Chapter 284 Her Entire Identity Was Fabricated
"Any news on Evelyn?"
Jasper snapped his laptop shut, fixing his gaze on Jason. "Well?"
"You were right." Jason placed a stack of photographs and documents on Jasper's desk before settling into a chair. "The woman who died... wasn't Evelyn."
"I've spent the last two weeks digging into the dead Evelyn's identity, and I finally found the body."
Jasper's brow furrowed as he reached for the documents. They contained a DNA analysis comparing a female corpse with Morris's DNA. The results were conclusive: no familial relationship.
"The grave Morris prepared for Evelyn... it's empty. I went through hell to track down this body, found buried in Gabriel's backyard. Turns out, it was the stand-in, the one pretending to be Evelyn." Jason paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "And we can confirm, this woman was not the real Evelyn."
Jasper nodded curtly. This was no surprise; he'd suspected as much all along. "So, where is she?"
Jason took a sip of his coffee. "Remember Morgana? The one exiled from the Quinn family?" He continued without waiting for a response. "Morgana amassed quite a fortune during his time with the Quinns. Even after his expulsion, he maintained certain... connections."
"I followed the Morgana trail, which eventually led me to a few of his trusted associates." Jason leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. "And guess where they've surfaced?"
Jasper's frown deepened as he picked up the photographs, his eyes scanning the images. "Radiance Springs?"
"Bingo! You always were a sharp one, Jasper." Jason flashed him with a thumb-up.
"My people have been keeping tabs on these associates, despite their attempts to stay under the radar. Last night, they finally made a move." Jason tapped the photos on Jasper's desk. "They visited a place called Willowcrest Terrace, specifically the home of a certain painter named Sebastian."
"And they also paid a visit to his neighbor's place, seemed to be retrieving something." A knowing smirk played on Jason's lips. "The neighbor being your lovely subordinate, Adeline, am I right?"
Jasper's frown deepened.
'What business does the remaining Quinn loyalists have with Adeline? Even if the Quinns' downfall is partly her doing, eliminating her now won't change their situation.'
As if reading his thoughts, Jason chuckled.
"Don't worry, our surveillance suggests they weren't there to cause any harm." He tossed a few more photos onto the desk. "Last night, my guys witnessed the Quinn associates escorting this Sebastian fellow – surrounded by fans, mind you – to a hotel outside the city. They were practically fawning over him, helping him walk and everything."
"And this Mr. Sebastian, as it turns out, is now publicly declaring himself to be your pretty subordinate's boyfriend."
Jasper's gaze hardened as he studied the photos. The deference shown to Sebastian by these individuals was undeniable. They were practically carrying him.
The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place, but the picture they formed was increasingly unsettling.
Jason leaned back in his chair, a contemplative look on his face. "These remnants of the Quinn family, they're undoubtedly following Evelyn's orders. If she wasn't in Radiance Springs, they wouldn't be either."
"They've been laying low all this time, and their first move is to retrieve something from Sebastian's house while he's out with fans, then whisk him away to a hotel... and ultimately, to the same hotel where Adeline is staying." He paused, letting the implications hang in the air. "What do you make of that?"
Jasper's confusion was mounting. He stared at the photos, his mind racing.
Jason reached into his briefcase and produced one final photograph. "You've been to Adeline's place, haven't you? Recognize this?"
Jasper's eyes widened as he registered the image. It was a box of condoms – a box he himself had discreetly placed in Adeline's nightstand. They'd had their moments of impulsiveness, and he'd thought it prudent to be prepared.
Ironically, after that, they'd never been intimate again. The box had remained untouched.
Until now. In the photo, the box was clearly out of place, and several condoms were missing.
"The Quinn associates, they went to Adeline's and took only this." Jason yawned, stretching languidly. "Classic Evelyn, delegating even the smallest tasks."
"All these years, she's been undergoing plastic surgery..." He trailed off, a thoughtful frown creasing his forehead. "I initially assumed she'd mold herself into a replica of your wife, a desperate attempt to win your favor. But she turned out to be strikingly beautiful, bearing no resemblance to your wife whatsoever."
"And yet, she played her cards right, didn't she? You're drawn to her, undeniably so."
Jasper's fists clenched involuntarily at Jason's words.
"Impossible," he muttered, shaking his head. "Back in Neon City, the Quinns were constantly targeting Adeline. She can't be Evelyn."
He couldn't accept it. The very idea seemed ludicrous. Besides, there were too many inconsistencies.
'Why would the fake Evelyn go after Adeline? Why would Morris go to such lengths to undermine her?' he puzzled.
"Anything's possible in this game, my friend." Jason's tone was light, but his eyes held a glint of seriousness. "Though I'll admit, I, too, hope your lovely subordinate isn't our elusive Evelyn."
"Otherwise, considering your past animosity towards her... wouldn't that be a rather bitter pill to swallow?"
Jasper shot him a chilling glare.
Jason simply shrugged, rising from his chair. "I'll keep digging, see what other skeletons I can unearth."
He paused at the door, turning back to Jasper with a raised eyebrow. "A word of advice, old friend: be careful. I've been looking into your Miss Adeline for quite some time now, and I can say with certainty that her identity is fabricated."
"And her true purpose, her real identity... well, I suspect it's not too far removed from Evelyn's."
With that parting shot, Jason left Jasper alone with his unsettling thoughts.
The office seemed to close in on him as he picked up the photos once more, his gaze distant.
A knock on the door broke his concentration. Lucia entered, her demeanor respectful as always.
"Mr. Foster,", she said, placing an envelope on his desk. "This came for you, from Miss Adeline."
With a final, fleeting glance, she turned and left, closing the door softly behind her.
Jasper frowned, picking up the envelope. He'd half-expected a resignation letter, delivered in a fit of anger after their encounter that morning.
But as he tore open the envelope, two thousand dollars in cash tumbled out, along with a small, neatly folded note.
“Checked the rates, the hotel costs $500 a night. Here’s $2000, consider the rest hush money, Mr. Foster.”
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