Chapter 137: Choose Your Enemies Wisely Part 6

After leaving Lois, Arias had his driver take him to LexCorp Tower, where he arrived just in time to see an angry Mercy walking out with some men in suits following her.

"Please wait a moment, Miss Graves, and hear us out," one called out, but Mercy didn't even give them a second glance.

She recognized Arias's vehicle pulling up in the distance and immediately walked toward it. Many reporters were eager to come close, take pictures, or ask questions, but Slade made sure this didn't occur.

Slade directed her to enter the back where Arias was while he sat in front with the driver, different from the one before. 

In her state of anger, Mercy didn't even bother noticing such an insignificant detail.

Arias cast her a glance and asked, "What's got your feathers ruffled? Aside from the usual, that is."

Any man could tell: if a woman was angry at something or someone, the best action you can take as a man is to let her vent. Whether you pay attention or not is of little consequence. As long as you agree she's right, you're right. And that's exactly what Arias did in this scenario. Mercy didn't hesitate to start her rant.

"These fucking ungrateful bastards wanted me to sell my majority shares and step down as CEO. They're all trying to gang up on me now that they know Lex is…" 

As the car drove to its destination, the rant continued. Slade was humbled by the sheer number of curses Mercy uttered in that short span of time.

It was clear she was angry, very angry. So much so that her final statement was, "Are you done with your business here? Because I'd prefer to fucking leave right about now."

Following her question, Arias thought for a moment. His entire purpose in coming was to get rid of the loose end that was Roulette. She brought a unique set of skills to the table, but it wasn't like they were unmatched. Plus, now that he had his hands on Mercy and Luthor's knowledge, money wasn't an issue. 

As for connections, Slade knew far more about the underworld than even Roulette did, thus his decision to dispose of her. The biggest factor, though, was still her betrayal, and to someone like Arias, who killed his best friend for far less, she was already a dead woman walking.

The other purpose in coming to Metropolis was to confirm Lex Luthor's hunch. Sadly for Arias, it didn't seem like Superman—or rather, Clark—was that invested in Lois. 

She couldn't be used right now, and her lone value wasn't enough to make Arias put in more effort than necessary.

"We can leave right now," he replied after weighing the few pros and cons.

The rest of the drive was somewhat quiet, with Mercy finally cooling down and assessing everything. 

Arias could see that although she didn't show it, she was undergoing a whole plethora of emotions right now. Despite hearing that Lex had fathered many children without her knowledge, a big part of her still obviously grieved his loss. 

And her way of coping came from walking with Arias, who, in many ways, was like Lex. The only difference being, Arias actually got physical with her and didn't treat her like a complete tool.

'This could prove troublesome,' Arias thought.

Thinking too much was always a bad sign. And for Mercy, maybe she was confronting the fact that all this farce she was putting up wasn't worth it. 

After all, she was now one of the richest people in the world, and yet, she couldn't imagine her life in that position.

Arias left her to her thoughts, with some words of contingency ready for when she asked him anything. His prediction came true when the trio boarded the private jet and went into separate cabins. It was approaching evening with the sun setting, so no work needed to be done, yet Mercy walked into Arias's cabin with a complex gaze on her face.

"Look, I've seen the transactions you and Lex had. I know you weren't on the best of terms, and I know what you're capable of. So answer me honestly—did you kill Lex? Or have a hand in it?" she asked, in a somewhat shaky voice with her eyes narrowed.

Arias looked at Mercy and sighed while shaking his head. "I didn't like Lex, but his death wouldn't benefit me in any way. I did, however, play a hand in getting him arrested, as I leaked some evidence I had Slade inquire about. As for who actually killed Lex, that would be Amanda Waller. And as for who killed her, I ordered the hit."

Mercy looked at Arias with a doubtful gaze. She had no reason to believe him, but she wanted to—even if it was a lie, it was one that would bring her closure. 

Humans were simple in that regard; they craved an answer to whatever pain they felt… even if only temporarily.

Arias could see that this was clearly bothering her far more than he anticipated, so he approached her and looked down at her.

"Waller was planning something big. Lex was supposed to be the source of funding, whereas I was just a disposable piece. I discovered this role and chose to shatter her scheme. To do so, though, I needed Lex to be the center of attention with his arrest."

"Little did I know that Waller was in a panic because of just how much Lex knew about her operations. If he went to court, it was over for her, and she knew it. Upon discovering that fact, I knew I was likely next, so I didn't hesitate to have someone take her out."

The fabricated story Arias made fit so well that Mercy couldn't find any reasons not to believe it. It wasn't like Arias subtracted himself from the blame, clearly admitting it was him who caused Luthor's arrest.

Mercy didn't know how to handle the turmoil in her mind. She looked at the stoic expression on Arias's face as if defeated and tired. 

"With Lex gone, why keep me around? I know you just used me to get to him. So now what? My money? Don't fuck around with me."

Arias snickered at Mercy before looking her dead in the eyes, his expression much more serious even as he replied, "Of all your qualities, your newfound wealth sits at the bottom of why I see you as valuable—but not irreplaceable. Whether or not you want to stay by my side is up to you. I make no promises except one."

Mercy frowned and took a step back, a bit cautious now toward Arias as she asked, "Which one...?"

Arias leaned even closer, his piercing gaze just inches away as he revealed in a whisper, "A place by my side in the coming new world."

His words rang with authority and certainty, so much so that Mercy almost agreed instantly, given her very submissive nature towards a powerful male.

She bit down on her lip and stopped herself from answering immediately. She then walked out of the cabin in a hurry without saying anything.

Arias watched her leave without attempting to stop her, a small smile painting his face.

'It's not easy trying to leave my grasp... not anymore.'