Chapter 009: Strike with Resolve

Correct! All of Lance's guesses are accurate; the collaborative project that Ryan is seeking is "Lost in Tokyo." This also means that everything Lance did earlier hit the mark! However, the unfortunate part is that the veil has been lifted, and the conversation that Lance painstakingly managed has completely fallen apart—every discussion he had with Sophia revolved around the core idea of "Lost in Tokyo," and he incorporated his personal understanding and speculation about Sophia's state of mind.

Another blow, a fierce blow, a fatal strike! It can be said that Ryan left Lance no chance of survival

After bidding farewell to Barry, although the two appeared calm on the surface, Ryan knew that the upcoming cooperation negotiations would be fraught with difficulties, and the challenges would undoubtedly multiply. Ryan felt a tightness in his chest, yet found no way to vent it; this feeling was truly unpleasant

Not only Lance, but even Sophia cast a puzzled glance at Ryan. Ryan followed Sophia's gaze and said earnestly, "Not long ago, Lance mentioned to me that he expressed incredible enthusiasm for the script 'Lost in Tokyo.' He believes it is an outstanding script and is eager to collaborate with you." After saying this, Ryan looked at Lance again and innocently asked, "Weren't you just discussing this?"

Lance raised his eyebrows in surprise, "I thought true friends should start with a spiritual connection." — This was the unspoken subtext in Lance's words, much like his earlier conversation with Sophia

She looked at Lance in disbelief, her entire world collapsing in her eyes. A storm of emotions surged forth in an instant, and then, without warning, she turned and left, striding away decisively and resolutely. Lance had exploited Sophia's vulnerability, establishing a connection in the brief conversation; now Ryan had also taken advantage of Sophia's fragility, destroying all trust in just a few words.

Sophia is a sentimental woman who spends most of her time living in her own world, but that does not mean she is unaware of these schemes, nor does it imply that she is a fool

Of course, I certainly know you. Lance slightly tucked his chin, as the clear sunlight penetrated through his thick eyelashes, casting sparse shadows that gently echoed within his deep features. The "Godfather" series is one of the films I have watched repeatedly. A hint of teasing and a touch of apology mixed in Lance's smile as he raised his head to look at Sophia, furrowing his brow in a plea for mercy, saying, "I apologize, please forgive my rudeness, I absolutely did not mean to." The "Godfather" series is one of the films I have watched repeatedly. A hint of teasing and a touch of apology mixed in Lance's smile as he raised his head to look at Sophia, furrowing his brow in a plea for mercy, saying, "I apologize, please forgive my rudeness, I absolutely did not mean to."

They have completely torn apart their relationship, becoming irreconcilable; it is either you die or I perish. In the marketplace, there is no friendship, only interests. Therefore, he will absolutely not leave himself any future troubles; he intends to extinguish Lance's last glimmer of hope and witness the process of Lance's decline and decay—"Lost in Tokyo," he has decided to produce it!

Ryan immediately detected the hidden sharpness in Lance's words. He smiled and shrugged, adding, "The Western Mirror Film Company was founded by the two of us together, but unfortunately, Lance left the company not long ago." Ryan subtly brought up Lance's true intentions, which was the most crucial part missing from Lance's earlier statement.

Clenching his teeth, he exhaled deeply to calm his overheated mind. Ryan quickly gathered his thoughts, his expression returning to its usual calm and composed demeanor, and he set off with measured steps

Lance was still somewhat taken aback; Ryan and Barry's conversation surprisingly ended so quickly. Ryan's sudden appearance also disrupted Lance's earlier plans, leaving everything uncertain. However, Lance did not lose his composure or display any signs of confusion or weakness. Instead, he took the initiative to speak frankly and clarify the facts. Moreover, he subtly shifted the focus of the conversation—his response was not about "why he knew Ryan," but rather that he was interrupted by Ryan and did not have the chance to introduce himself. Nevertheless, Lance did not lose his composure or display any signs of confusion or weakness. Instead, he took the initiative to speak frankly and clarify the facts. Moreover, he subtly shifted the focus of the conversation—his response was not about "why he knew Ryan," but rather that he was interrupted by Ryan and did not have the chance to introduce himself.

With just a few simple words, Ryan decisively nailed Lance down, employing ruthless methods that left Lance with almost no chance of turning the situation around. However, this was not the end

Lancelot Strelo nodded slightly, revealing a helpless smile, "I apologize, I have not yet had the chance to introduce myself. I am Lancelot Strelo, and I have known Ryan for over ten years."

"Hey, you are here." Ryan's cheerful voice caught the attention of Sophia and Lance, both of whom turned to look. Ryan first embraced Sophia, and the familiarity between them was evident. Only then did Ryan's gaze fall on Lance, revealing a look of surprise, "Hey, you are also here." It was as if this was their first meeting of the day.

Ryan couldn't help but curse inwardly, yet his mind was unusually calm, neither anxious nor impatient. He refrained from interrupting urgently and instead quietly waited for his opportunity. "So, you just mentioned it to Sophia?" Ryan seized the moment and said this to Lance.

In the teasing words of Lance, there was a hint of mockery, yet Sophia found it hard to dislike him. The sincerity in his bright blue eyes easily persuaded her, and laughter spilled forth unexpectedly, even surprising Sophia herself

A trace of annoyance flashed across Lance's eyes, and his right hand clenched into a fist. He wanted to call out to Sophia and explain further, but his movement was interrupted by Ryan. Ryan took a swift step forward, closing the distance between them rapidly, stopping just a fist's length away from Lance's face. Lance could even feel the heat of Ryan's breath, and then he heard Ryan's lowered voice, which revealed an unprecedented gentleness—along with a nauseating sense of triumph. Ryan took a swift step forward, closing the distance between them rapidly, stopping just a fist's length away from Lance's face. Lance could even feel the heat of Ryan's breath, and then he heard Ryan's lowered voice, which revealed an unprecedented gentleness—along with a nauseating sense of triumph.

If Sophia were unaware of the story behind this, she would only regard Lance as a close friend; however, once the truth is revealed, Lance transforms into a scheming individual seeking collaboration—one who would even exploit Sophia's vulnerabilities. In fact, if Ryan had arrived just a little later, by five minutes, merely five minutes, Lance would have skillfully introduced the script of "Lost in Tokyo" and engaged Sophia in conversation under the guise of "communication." Thus, today's work would have been completed, with the specifics of the collaboration left for their next meeting, thereby avoiding the current dreadful situation. In fact, if Ryan had arrived just a little later, by five minutes, merely five minutes, Lance would have skillfully introduced the script of "Lost in Tokyo" and engaged Sophia in conversation under the guise of "communication." Thus, today's work would have been completed, with the specifics of the collaboration left for their next meeting, thereby avoiding the current dreadful situation

Sophia was momentarily taken aback, staring blankly at Lance before her, the smile in her eyes unable to be concealed. Her cheeks unexpectedly began to flush slightly, which made Sophia feel a bit shy and awkward as she lowered her head, pressing her dry lips together.

A single sentence made Sophia chuckle and laugh out loud, marking the first time today that she laughed so freely.

Lance chuckled softly, the elegant curve at the corner of his mouth bursting forth in the golden sunlight, reflected in his deep blue eyes, outlining a mesmerizing halo. Sophia felt her heart skip a beat in that instant, and she involuntarily held her breath.

Sophia raised her eyebrows in surprise and looked at Lance, "Do you know each other?"

Ryan did not give Lance any time to feign ignorance and directly spoke again, "So, have you made your decision? To establish your own venture? Or to take a position in a large company?"

Dear Lance, I understand you as well as I understand the lines in my palm; do not think that you can escape from my grasp

Indeed, Sophia widened her eyes in surprise, clearly not expecting such a coincidence. Countless thoughts surged through her mind in an instant. Her first thought was: So, were all the encounters with Lance just now deliberately arranged? However, as this thought just emerged, Sophia felt uncertain and unsure, making it impossible for her to respond in time. She could only let out an exclamation, "Wow..." a meaningful exclamation, "Wow..." Once again, Sophia slightly squinted her eyes, "So, you know me?"

Ryan felt a bit flustered, as he was more aware than anyone else of Lancelot's abilities. However, this fluster was only temporary; Ryan quickly regained his composure. He was uncertain about how much Lancelot truly understood regarding "Lost in Tokyo," and he was unsure of the extent of the unknown that Lancelot's words might bring. Yet, one thing he was certain of was that he would never allow Lancelot the opportunity to rise again

"A true gentleman should know to start with a self-introduction." Sophia suppressed her smile and said earnestly, but the complaint in her words betrayed her true feelings at that moment—she not only did not mind at all, but was evidently quite impressed with Lance

Ryan's statement contains two pieces of information. The first is that Lance currently does not even have a production company and hopes to collaborate with Sophia on the filming of "Lost in Tokyo," which reveals his attempt to achieve something for nothing, making Lance's exploitation of Sophia even more despicable. The second is the possibility of Lance collaborating with a large company, which means that Lance has no advantages compared to Ryan—Ryan has not given Lance the opportunity to elaborate on his production plan and ideas for "Lost in Tokyo." This further exacerbates the despicable nature of Lance's exploitation of Sophia. The second point is the possibility of Lance collaborating with a large company, which means that Lance has no advantages compared to Ryan—Ryan has not given Lance the opportunity to elaborate on his production plan and ideas for "Lost in Tokyo."

It is well known that Sofia despises the mention of "The Godfather Part III" the most. She made a cameo appearance in her father's work, only to end up receiving two Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Supporting Actress and Worst Newcomer, which can be considered the most terrifying black mark in her life. After that, Sofia had a long period of aversion to the entertainment industry, and those familiar with the Coppola family would tactfully avoid the topic of "The Godfather Part III" in her presence

It was merely a two-sentence dialogue, yet Lance once again turned the disadvantage around.

Sophia is an emotional person; she may be captivated by Lance's words, but she could also completely sever all possibilities due to Lance's dishonesty. This is a double-edged sword. Lance just now utilized the sharp edge of this sword, and now he is wounded by its blunt side.

Ryan attempted to find Lance among the crowd—this was not a particularly difficult task, as he quickly spotted Lance and Sophia engaged in conversation, which caused him to clench his teeth once more. Ryan was well aware that few could resist Lance's charm, and at that moment, the faint smile on Sophia's face seemed to reaffirm this notion, leaving Ryan with a dull ache in his chest.

However, Ryan did not leave Lance much room, not even five minutes