Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 394

In truth, no one truly knew the extent of Lambert's influence or the breadth of his connections. Not even Old Mr. Stone was fully aware.

From Lambert's early teens, he had been quietly building his own network. Back then, he was the family's black sheep, constantly belittled and obstructed by his uncles and cousins. But Lambert wasn’t the type to endure such treatment in silence.

He had long suspected that, given the way the old man treated him, he would never be allowed to inherit the Stone family fortune. Not that he cared. So, even back then, he had begun laying the groundwork for his own future. For years, he worked in the shadows, building a network of power that operated outside the bounds of legality. By the time he met Ariana, he already had a considerable, albeit hidden, force at his disposal.

However, after Ariana came into his life, Lambert gradually began to distance himself from that dark world. He handed over control of his underground empire to a trusted subordinate—one he had personally trained. At the same time, he worked tirelessly to legitimize his operations.

He didn’t want to expose Ariana to danger. Back then, he had been willing to risk everything, quietly building his power from the shadows because he had nothing left to lose. That company, now based overseas, was a testament to his efforts. Stefan might remember it—the company Lambert had mentioned when he was framed and sent to prison. He had told Stefan that he had moved the company abroad, but that wasn’t entirely true. The company had always existed overseas, and by then, it had been mostly cleaned up.

But now, for the sake of his son, Lambert had no choice but to dust off those long-dormant connections. The deputy mayor was one of the many contacts he cultivated over the years. Their shared interests, coupled with the fact that the deputy mayor’s son was close to him, had kept their relationship alive.

However, some things are not as they appear on the surface.

...

The next day, Lambert sat in an exquisitely decorated private room, his expression unreadable as he gazed down at the bustling crowd below. His eyes were calm and devoid of any emotion.

This was the scene that greeted Angelo Knight when he entered.

He raised an eyebrow first, then his charming, almond-shaped eyes lit up with a playful glint. "Hey, buddy? You didn’t call me here just to watch the scenery with you, did you?" Angelo was the only son of the vice mayor. Having spent most of his time abroad, he rarely returned home, and when he did, he carried himself with the air of a carefree playboy.

People often avoided him.

But what no one knew was that, despite being the vice mayor’s son, he commanded a formidable underground network overseas that struck fear into many.

Back in the day, Lambert had been the one to help him build it.

The two of them had nearly gotten into serious trouble back then. But perhaps they were both too reckless, too wild to care about the consequences. And yet, against all odds, they had managed to carve out a name for themselves. Eventually, Lambert began to step back, shifting his focus entirely to becoming a businessman. Angelo, on the other hand, stayed the course, never wavering. Over the years, his influence had solidified into something truly formidable.

Angelo himself was an enigma. His temperament was unpredictable, and as Lambert often put it, he was borderline schizophrenic.

Yet, the two of them shared a certain kind of chemistry, which was why they had remained friends all these years.

Lambert turned his head to look at him.

Angelo grinned back, his eyes twinkling with mischief. He took a sip of his drink, grimaced at the taste, and pushed the glass aside with a look of disdain.

Lambert ignored his enthusiasm and replied coolly, "Just do your best to keep him out of harm’s way."

A wicked grin spread across Angelo’s face, and a chilling glint flashed in his eyes. "Don’t worry," he said, his voice dripping with menace. "If anyone dares lay a finger on my godson, I’ll chop their hands off myself." The sinister edge in his tone was enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat.

Lambert, however, remained expressionless, his face an unreadable mask.

He took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes flickering with a coldness that surpassed even Angelo's by tenfold.

...

Meanwhile, Allison was still keeping Ariana company at the hospital. Her heart was heavy with sorrow, but she dared not let it show in front of Ariana, fearing that her own sadness might rub off on her friend and make her feel worse. After all, Ariana was pregnant, and it was crucial for her to avoid any emotional turmoil.

Allison gently touched Ariana's forehead and was relieved that it wasn't too warm. Softly, she asked, "Ariana, are you hungry? I can have my cook whip up something and send it over with the maid." Her cook was quite skilled, and Allison was confident that Ariana would enjoy the meal. Even if she couldn't eat much, a little something would be better than nothing.

Ariana wasn't in the mood to eat but didn't want to keep turning down her friend's kindness. So, she gave a slight nod.

Just as she was about to say something, the door to the hospital room swung open. Both women turned their heads to see who had entered. When Ariana recognized the visitor, her eyes immediately narrowed.