?Chapter 1254:


    Rosanna’s fingers tightened around her phone. Her chest felt hollow and heavy. The familiar ache of being brushed aside crept back in, the same sensation she had once endured with Vince, back when his patience had worn thin after Maia’s release from prison.


    It was happening again.


    She swallowed hard, forcing herself to breathe evenly, but doubt seeped through the cracks in herposure. Was Austen losing interest in her as well?


    Her thoughts spiraled as she pictured his sharp jawline, his confident stride, thatmanding presence that had drawn her in from the start.


    What woman could possibly pull him away from me?


    Her nails dug into her palms until they nearly broke the skin. The sting barely grounded her.


    She had endured pain before; it had taught her to be wary.


    Her throat tightened, her breaths turning shallow and uneven. She had sacrificed everything to stand beside Austen—her morals, her peace of mind, even her conscience.


    Poisoning Axell had not been easy. But she had done it without hesitation, knowing the toxin would work slowly and cleanly, leaving no trace of suspicion. All for Austen.


    And now, he was slipping away.


    Her throat constricted again, her breathing shallow. She needed to hear his voice—to know for certain. She lifted her phone, about to call him.


    Beside her, Ss’s expression shifted. Recognition gleamed in his eyes. So the woman seated next to him truly was Enchantress.


    He smoothed his features into polite neutrality and spoke with effortless precision. “Excuse me, ma’am. Would you mind saving my seat for a moment? I need to step out.”


    Rosanna blinked, startled.


    Her hand froze mid-dial. She turned and found herself facing a pair of dark, refined eyes. The stranger was handsome and polished, radiating a quiet charm as a faint smile touched his lips.


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    People often judged by appearances—and so did she.


    “Oh, of course,” she replied with a small smile, brushing imaginary creases from her gown. The irritation that had weighed on her moments earlier faded beneath the warmth of his voice.


    Rosanna had no reason to refuse a handsome man. If anything, his request fit neatly into her own unspoken n. Later, she could maneuver a seat swap, edging herself closer to Maia under the guise of coincidence.


    Ss inclined his head politely and stepped past her, moving with the ease of someone fully aware of the gazes trailing after him.


    Once inside the restroom, Ss closed the door, the faint click of the lock echoing softly in the quiet.


    The sound echoed softly against the tiled walls. He pulled out his phone again and opened a small program—a voice changer. With a few taps, he selected the presetbeled Austen.


    When he spoke, the voice that emerged was no longer his own. It was Austen’s, wlessly replicated,yered with perfect precision.


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