Chapter 313 Does Mr. Foster Still Think I'm Evelyn?
Adeline raised an eyebrow and glanced at the voice's source.
Jasper, dressed in all black, leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, staring at her. He'd been there a while.
Straightening up, Adeline said, "I just want to know which hospital she's at. I was going to ask Sebastian to find out."
Ava was getting emergency treatment, and Adeline knew the public's anger towards her was sky-high. Going to the hospital herself would be risky.
But something felt off about the accident, and she wanted to check on Ava.
Having Sebastian look into it seemed like the best move. He had connections at several hospitals in Radiance Springs.
Jasper frowned. "You trust Sebastian that much?"
Sebastian wasn't a doctor, had no real pull in Radiance Springs, and wasn't even from there. Yet, Adeline's first instinct was to rely on him.
'Does she think I'm useless? Or does she really believe Sebastian's more reliable?' Jasper sighed inwardly.
The moment he heard about Ava, Jasper had contacted his sources at the hospital for info. And yet, all Adeline talked about was Sebastian!
Adeline met his gaze. "Shouldn't I trust my own boyfriend?"
Nearby, Lucia, scrolling through her phone, spoke up, "Found it. Ava's at Central Hospital." She added, "Having Mr. Carter look into it is safest. He's Adeline's boyfriend and a well-known artist. Even if people are mad, they wouldn't dare touch him."
Lucia noticed the tension between Adeline and Jasper. Remembering the rumors about them, she hesitated, then gathered her things and slipped out, closing the door softly.
Silence fell, thick and heavy.
Jasper walked further in and sat on the sofa opposite Adeline. "I thought you'd trust me more."
Adeline frowned, sinking back into her chair. "What have I done that caused this misunderstanding?"
"Sebastian's mother was accusing you just yesterday."
"Sebastian is not his mother."
"You called me last night for help."
"And I agreed to design an extra piece for this project in return."
Silence again. Finally, Jasper let out a humorless laugh and stood up. He grabbed a design sketch from her desk. "And this?" He waved the paper. "Miss Wilson secretly uses my hand as a model, yet claims she doesn't trust me?"
Adeline's head throbbed at the sight of the drawing. It was something she had sketched a long time ago, back when she was abroad. Lauren had challenged her to design a ring for their father as a joke.
Although Adeline disliked the idea, she indulged her daughter. The ring was adorned with skulls and other macabre elements, representing her disdain for Jasper. And since it was meant for him, she had naturally used his hand as a reference.
The drawing must have been brought over with her other designs by Bennett. But why was it on her desk?
She thought back and remembered. Yesterday, when Aurora stormed in to throw the check at her, Adeline had pulled out her awards and certificates from the cabinet, scattering them on the desk. A folded drawing had fallen to the floor, but she was too preoccupied with Aurora to notice.
Anne and Timothy must have assumed it was a recent design and placed it on her desk.
That explained why Jasper had asked about finding a hand model for her design last night.
Adeline massaged her temples. She shouldn't have entertained Lauren's game.
Taking a deep breath, she met Jasper's gaze. "Fine. I did design a ring for you."
"The reason is simple. As an employee of the Foster Group, I've caused you nothing but trouble. I designed the ring as an apology."
She pulled out her phone and began to dial Sebastian's number.
"Still going to ask him?" Jasper's voice was flat.
Adeline paused. "Am I not allowed?"
He leaned back on the sofa, his expression unreadable. "In Radiance Springs, I control everything."
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, Adeline looked up, a wry smile on her lips. "In that case, are you willing to indulge my request and find out about Ava's condition for me?"
"She's fine." He picked up a file he had set aside and tossed it onto her desk. "Ryan arrived at the hospital half an hour ago. Ava's 'emergency treatment was actually completed a while back. She's currently in a regular ward. The whole emergency situation was a ploy to manipulate public opinion and make you look worse."
Adeline frowned, flipping through the file.
As expected.
The medical records clearly stated that Ava had jumped from a third-floor balcony, landing on the lawn below. She had a fractured left foot, some cuts, and bruises.
Adeline laughed humorlessly after reviewing the photos and records. "And here I thought it was serious."
Jumping from a building, emergency treatment, a suicide note... With such theatrics, Adeline had assumed Ava was truly desperate.
"She just wants to make you suffer. She has no intention to die."
"Still, it's strange." Adeline set the file down. "Yesterday morning, when Ava left the company, she seemed to have dropped the whole thing. Anne said she heard Ava tell those people harassing me that it was over. Why start again less than a day later?"
Jasper chuckled. "Because yesterday, a media company approached Ava."
"So, the suicide note and the jump were just a publicity stunt?"
"Your identity is a goldmine for them. A renowned jewelry designer, rumored to be involved with the president of the Foster Group, and now the girlfriend of a famous artist."
He paused, his gaze turning sharp. "The men arrested for assaulting Ava all claimed you ordered them to do it."
Adeline's eyes narrowed.
"But here's the interesting part." Jasper's lips curled into a humorless smile. "The media company that contacted Ava and orchestrated this whole charade... they're from Neon City."
"Their controlling shareholder is a ghost. I couldn't find anything concrete, but it's almost certain they have ties to the Quinn family."
Adeline froze.
She met his gaze, her voice steady. "So, you still believe I'm Evelyn?"
"I never believed you were Evelyn." His gaze held hers, unwavering. "But too many things about you lead back to her. I believe you already know Evelyn's true identity and whereabouts."
His voice was low, demanding. "Tell me."
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