Chapter 299 Offending Adeline
The air in the car was thick with unspoken tension.
Adeline, a sly smile on her lips, looked at Jasper. "Mr. Foster," she began smoothly, "what kind of man do you think could push me to such extremes?"
Her usually bright eyes were now cold and distant, as if he had wronged her.
Jasper shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze. He forced a chuckle. "Well, definitely not someone like me."
Adeline almost laughed. She turned to face the front, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're right, he's nothing like you, Mr. Foster."
"He's reckless and irresponsible," she continued, her voice sharp, "only caring about his own desires, never about love or family." She paused, then added, looking at Jasper, "Unlike you, Mr. Foster, known for your loyalty and devotion to your wife and family."
"He doesn't even compare."
Jasper frowned. He wasn't used to such praise from Adeline, and it made him uneasy.
After a moment, he asked, "If he's so terrible, what drew you to him in the first place?"
"I was blinded," Adeline replied, enjoying the subtle dig.
She knew he sensed something was off, but he couldn't quite figure it out. That was the best part.
Feeling bold, she continued, "I was young and naive, yearning for infinite love."
"Little did I know, he never truly cared for me. His feelings turned into something like hatred."
"That's when I realized he wasn't worth my love. He was selfish and arrogant, his world revolving around himself."
"He deserves no woman's love, yet many fall for his charms."
Jasper's frown deepened. Her words struck a chord. His gut told him she was talking about him, though logic said otherwise.
His eyes narrowed, staring at her. "When did this... infatuation begin?"
"Eight, maybe nine years ago. Feels like a lifetime," she replied, her voice tinged with wistfulness.
Looking out the window, she continued, "We've been apart for a long time. I'm glad I escaped that part of my life."
He looked back at her, his eyes hardening. Eight or nine years ago. The same time he met Stella. If she was talking about him, then she could only be Evelyn.
Jason's words from the previous day echoed in his mind. "Anything is possible. But I hope for your sake, your beautiful subordinate isn't Evelyn. Otherwise, wouldn't that be a bitter pill to swallow?"
Adeline, sensing his scrutiny, shifted uncomfortably, her composure slipping.
Jasper studied her, finding it hard to reconcile the kind woman before him with the vindictive Evelyn who had once tried to harm Adeline.
The car stopped in front of Willowcrest Terrace, breaking the tense silence.
Adeline sighed in relief, her facade snapping back into place. With a bright smile, she opened the car door and stepped out.
"Thanks for listening to my rambling, Mr. Foster. Good night," she said, her voice light and carefree.
As she turned to leave, Jasper's voice, tight with emotion, stopped her.
"Adeline," he called out, his brow furrowed. "You never told me what happened to this man you loved."
Adeline paused, a slow smile spreading across her lips. "He's dead."
She met his gaze, her expression innocent. "Why do you ask, Mr. Foster?"
Jasper's eyes narrowed. "No reason."
He shut the car door, ending the conversation.
Adeline watched the black Maserati disappear into the night, her brow furrowed in thought. Had she been too reckless?
"Where to, Mr. Foster?" Ryan asked, turning to face him.
Jasper massaged his temples, his mind racing. "Jason's," he replied, his voice tight.
Ryan blinked, surprised. "Are you sure, Mr. Foster?" It was past ten. Jason was likely asleep.
"I'm sure," Jasper said firmly. He pulled out his phone and dialed Jason's number.
"I'm coming over. Is that alright?"
"I'm not okay with that," Jason's sleepy voice grumbled.
"I have nowhere else to go. I'll crash at your place tonight."
A stunned silence, followed by Jason's incredulous laughter. "You've got a beautiful wife at home, a lover on the side, and you claim to have nowhere to sleep?"
Jasper, ignoring the jab, hung up.
On the other end, Jason stared at his phone, bewildered.
Thirty minutes later, a sharp knock on the door jolted Jason from his slumber.
He opened the door, stifling a yawn, to find a grim-faced Jasper standing there.
"What a coincidence," Jason remarked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Just after you called, my men watching the Quinn family reported some activity."
Jasper, shrugging off his coat, raised an eyebrow. "Activity?"
"See for yourself." Jason tossed his phone to Jasper. "Fresh from my surveillance team."
Jasper glanced at the screen. The photos showed a group of men brutally assaulting a woman.
The woman, her face bruised and bloodied beyond recognition, was undoubtedly Ava.
The final few photos were the most disturbing. They showed Ava scavenging for food in a filthy garbage bin, while the men looked on, amused.
Jasper, his stomach churning, handed the phone back to Jason. "What is this?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Jason asked, a humorless smile on his lips. "Those are the Quinn family thugs I've been keeping tabs on."
"I figured they'd lie low after the last incident, but it seems they couldn't resist another power play." He slipped his phone back into his pocket and settled onto the sofa. "My men identified the victim as Ava, the woman who started working as Adeline's assistant at the Foster Group today."
Jasper's brow furrowed.
'Adeline's assistant? Why target her?'
As if reading his mind, Jason leaned back and chuckled mirthlessly. "According to Ava, she may have overstepped a boundary."
"It seems she went out for dinner with Adeline and some colleagues earlier. While in the restroom, she overheard some juicy gossip about you, Adeline, your assistant, and even the company's security guard."
"And like a fool, she spread it around, incurring Adeline's wrath in the process."
Jason fixed Jasper with a knowing look. "So, do you still believe Adeline isn't Evelyn?"
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