Echo was taken aback and looked up at Michael, who was smiling slightly. She raised an eyebrow, wondering what he meant. Did he really think she would want to be anyone’s subordinate? With a quick thought, she shot Michael a glare.
Ryan’s eyes narrowed, and his cold demeanor intensified, filling the silent hall with an oppressive chill that even Mr. Brown couldn’t ignore. He frowned and said, “Michael, you…”
“Dad, I have my own ideas about this,” Michael replied, turning to Mr. Brown before looking back at Ryan, completely ignoring the clear anger radiating from him. With a smirk, he said, “I’ve known Echo for a while. I was just trying to ask her to be my girlfriend when Mr. Ryan took her away. With Echo’s skills, she’s not just some nobody in front of you, Mr. Ryan. If you agree to let her go, I can convince my father to help you out with this path. With our support, the Street family will soon be in your hands.”
After saying this, Michael met Ryan’s icy gaze with a calm smile, unaware that this was the same Echo from the Dark family he had been searching for. He had heard about a girl named Echo in the Theft Organization but hadn’t connected the dots until now.
Seeing Echo with Ryan made everything click into place. He hadn’t expected her to rise so high in the Dark family, but it looked like she was afraid of Ryan. Michael felt uncomfortable with the idea of the girl he had planned to cherish now working for someone else. This was a perfect opportunity to use for his own desires, and it wouldn’t damage the Brown family too much since it was just about borrowing a path.
Ryan’s eyes were filled with coldness and an unnameable anger as he said coldly, “Change the terms.”
Michael raised an eyebrow. “Mr. Ryan, trading one Echo for such a big Street family seems like a good deal for you. I don’t think you’ll find a better offer.”
Echo narrowed her eyes at this. Did he really think of her as a bargaining chip? How bold! When did she become so valuable? Anger flared within her as she glared at Michael, her expression turning icy.
Michael sighed and shook his head. “I’m offering you your freedom. After that, you can do whatever you want.”
Michael had seen Echo’s earlier helplessness and figured that she hadn’t had it easy with Ryan. He didn’t want her to be his servant; he just thought this was a good chance for her to escape her troubles. A woman like her needed to live freely to shine in her natural way.
Echo paused, surprised by the thought of freedom-something she hadn’t considered in a long time. She looked at Ryan’s back, momentarily lost in thought. Would Ryan really trade her for the Street family?
Ryan, hearing Michael’s words, narrowed his eyes and said coldly, “Are you suggesting that I mistreat my subordinates?”
Michael shook his head. “No, Mr. Ryan, you should understand what I mean.”
Ryan’s eyes grew colder, a menacing aura starting to fill the room.
Mr. Brown frowned, glancing at Michael with a warning look. Even though the Brown family wasn’t a pushover, the Dark family had been around for years and was even more intimidating. For Michael to publicly demand one of his people in front of the feared leader was audacious.
Ryan’s icy demeanor hardened as he said, “I’ll give you one more chance.”
Michael ignored Mr. Brown’s warning. If Ryan dared to make a move on his turf, it wouldn’t be the Browns who suffered. Ryan had reached his position because he knew how to manage his emotions. Michael stood his ground, refusing to back down.
“Then there’s nothing left to discuss. My people’s worth isn’t measured by profit.”
Ryan stood up abruptly, a chill radiating from him as he grabbed Echo and headed for the door. If it weren’t for the valuable cargo the Street family was trying to get between Russia and China, he wouldn’t even be here asking the Browns for help.
The Dark family and the Brown family had no real dealings, but he believed that profit outweighed risk-everyone would agree to that. But if someone dared to demand Echo from him, then there was no point in talking. Even if dealing with the Street family became complicated, he didn’t need them that badly.
Seeing Ryan leap to his feet without a hint of hesitation, Michael stood up too, his brow tightly furrowed. The potential profit was enormous, and he couldn’t believe Ryan was willing to walk away from it, completely shutting down any chance of negotiation.
Echo felt a strange relief wash over her. She wasn’t a bargaining chip or a sacrifice for someone’s gain. Even though it seemed like a good deal for her, she just couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t want Ryan to actually trade her away.
Then, seeing Ryan refuse outright, she smiled brightly, reaching out to grab his arm and gently pushing him back toward his seat. She turned to Mr. Brown and Michael, saying, “If I’m not mistaken, the Street family is currently at odds with you.”
Echo wasn’t naive; she understood that this conversation meant Ryan was clashing with the Street family. Since she was with Ryan, it naturally made sense to support him. Burning bridges with the Brown family wouldn’t be smart, so she strategically pulled Michael into this, trying to re-establish her value.
Ryan raised an eyebrow at her words, feeling Echo’s grip on his arm. He paused, his fury somewhat quelled by the sight of her smiling eyes. He turned his gaze back to Mr. Brown and Michael, realizing he hadn’t yet heard this piece of news.
Mr. Brown furrowed his brow and said seriously, “Mr. Ryan, please sit down. We can discuss this calmly. What my son said shouldn’t be taken literally.”
Michael watched Echo grasping Ryan’s arm and felt a flicker of surprise. If he remembered correctly, there were rumors that Ryan was not one to be involved with women. Yet here he was, being held by Echo and showing no signs of resistance. Was the rumor wrong, or was there something else at play?
Echo pulled on Ryan again and smiled slightly at Michael, saying, “I’m not being forced to follow my boss; I really want to be with him, so you don’t need to worry about that.”
Understanding what Michael meant, she felt a bit of joy, knowing he had her back. No matter his intentions, it felt good to be supported. She wanted to make it clear that things weren’t as complicated as he might think. Even though she had once been reluctant to follow Ryan, if Michael had said this earlier, she would have agreed without hesitation. But now, things had changed-she was no longer following Ryan against her will.
Michael raised an eyebrow at Echo’s explanation, while Ryan suddenly turned to look at her, his eyes blazing with anger.
Echo was taken aback, wondering what she had said wrong. Wasn’t her explanation valid?
What she didn’t realize was that from the moment Michael had spoken, he had already provoked Ryan. Her comment about not needing to worry only added fuel to Ryan’s fire. If they weren’t in the Brown family’s presence, Echo would have been in serious trouble.
“Whether it’s genuine or coercive is my concern, Michael. You don’t have the right to interfere,” Ryan shot back, glaring at Michael with authority.
Michael frowned slightly at this, still silent when Hawk suddenly interjected, “Since the Street family is also having issues with you, Mr. Brown, shouldn’t we look at this from another angle?” Hawk, who had been quiet until now, picked up on Echo’s words, realizing this was no longer about who needed who. The situation had shifted in their favor.
Having been in Europe for the past few days and already at odds with the Street family, they were focused on Adolph and their plans, not realizing the Street family’s main power was more concentrated in Europe and America. They hadn’t paid much attention to Asia until Echo showed up in Hong Kong and the information came through about a critical shipment from the Street family needing to cross through Russia and China, prompting their visit to the local powers.
Seeing Echo’s reaction and knowing that Hawk and the others weren’t naive, Michael slowly sat down, quickly brainstorming their next move.