The male supporting character was actually myself.

Spring hasn't even arrived yet, but seeing such a beautiful green lawn is truly a sight to behold.

"Joyce, where are we going?" Bella asked for the nth time from the passenger seat.

I had just finished cleaning and hadn't even gone home when he asked me to get in his car.

Her mission hadn't made any progress yet, and she needed to produce some results to gain Mr. Roland's recommendation and support. Therefore, Bella dared not disobey Joyce's request; she understood the principle that fortune favors the bold, and she was willing to sacrifice herself for it.

It's just that little thing.

Doesn't it matter who you're with?

If one could exchange a moment of pleasure for a lifetime of wealth and honor, and incidentally uproot the deeply entrenched Owen family and make a name for oneself in history, that would be a truly worthwhile deal!

When Bella asked the question, she already had the answer in her heart.

Although Joyce kept telling himself it would be a secret for now, and he would find out when he arrived.

In fact, she knew very well that the worst outcome would be for Joyce to send her to let that old geezer Anderson take advantage of her.

These days, it's quite normal to share female companions. If both parties exchange companions who are attractive and provide satisfactory service, it might even become a topic of conversation in upper-class circles.

“I was invited by Mr. Jones at the last minute, and I’m sorry I didn’t have time to let you change into a more beautiful dress.” Joyce turned around and smiled at her as she drove, finally revealing the answer, “But you look good in anything, especially this blue-gray dress, which makes you look very proper and elegant.”

really!

Recalling the feeling of being scrutinized by that pig Anderson at the Central Avenue racetrack, Bella tugged at her skirt and lowered her voice, saying, "You should have just told me."

"It was just a meal together, and then we discussed some deals."

The other person spoke so casually that she chuckled inwardly.

That unease returned without warning, and Bella felt her heart pounding.

It must be because I was frightened by the gunfight that day, the first time I had seen someone being killed at such close range; and Ed's blood-covered and ferocious appearance, that made me too sensitive.

She made excuses for her unease.

Anderson was ugly and a bit fat, but he and Joyce were, after all, business partners.

Now, through her tireless efforts, she has become a valuable asset to Joyce, and he certainly won't allow anything too outrageous to happen.

Perhaps they will make it up to themselves afterward.

If you act all wronged and cry, and have a few drinks together, you might just get some information out of Joyce!

At worst, I'll just have to put up with the disgust and serve Anderson well.

Getting in touch with him might make things much easier...

Thinking this, Bella took a few deep breaths and finally relaxed.

She must not show any weakness. Gang leaders like Anderson are rude and wouldn't like a timid and cowardly woman.

If you want to take advantage of him, you have to cater to his preferences!

As Bella walked confidently into the luxurious villa with Joyce, her unease had largely dissipated.

Her attention was quickly drawn to the luxurious furnishings and various antiques steeped in history.

“Mr. Jones has excellent taste!” Bella exclaimed.

This wasn't her saying it against her will; after all, many of the oil paintings hanging on the wall and the antiques displayed in glass cases were comparable to the collections in the capital's museum!

She studied fine arts and art appreciation from a young age and has a great fondness for these cultural relics, any one of which would be priceless.

“That’s right, he’s always had high standards.” Leibo’s slightly lisped words floated over, his gaze towards her revealing a hint of disdain, before he bowed and invited them in.

As Bella walked down a luxurious corridor, her mindset shifted rapidly.

Compared to the artwork in the lobby, the display cases in the corridors are dazzling.

Exquisite handicrafts made of various gold and silver jewels exude a mesmerizing hazy luster under the soft light.

No woman could resist such temptation. As long as she could have them every day, she would be willing to serve Anderson well, even if he were a fat pig!

As she thought about it, she glanced at Joyce beside her.

Being handsome and rich are definitely not something you can have at the same time.

If one can do everything in their power to please Anderson and obtain this enormous, heart-pounding wealth, there will be plenty of handsome men like Joyce in the future...

Although Bella came from a respectable background, no one in her environment had the financial resources to reach this level.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been tempted by the gangsters and gone off to live a life of luxury with them.

A series of fantasies echoed in Bella's mind.

The piles of precious jewels dazzled her eyes, and in their brilliance, she could almost see herself dressed in the kind of luxurious attire only princesses were entitled to wear, riding in a gold-plated carriage drawn by a thousand-pound fine horse, attending horse races, the kind of noble banquets and auctions her father often talked about, all under the spotlight.

Everything you can only dream of is just one step away!

Why bother going back to do some tasks to earn credit?

Using her beautiful appearance and sweet talk, she could reach far greater heights than Oliver promised.

Even what he got from that gentleman wasn't as good as the little bit that Anderson casually let slip through his fingers...

As Bella thought this, all the fear and unease she felt when she saw Anderson again vanished.

She bowed politely, gracefully, and elegantly, then sat down at the luxurious dining table with poise and nobility. Her manners, cultivated from a young age, played a crucial role; Bella moved with the grace of a princess.

During lunch, Anderson's gleaming eyes would occasionally sweep over her.

He never talked about serious matters in front of women. While enjoying the exquisite dishes, the three of them just chatted casually.

Meanwhile, Dom Privén, far away in the Lehrkas district, was having lunch.

He cut off a piece of bloody beef and threw it to the black hunting dog beside him, then forked a piece for himself and put it in his mouth to chew slowly.

"Sir, there is an urgent intelligence report."

The subordinates presented a slightly damp strip of paper rolled into a tube.

Dom chewed on his meat, slowly opened the note, glanced at it, and chuckled, "Anderson invited Joyce to dinner? He even brought a blonde girl. Looks like their relationship is about to take another step forward."

After reading the note, he threw it into the ashtray on the table, poured some strong liquor on it, and lit it with a match.

Pale blue flames flickered as Dom slowly chewed, his lips stained with blood.

After the meal, Anderson and Joyce each took a cigar to the smoking room to discuss the deal;

Bella was led to a side hall by her assistant, Leib.

In the corner, a mermaid statue, about one and a half times the height of a person, shimmered with golden light. It held a glass water sphere containing a clock face; it was exactly one o'clock in the afternoon.

“Mr. Jones has such good taste.” Bella stretched out her hand to touch the gold statue, the mermaid’s eyes inlaid with blue gemstones; the water droplets were decorated with large pearls strung with silver threads.

Gorgeous yet elegant, a truly perfect work of art.

Leibo smiled slightly upon hearing this, "Yes, these exhibits are only a small part of it."

If his deal with Mr. Irving goes well, I believe Mr. Jones will be happy to show you his collection.

That's truly breathtaking, beautiful lady.

Bella's heart raced, and she quickly tucked her hair behind her ear to hide her excitement.

A breathtaking collection?

That would be so many treasures!

Anderson was ugly and fat, but his collection added a lot of charm to him.

People always have something they want.

“Then I can only hope that the two gentlemen are mutually satisfied with the deal,” Bella replied with a smile.

Leib didn't reply, but left quietly, leaving her to wait in the side hall.

Chapter Thirty: One for One

Bella's gaze shifted from the eye-catching mermaid clock to the other items on the table, including the exquisite velvet sofa, which she had only ever seen in magazines.

The gold and silver tea set on the table gleamed.

The dark wallpaper is adorned with gold threads;

An expensive carpet...

She sat gracefully on the comfortable sofa, feeling as if she had become the lady of the house, with everything she had ever dreamed of within reach!

On a winter's midday, the warm and gentle sunlight shone on the gray earth, giving it a hint of spring.

The long forest road was deserted at this moment.

The trees rustled in the wind.

"We can't go any further. Let's stop here." The person who used the dense bushes to conceal himself said in a low voice. He was wearing a greasy, black cotton-padded jacket whose original color was no longer recognizable, and a hat that had lost all its fur.

He rubbed his red nose with the back of his hand, sat down on the spot, stared at the quiet road through the gap, and muttered to himself, "We have an agreement. After this robbery, we will split the loot equally. I'm going to the capital. I'm not going to stay in Shengtis anymore."

“I don’t care where you go, as long as we can rob some money, we’ll split it among the four of us, just like always.” Another man, wearing a dark green shirt and with a rough, red face, squatted to the side, looking around, holding a wooden stick.

The other two burly men whispered a few words to each other, then asked their leader in a low voice, "Hey, are you sure we're not courting death? This is Anderson's territory!"

That old bastard is a heartless monster!

"If you're scared, then retreat on your own." The leader pulled a sharp knife from his waist, rubbed it a few times on the muddy ground, and muttered, "I've been observing for a long time."

Ahead lies Anderson's forbidden area;

Behind us is a bustling city center.

Apart from a few villa areas, the two sides are surrounded by large forests and river landscapes.

Only guys going to visit Anderson would take this road.

Think about who might visit him?

Of course, it's all sorts of high-ranking officials and dignitaries!

There are no barriers along this road, and sometimes only three to five groups of people pass by in a day.

Let's stake out for a few days. If we can run into just one unlucky guy, we can rob him and make a fortune!

"Fortune favors the bold, this is a gamble worth taking!" The guy who said this had lost all his money gambling last night and now couldn't even afford food, but he was itching to gamble again, so he didn't care about any danger.