid sky.

In the morning, Luca and his companions left the city center of Bordeaux, heading northwest along National Road A10.

To the northwest of Bordeaux lies the fertile triangular region known as the Médoc, famous for its vineyards.

Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde River, Médoc enjoys a humid climate with mild temperatures and unique soil, making it ideal for grape growing.

As a result, many world-class wineries are located in this triangular area. Among them are two top-tier estates—Château Lafite and Château Margaux. Additionally, there are five first-growth estates, including First Growths and Premiers Crus, and more than thirty second, third, fourth, and fifth-growth wineries.

Their destination, Commanderie Estate, was also located in Médoc, and considered a near-first-growth estate.

"Della, so much time has passed—does going to Commanderie still matter?"

In the car, Luca turned his gaze away from the scenery to look at Della Korbel, who was reviewing some documents. Dressed sharply in a professional lawyer’s suit, black stockings, and high heels, with a stern expression, she radiated an aura of elegance, intelligence, and confidence.

"Of course. According to the information I’ve gathered, Commanderie holds critical evidence."

"Really?"

Suddenly, a thought crossed Luca’s mind. "Did you get this information from that group?"

"Yes!"

"The Betty Club group? How many people are in it? Is the whole global membership in one group?"

Luca asked curiously.

Della glanced at him. "Why don’t you ask Kate?"

"Kate’s an unofficial member. She definitely doesn’t know as much as you do."

"You’re wrong. I’m an unofficial member too."

A slight smile played at the corner of Della’s mouth as she began explaining. She’d only received the invitation last year and found the club interesting enough to join.

Like Kate, she was a probationary member. To become a full member, you had to go through a three-year evaluation period, and only those who performed exceptionally well could be promoted to full membership.

"Exceptional performance?"

Luca was surprised. He had assumed that once the three years were up, members would automatically be confirmed.

"Exactly. On average, around twenty people become probationary members each year, but after three years, no more than three are promoted to full membership. The rest either remain as probationary members or give up their membership."

"What counts as exceptional performance?"

"What do you think?"

Luca pondered for a moment and looked at her. "You’re a feminist organization, aiming to fight for women’s rights. So, to earn membership, it must involve contributions to feminist causes, right?"

"Correct. There are three ways to qualify for full membership: gaining public recognition, making donations, or fighting for women’s rights."

Della shook the folder in her hand. "Why else do you think Kate and I are doing this?"

Luca was taken aback. "So this mission is part of earning your qualifications?"

"Exactly!"

Della opened her laptop again and calmly said, "It’s not just Kate and I completing missions this time. In our group, which is the probationary members’ group of the club, six of us are involved in this action."

"Like teaming up to grind for experience points?"

Luca smirked. Wasn’t this like playing a video game?

"Stop the car!"

As the car exited the highway, Della suddenly shouted, pointing to a smooth stretch of road. "Vito, Vanessa, this is where the accident happened last time. Go check it out!"

"Got it, Professor!"

The Mercedes GLA slowly came to a halt on the road. Two assistants responded and got out of the car.

Luca followed them, arriving at the site where Kate had once fought. He’d heard that many shots were fired that night, yet Kate had charged forward into the line of fire—utter madness.

Click, click.

Vito, the flirt who wanted to ask him out, was snapping photos left and right, though Luca had no idea what he was photographing.

He walked back and forth on the road a few times but didn’t find a single clue. Curiously, he asked, "Vito, there aren’t even tire marks here. What’s worth investigating?"

"Plenty. To professionals like us, the scene is full of evidence."

Vito responded seriously.

"Oh? Where’s the evidence?"

Luca asked, intrigued.

"Look! Over there!"

Vito pointed to a mound of red dirt by the roadside.

"What?"

Luca immediately became serious and followed his gaze, but he saw nothing unusual.

"Vito, what did you find?"

"An ant colony!"

Vito shouted, pointing to a small hole beneath the dirt pile. "Look at all these cute little ants. Can’t you see them? Ants moving their home—it’s probably going to rain, right?"

"Ugh!"

Luca stomped on the dirt mound in frustration. Watching Vito crouch by the ant colony, snapping away, he could barely contain his anger and kicked him into the dirt pile.

"Ah! Luca, what are you doing? Please, not here—there are too many people around."

Vito lay on the dirt, whining in a playful tone.

"WTF!"

Luca wiped the frustration off his brow and stormed back to the car, not wanting to see that idiot anymore.

"Oh, Sophia, I love you!"

"Castle, I love you too!"

But when he got back into the car, he found the esteemed lawyer, Della Korbel, watching a soap opera titled Perilous Journey.

"Della, is this how you investigate cases?"

Luca frowned and asked.

"Any problem with that?"

Della raised her head and replied coolly.

Luca spread his hands. "One person’s taking pictures of ants, another’s watching TV, and the last one vanished into the vineyard without a trace. Are you this relaxed because you’ve got an ace up your sleeve?"

"Want to know? Just listen to their report later. How much you figure out depends on your intelligence."

Della smiled faintly and called out the window, "Vito, Vanessa, get in the car."

"Vito, Vanessa, tell Mr. Kelly what you’ve found."

After the two assistants got back in, Della calmly instructed them.

"Sure, Professor!"

Vito smiled and began, "Based on my investigation at the scene, Raoul fired eight shots that night—four with a handgun, specifically a 7.65mm MAB-D pistol made by Barronette, and the other four with a large-caliber double-barrel shotgun.

"Five of those shots targeted Kate’s Ferrari. The first shot, with the handgun, hit the rear window. The second shot hit the windshield. The third shot forced the Ferrari to stop.

"After Kate stopped pursuing, Raoul fired two more shots. There was at least an eight-second pause between the third and fifth shots, which means that eight seconds before Raoul was thrown from the window, Kate had already stopped chasing him. Therefore, the claim that Kate’s relentless pursuit caused Raoul’s ejection is baseless!"

"Huh?"

Luca was stunned. How could Vito have figured all that out in just a few moments? Even Sherlock Holmes couldn’t pull that off!

"Professor, upon investigation, the truck that caused Raoul to be thrown from the vehicle was a civilian model, a Berliet-T100. This truck has had frequent issues with its emergency braking system. Since it hit the market, over thirty-seven accidents have been linked to brake failure. That night, the driver mishandled the situation—failing to slow down when exiting the highway, neglecting to honk, and not using the turn signal. Moreover, Raoul’s driver is suspected of drunk driving."

Vanessa, the female assistant, produced a small notebook as she reported.

"."

Luca frowned. He could understand determining the truck model from the tire marks.

But discovering whether the driver failed to honk, signal, or was drunk driving? That was beyond belief.

Were these two operating with cheat codes?

"How much did you figure out?"

Della asked indifferently.

Luca raised his eyebrows. This was a tricky question. If he admitted he hadn’t figured out anything, it would imply he had low intelligence. But honestly, he hadn’t figured out much.

"Let’s go!"

Della didn’t press further. She gave a brief command, and the car slowly got back on the road.

Luca gazed out the window, thinking for a moment. "Their analysis is so precise. There’s only one possibility—you have access to surveillance footage."

"You’re smart but wrong. If there were surveillance on this stretch of road, do you think it would be in our hands?"

Della chuckled, crossing her legs.

"If it’s not surveillance, then what?"

Luca couldn’t figure it out. Based on his experience from twenty years in the future, the first thing people would do after an accident was check surveillance footage. But this road wasn’t in a city, and there weren’t any cameras. So what was the explanation?

"You’ll find out at the trial, and trust me, it’ll be far more boring than you expect."

"Boring?"

(End of Chapter)

---

Chapter 119: Leveling Up by Fighting Monsters for Experience

Half an hour later, they arrived at Comandie Manor.

"Vito, Vanessa, stay on guard outside. Luca and I will go in and check things out," Ms. Della calmly instructed after stepping out of the car.

"Understood!"

Vito opened a silver briefcase, took out two shiny handguns, handed one to Vanessa, and kept one for himself.

As soon as they got their guns, their demeanor shifted, transforming from simple assistants into fierce bodyguards.

Luca raised an eyebrow. This trip seemed more complicated than he had expected.

"Della, are we expecting someone to try and steal the evidence?" he asked, following her out of the car.

"Look over there," Della pointed at a road a few hundred meters away. "That car has been following us the entire way. You didn’t notice?"

Luca glanced in the direction she indicated and saw a Toyota SUV in the distance. "People from Balmain?"

"Of course," Della replied as she adjusted her glasses and knocked on the manor’s gate.

Knock knock knock!

The large iron gate was rusty, and the knocking sound was harsh on the ears.

Click!

Not long after, the gate opened, and an elderly man with gray hair emerged. He was dressed in a neatly pressed wool suit with a red bowtie, his hair perfectly combed, and his face stern and formal, much like a British butler in a movie.

"Ms. Cobell, welcome to Comandie Manor," the old man greeted politely, bowing slightly.

"Sorry for the intrusion," Della returned the greeting and stepped into the manor, which had an old-fashioned design.

The manor was vast, covering over an acre. There was the main villa, a winery, a botanical garden, and a long stone path leading to a distant stone fortress, giving the place a sense of historical weight.

"Is Mr. Crowley not here?" Della asked casually.

"Mr. Crowley is visiting Lafite Manor," the butler hesitated before answering.

"How unfortunate," Della smiled faintly as she entered the villa’s grand hall.

"Butler, is this where the party took place that night?" she asked.

"Yes," the butler replied, pointing to a dense area of greenery in the east. "The fashion show was held in the botanical garden, and the wine-tasting party took place in the villa."

Della nodded slightly and turned to Luca. "If you had to find evidence here, where would you start?"

Luca frowned. It had already been five or six days since the event. What evidence could they possibly find now? According to Kate, Miranda had been drugged at the party and taken away afterward.

If there was evidence, it would likely be from that glass of wine or the cup itself. But that was an obvious clue, and the other party would have made sure to get rid of it. To find strong evidence, unless...

"Do you have security cameras here?" he asked.

"Impossible!" The butler shook his head. "The guests who were invited that night are very prestigious, not just in Bordeaux but across France. Everyone values their privacy highly. Installing security cameras would have been an extreme breach of etiquette."

Luca shrugged. He was just speculating. Parties like this, especially with privacy-conscious foreigners, wouldn’t have surveillance cameras. If it became known, not only would it ruin their reputation, but they could also face lawsuits.

Tap tap!

Della suddenly knocked on the table and said coolly, "Butler, Luca only asked if there are cameras here, not whether they were on that night. Don’t you think your reaction was a little too intense?"

The butler froze for a moment, then shook his head. "I must be cautious when it comes to the manor’s reputation."

"Really?" Della smirked slightly. "Old Jim, stop wasting time. Get Crowley down here. I don’t have time for his games."

"Ms. Cobell, Mr. Crowley is a Knight of the Legion of Honor. Please watch your tone," the butler said sternly.

Della just laughed, unconcerned. She pulled a photo out of her bag.

"Someone told me that Mr. Crowley has a certain hobby. He loves photography and always brings a camera with him, no matter the occasion. The party at the manor was probably the biggest event here in the last decade. Don’t you think Mr. Crowley would have wanted to document it?"

The butler glanced at the photo and nearly stumbled in shock.

Luca curiously looked at the photo, then couldn’t help but chuckle. It was quite an embarrassing picture.

"This is just one of the photos. Want more? Trade it for the tape. You have three minutes. Otherwise, Crowley’s photos will be on the front page of the papers," Della said impatiently, tapping the table.

"Fine. Please wait here, Ms. Cobell," the butler said, hurriedly running upstairs with the photo.

"Della, where did you get those kinds of photos?" Luca asked, intrigued.

Della smiled softly. "We have plenty of resourceful women in our beginners’ group. If you dig around enough, it’s not hard to figure out what Crowley’s into."

Luca nodded, thinking that a group of elite women working together could take down someone easily enough.

Clack clack

A short while later, the butler rushed down, holding a videotape. "Ms. Cobell, here is the tape from that night. The lighting wasn’t good, so the footage is a bit blurry."

"That’s fine," Della said, taking the tape and playing a portion of it on the villa’s screening equipment. The footage was indeed from that night, though the lighting was poor. The people in the video were barely discernible, but Luca could make out Kate, Lima, Miranda, and Raul.

"Let’s go," Della said, putting the tape away and preparing to leave.

"Wait!" the butler blocked the door. "Ms. Cobell, what about the rest of the photos?"

"What photos?" Della asked, feigning confusion.

The butler’s face darkened. "You said you’d exchange the rest of the photos for the tape—Mr. Crowley’s private photos."

"Mr. Crowley’s?" Della gave a sly smile. "Look at the photo again. Is that really Crowley?"

"What?" The butler hesitated.

Suddenly, someone upstairs shouted angrily, "Jim, get that tape back here now! Damn it, the person in the photo isn’t me. We’ve been tricked!"

The butler stood frozen, mouth agape, about to call for help.

"Shut up!" Luca quickly grabbed the butler, holding him in a chokehold. "Old Jim, we’re leaving. Kindly escort us out."

"Smart move," Della smiled as she walked out.

Luca, still holding Jim, followed behind.

"Stop!" A middle-aged man with a group of people chased after them.

Bang bang!

Vito and Vanessa fired warning shots into the air.

"Damn it, you’re robbers!" the man shouted.

"And what if we are?" Della smirked, climbing into the car.

Vroom vroom!

The car started slowly driving away.

Luca sighed in relief. "Della, how did fake photos fool Crowley?"

Della chuckled dismissively. "Crowley’s obsessed with his appearance and status. If his privacy was exposed, he’d be too shaken to even notice who was in the photos. All we had to do was find an actor who resembled him, apply some makeup, and take blurry enough pictures. He was bound to fall for it."

"Was this one of your trump cards?" Luca asked, glancing at the tape.

"No," Della smiled. "This one’s just for making money."

"Money?"

"Professor! The car from Balmain is catching up," Vito warned from the front.

"Get rid of them!"

"Yes!"

(End of chapter)

Chapter 120: Deceptive Photos

"BOSS, Ms. Cobell took a videotape from the estate."

At an estate in Bordeaux, Hubert Balmain received a phone call, and his face immediately darkened.

"What videotape?"

"According to the staff at the estate, it's the recording from the party that night."

"The recording from that night? There was a recording? Damn it! Damn Crowley, damn that old pervert."

Hubert was furious. He knew Crowley, an artsy photographer who was infamous in their circle.

"Astan Crowley, did you give the party's videotape to Della?"

He immediately called Crowley.

"I'm sorry, Hubert," said an angry voice on the other end. "I got tricked by that woman, Della. She used a fake photo to deceive me and took the tape."

"Idiot!" Hubert cursed inwardly, suppressing his anger. "Astan, does that tape have footage of Raul?"

"It seems... yes!"

"You idiot! Why didn’t you tell me about this? Why would you give it to Della? Don’t you understand what they want? They want to ruin me, and even you, you stupid pervert! Do you get it?"

Hubert screamed over the phone.

"Hubert, show some respect," Crowley replied angrily. "The tape is mine. I’ll give it to whoever I want. Raul is your son, not mine. I couldn't have a son like Raul anyway."

The line went dead.

"Damn it!" Hubert furiously threw his phone and rubbed his balding forehead.

"Camille, call Marcel. Tell him to get that tape back at any cost, even if he has to use a gun."

"Understood!"

The assistant quickly made the call.

Hubert paced back and forth, his eyes fixed on the phone.

The phone rang.

Hubert lunged for it. "Marcel, did you get the tape?"

"Bad news, BOSS! They have RPGs! We need backup! We need—"

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed through the phone before the line went dead.

"Crazy woman! Damn crazy woman!" Hubert was startled by the explosion. He had sent six men to follow Della, thinking it was enough. But she had an RPG with her. She was insane!

Suddenly, more noise came through the phone. "BOSS, we’re fine. The car was flipped by the blast. What should we do now?"

"Where are you?" Hubert asked, opening a map.

"Six kilometers east of the Commande Estate, on the highway," the voice responded.

Hubert measured the distance. "Where’s Della Cobell?"

"They're about to hit the highway."

"Damn it!" Hubert slammed his fist on the table. Once they hit the highway, it would be difficult to use guns. He hung up and dialed another number.

"Valdo, take your team and stop a silver Mercedes GLA, license plate 2563HG75. Stop the car and the people in it. I’ll pay you ten thousand euros. Okay, okay, twenty thousand euros! You damn leech, just get it done!"

He hung up angrily. Hubert had already spent over thirty thousand euros on this lawsuit, and now another twenty thousand. It hurt him deeply.

Hubert collapsed on the couch, rubbing his thinning hair. As he did, a clump of hair came out in his hand.

"Fuck! Fuck!" he yelled in frustration.

There was a knock at the door.

"What now?" Hubert snapped.

"Mr. Balmain, young master Raul called. He’d like to replace his nurses with two pretty ones. He suggested hiring two models, preferably Kate and Miranda."

"Bullshit!" Hubert nearly passed out from anger. Spitting in rage, he shouted, "Replace them with two Black nurses, over forty, and weighing no less than 180 pounds! Got it?"

"Got it!"

The assistant closed the door and left.

"Bastards!" Hubert cursed, pacing before pouring himself a large glass of red wine.

"Valdo, have you found the car?"

He grabbed the phone again.

"Almost, almost! Haha, I see the silver Mercedes," Valdo shouted excitedly over the phone. "Don’t worry, Mr. Balmain, I’ve got eight sports cars with me today. We’ll get that car. Have my twenty thousand euros ready!"

"Of course, just get it done quickly!" Hubert hung up, impatient. He poured another glass of wine and exhaled deeply. As long as he got the tape back, he’d win the lawsuit.

The phone rang again.

"Valdo, did you get them?" Hubert asked eagerly.

"Sorry, Mr. Balmain. There are two anti-terrorist armored cars from Paris escorting that car, equipped with heavy weapons. We’re not taking this job. Looking forward to working with you next time!"

The line went dead.

"Armored cars?"

Hubert was stunned for a moment. What were these crazy feminists planning? It was just a small lawsuit. Was all of this really necessary?

"Damn it! Damn it!" Hubert paced the room, then shouted, "Camille, call everyone to the estate. We’ve got new problems."

"Understood!"

Meanwhile, in front of the Grand Hotel in the city center, a silver Mercedes GLA and two police cars pulled up.

"Della, isn’t this a bit much?" Luca asked, glancing at two SWAT officers armed with rifles.

"This is intimidation. It has to be big," Della replied, eyeing his arm. "How’s your injury?"

"It’s nothing, just a scratch." Luca shrugged, rubbing the bandage on his arm.

He had accidentally been hit by shrapnel when using the RPG earlier. Luckily, it only hit his arm; if it had been his face, the damage would’ve been too great.

"Good thing it’s just a minor injury. If it were serious, Kate would’ve killed me," Della said with a smirk.

Just then, Kate Lima and her group returned. "Hey Luca, Della, you’re back... wait, Luca, you’re hurt?"

"It’s nothing, just a small injury," Luca waved it off.

"Della, you said you were just going to check things out. How did it turn into this?" Kate asked, annoyed.

"We found this at the estate," Della replied, holding up a videotape.

"What is it?"

"The recording from the party that night. Hubert’s in a panic."

"A tape? Do we even need this anymore?" Kate asked, confused.

"Of course. The funding for this operation depends on this tape," Della said with a smirk. She handed the tape to Vido. "Keep this safe."

"I understand, Professor," Vido replied seriously, taking the tape.

In the corner of the hall, a waiter wearing a hat squinted and then quietly left.

"Mr. Balmain, I have important information!"

"Speak!"

"I just saw Ms. Della."

Back at the estate, Hubert put down the phone, a cold smile on his face. "Della, do you really think having the police will stop me from getting that tape?"

(End of Chapter)