?Chapter 1097:


    Later, back at the hospital, the doctor redressed the wound while Ste sat close by, exining only what Jasmine needed to hear.


    Jake—the so-called Justin—had been running a scam. He wanted her money, not her heart. Ste didn’t mention Erebus.


    That part of the story was poison, and Jasmine didn’t need it in her veins. The less she knew, the safer she’d be. Jasmine had been through enough already.


    When the doctor left, Ste took out a small bank card and ced it in Jasmine’s hand. Her voice softened.


    “I got your money back. Every cent. Keep it safe, okay? He’ll never find another woman like you—and trust me, he’ll get what’sing to him.”


    Jasmine stared at the card for a moment, then let out a bitterugh. She set it on the bedside table, as if it didn’t matter anymore.


    “Does it even matter? I feel like such an idiot.” She shook her head, her eyes dull and red. “I really thought he loved me.”


    Ste met her gaze and brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. “You’re not stupid, Jasmine. You’re kind. You trusted someone who didn’t deserve it. That’s not a w. It’s just… human.”


    The door opened quietly then, and William stepped in. His eyes found Ste, giving her a silent signal.


    Ste squeezed Jasmine’s hand onest time before stepping out into the hallway.


    William lowered his voice, just enough for only her to hear. “We found him—the guy with the scorpion tattoo. They call him Scorpion. He’s one of Erebus’s top assassins, specializes in taking out high-value targets.”


    Ste’s brow furrowed, her mind already connecting the pieces. “So it really was about me from the start,” she said quietly. “Jasmine was just their way in.”


    William gave a slow nod, his expression grim. “That’s not even the worst part. My contact says they’re nning something bigger. I just don’t know when they’ll move.”


    There was a flicker of frustration in his eyes—one Ste rarely saw.


    Erebus wasn’t some enemy he could just muscle through. They were too vast, too organized.


    For the first time, she could tell the thought scared him—that one day, he might not be able to protect her.


    Ste looked away, her chest tightening. The idea of being hunted didn’t shock her anymore—it just felt heavy, inevitable. Like hearing the clock start ticking on something unavoidable.


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    What was their deal with her anyway? Why go to such lengths to take her down?


    After a quiet beat, she asked, “Where’s Jake now?”


    William exhaled. “Still in the same ce.”


    Something sharp flickered behind Ste’s calm. Her lips curved slightly—not in kindness, but in thought.


    “Good,” she said. “Maybe it’s time we flipped the game on them.”


    Jasminey in the hospital bed, staring nkly at the ceiling. Her mind kept looping back to Jake—his smile, his promises, the easy way he used to say her name.


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