<b>Chapter </b><b>314 </b>
“Do you want <b>to </b>kiss me?”
Caitlin couldn’t help butugh inwardly at the sudden surprise. This guy always managed to throw her off guard, ying romance whene wherever he pleased. He really knew how to stir a woman’s heart!
Her heart was thumping in her chest, can
Caitlin met his gaze, the distance betw
“No!”
up in the warmth of his attention.
them so close, his eyes filled with an intense heat. If it wasn’t a kiss, then what else could it be<b>? </b>
Sebastian suddenly adopted a serious ion, “Don’t think of me so shallowly! Is it only about the sweet nothings? Can’t we think about <b>anything </b>
else?”
Caitlin was momentarily stunned by his unexpected response. What was he really up to?
The next move from the man proved that, indeed, Caitlin had been overthinking it. He shifted the romantic atmosphere and turned on the projector. Then, he started exining what he had uncovered regarding the mysterious codex.
“Caitlin, take a look at this. These are some things I’ve discovered while investigating the ‘Yun’s Aromatic Codex. Right now, we know that several factions are actively searching for the codex. Apart from the Silent Order, represented by Harrison, there’s also an influence from Ximena<b>.</b><b>” </b>
He paused, allowing the information to settle in.
“I suspect there’s a bigger force behind Ximena, because when she first came to New York, she had no connections or background. But she <b>was </b><b>able </b><b>to </b>summon powerful forces, build up XEG, and develop it into what it is now. Doesn’t that suggest she has powerful backing?”
“Yeah, I agree,” Caitlin said thoughtfully. “But what’s your next theory?”
“Also! I have a very bold guess!”
Sebastian moved closer, wrapping his arm around Caitlin’s shoulders, and with aser pointer in his hand, he turned to the next page in his evidence.
“Look at thework I’ve built. If we treat Sienna and Teresa as an entry point, analyzing them might give us the answers we need. At first, we assumed that they were Ximena’s people, her undercover agents. This would exin the kidnapping of Patricia and Freya’s death.”
Caitlin’s brows furrowed as she watched him speak, her eyes catching his sharp profile. “Wait, you think they are all connected?”
“Yes, that’s my second theory. I think Ximena is also part of Shadow Moon Pavilion. Her behind–the–scenes supporters might actually be your teacher,
Zorro.”
Sebastian’s words hit Caitlin like a ton of bricks. On the outside, she stayedposed, but inside, waves <b>of </b>turmoil crashed within her.
If Sebastian’s theory was right, she had been living inside a web of lies and maniption this entire time.
“Let me think carefully,” Caitlin began, reflecting what Sebastian had just said. “Five years ago, during The Lewis Family <b>fire</b><b>, </b><b>Dominic </b>saved me, I fled, and in my despair, Sienna and Teresa appeared out of nowhere. They took me away, helped me safely give <b>birth </b><b>to </b><b>the </b><b>four </b><b>kids</b><b>, </b><b>but </b><b>Teresa </b><b>told me </b><b>that </b>the youngest one had passed away. She kindly took the baby and said she would help me handle things<b>.</b><b>” </b>
She paused, her mind reeling back to that time. “Then, I gave Howard to you and left with the other two kids <b>to </b><b>S </b><b>count</b><b>, </b>while I <b>was </b><b>there</b><b>, </b>I <b>met </b><b>Zorro</b>, my ‘mentor.‘ Through their introduction, I joined Shadow Moon Pavilion. They raised my two children, and <b>I </b><b>received </b><b>training </b><b>that </b><b>made me </b><b>strong</b>. respected my teacher like a father, and I came to think of Shadow Moon Pavilion as my family.”
Caitlin’s mind flooded with memories of the years she spent in Shadow Moon Pavilion, her second life. To think <b>they </b><b>were </b><b>the </b><b>masterminds </b>behind
<b>Chapter </b><b>314 </b>
<b>everything </b>was <b>almost </b>impossible to belleve.
<b>“</b><b>When </b>i said i wanted toe back to the US for revenge, my teacher supported me. Zeke also promised to <b>help</b><b>. </b>The first time <b>i </b>bilgan in doua everything was when Patricia was revealed to have been raised by Ximena.”
Caitlin swallowed hard, a bitter knot in her throat. “ording to your second theory, the rescue five years ago was all a carefully nned togethe saved me, then lied about the child’s death, but who knows what they did to the baby… They probably drugged her to make sure the wouldy and
Her eyes were hard, filled with the pain of realizing how deep the conspiracy ran,
<b>“</b>They handed the baby over to Ximena, and five yearster, as I was looking for the codex, Ximena tried to use my daughter as <b>leverage</b><b>, </b><b>to </b>get <b>me </b>to hand over the codex in exchange for her life. But she didn’t expect us to turn the tables, and Freya became her weakness. Ximena wanted <b>to </b>eliminate her, so Sienna and Teresa helped behind the scenes.”
“Do you think Zeke was involved too?”
Caitlin’s voice faltered, the weight of her question bearing down on her. She never wanted to think of Zeke in this light.
“If Zeke is part of this conspiracy, then we’ll find out tonight,” Sebastian said, gently cupping her face. “But what if he’s involved? What will you do, Caitlin?”
Caitlin hesitated. She didn’t answer immediately, just looked at him silently.
Sebastian seemed to sense her turmoil and leaned closer. “Forget about it. For now, just think of me, okay? What do you feel for me<b>, </b>Caitlin?”
Before Caitlin could react, Sebastian kissed her gently. She didn’t pull away, and his courage grew as he deepened the kiss, slowly<b>, </b>tenderly, melting <b>any </b>
resistance she had left.
He didn’t know it, but it was his gentleness and patience, his unwavering care, that had gradually melted her cold heart.
That quiet night.
At the DanCa Estate, several guards were ying cards in the duty room.
They weren’t cking off, though–they’d been ordered to spend the night ying cards.
Suddenly, the surveince screen flickered and went dark.
“Did something just pass by?”
“No, no, just keep ying, who lost has to buy the next round!”
In the shadows, Sienna, dressed in ck<b>, </b>crept toward the estate gates. While the guards were distracted, she disabled the cameras and snuck <b>into </b><b>the </b>
estate.
Caitlin didn’t live there, so the main vi was dark. Sienna crept into the vi, shlight in hand, and made her way upstairs <b>to </b>search for the study.
She found it easily and began searching the desk. The surveince footage had to be stored somewhere. However, after searching the desk<b>, </b>she found nothing resembling a storage device.
Undeterred, she continued searching and pulled open the drawer. There, she spotted the storage device, her <b>shlight </b><b>casting </b><b>a </b><b>glow </b><b>on </b><b>it</b>.
Just as she reached for it, the rm red loudly, echoing through the vi.
“Beep… beep… beep.,
Sienna’s heart raced. She quickly tried to escape, but the lights throughout the vi suddenly shed on, <b>illuminating </b><b>everything </b>like daylight.
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Chapter <b>314 </b>
The study door mmed open, and the bodyguards stepped aside.
Then, a cold, sharp figure appeared.
Caitlin stood in front of Sienna, her gaze icy with lethal intent.
Sienna froze, her eyes widening in shock. How could Caitlin have appeared here?
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