?Chapter 1113:


    Ian didn’t move until the car disappeared down the street. Only then did he reach into his pocket and pull out the ne.


    He wasn’t sure whether William had started to suspect him, but it didn’t really matter. His job was done. There was no reason to stick around Jasmine anymore.


    Meanwhile, inside the car, Ste opened her eyes the moment they drove off. The faint drunkenness from earlier had vanished without a trace.


    “He took my ne,” she said calmly.


    Jasmine froze. “So he really is a member of Erebus?”


    She had been hoping—praying, even—that she was wrong. That Ian wasn’t one of them. But now it was clear she’d only been fooling herself.


    “The ne he took is fake,” Ste said. “He’ll realize it soon. When he does, he’lle back to your shop.”


    Jasmine’s emotions tangled into a mess. Part of her wanted to see him again, to ask why. But another part of her couldn’t believe she’d been used so easily. She let out a quiet sigh and leaned back, trying to calm the storm raging inside her.


    Ste nced at her and said softly, “Jasmine, he’s just a conman. Don’t brood over someone like that.”


    Jasmine forced a small smile. “I know, Ms. Russell. Don’t worry about me.”


    Sure enough, by the next day, Ian realized the ne wasn’t real. And just as Ste predicted, he showed up again at the flower shop.


    Only this time, Jasmine wasn’t there. Instead, he walked in to find Ste, William, and Drake waiting for him.


    The moment Ian’s gazended on Drake, his eyes flickered with shock before he quickly masked it.


    He turned to Ste, who sat there calm and unbothered, and let out a quiet, humorlessugh. “So,” he said, his voice low, “when did you figure it out?”


    Ste sat up straight, her tone cool.


    “It was too obvious, Mr. Hayes. A son visiting a flower shop every day to buy flowers for his sick mother? Touching story, but the nearest hospital doesn’t even have an oncology department.”


    Her words hung in the air, steady and precise.


    Then she added, “And one more thing.”


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    Ian raised a brow. “What’s that?”


    She pointed at her bare neck, her lips curving faintly. “That ne was a one-of-a-kind design by my mother. When you saw it, you didn’t act surprised. You said it suited me—and you even knew it was amber.”


    For a moment, the mask slipped. Ian’s polite expression hardened. “You really are sharp, Ms. Russell,” he said coldly. “But do you think bringing Drake here will be enough to stop me?”


    Drake’s eyes narrowed. “Falcon, you’ve let me down. I didn’t think you’d go this far behind my back.”


    Falcon sneered. “Don’t pretend you’re any better. Erebus is falling apart. Everyone’s fighting for their own position. I just chose not to wait.”


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