Chapter 112 The Baited Question
Bianca's brows pulled tight in clear distaste, her gaze on Blair carrying a chill edged with contempt.
Her hand slipped into the pocket of her coat, thumb pressing the record button.
"So Samuel was someone you deliberately planted in my life."
Her tone was certain, not a question.
In the last life, Samuel's appearances had always been timed too perfectly. Only now did she see the strings—Blair's strings—pulling him into place.
From the very beginning, his approach had been calculated. The affection he'd shown was nothing but a facade, a lure to push her deeper into a trap, while conveniently shielding Blair from the fallout.
She had long since recognized the truth about both of them, but hearing it confirmed made her chest ache, sharp and sudden, like a needle piercing straight into her heart.
Blair only smiled, her lips curled into a cold, predatory smile.
Beside Bianca, Jasmine trembled. She remembered the last time she'd been in Sovereign City, how a man named Samuel had stayed close to Bianca. She had never imagined he was Blair's pawn. The realization shattered the last shred of respect she had clung to for Blair, leaving only revulsion.
"Blair, this is beyond cruel!"
"So what if I arranged it?" Blair's voice was laced with mockery. "You were the one who couldn't keep yourself in line. Engaged to Terrence, yet tangled up with another man."
Her smirk deepened. "If you'd kept yourself pure, I'd have had nothing to hold over you. But you're clever... I'll give you that. You even managed to turn the tables on me when it mattered."
Her eyes locked on Bianca, venom gleaming in them—hatred sharp enough to cut.
Bianca's heartbeat quickened, memories of her brutal death in the last life flashing through her mind.
She finally understood—what she'd once thought of as fate's gift had been nothing more than a cruel stage set for her humiliation.
The weight of that truth pressed hard against her chest. Her voice hardened, every word edged in ice.
"From the start, I never thought much of Samuel. I only wondered why a man I'd never crossed paths with would suddenly pursue me like a madman. I have feelings for Terrence; how could I ever be interested in Samuel? He isn't even worthy to carry Terrence's shoes."
She kept her true thoughts from her previous life hidden deep in her heart.
Blair's eyes narrowed in realization. "So that's it. You knew from the beginning he had an agenda. No wonder, after that day, Samuel told me you'd changed. I couldn't figure out what had gone wrong... but you'd already seen through him."
Her voice sharpened. "You're more vicious than I thought. You played the lovestruck fool so well, I actually believed you cared for him."
Bianca's hand curled slowly into a fist at her side, but her face remained calm.
"Considering you and Samuel were already involved, I wasn't interested in a man someone else had used."
Jasmine's eyes widened, her hand flying to cover her mouth. Her gaze darted between them, the anger in her eyes intensifying.
"Blair... you made your own boyfriend chase Bianca?"
She could barely believe she'd spoken the words aloud.
Who did something like that? Who turned their boyfriend into a disposable tool?
Blair's laugh was cold. "He's just a man. If you want one, I have plenty I could introduce you to."
She paused, her smile twisting into something darker.
"No need to pretend you're virtuous in front of me. It's just us here—these words won't leave the room. Sticking to one man gets boring. If you ever need someone to fill the emptiness, come to me. I can make it happen."
The shift in her tone was too sudden, too deliberate. It was a trap.
But neither Bianca nor Jasmine was foolish enough to bite. The filth Blair offered was nothing they'd ever want.
"Keep that for yourself," Bianca said, her voice sharp as frost. "Jasmine hasn't wronged you. She doesn't threaten your interests. Why target her?"
Blair's gaze flicked to Jasmine, her eyes full of disdain. She let out a short, dismissive snort.
"She's just a poor country relative trying to cling to the Rodriguez family. Who does she think she is? We're barely related, and she still dares to hover around us."
To Blair, looking down on Jasmine was natural, almost sport.
Jasmine's body shook, her eyes wet, tears slipping free like beads breaking from a string.
"Blair, since I came to Sovereign City, I've never asked Uncle for help. I've never wanted to trouble you. I came here to broaden my horizons, to see more of the world."
Blair scoffed. "How noble. Without Glenn, do you think you could have gotten into a school in Sovereign City? You're from the countryside. Even if you worked for generations, you'd never make it into Ravenswood University."
Bianca's lips curved into a cold smile, her eyes flashing with scorn.
"Blair, are you seriously that ignorant? Jasmine got into Ravenswood University with the highest score in the entire entrance exam. Not everyone needs to throw money around to get in."
Blair's pupils dilated, her lashes trembling hard. Shock twisted her features.
"That's impossible! She's from a backwater with terrible schools. There's no way she got in on her own merit. You're lying! You don't have to admit it now. I'll ask Glenn myself. When I find out the truth, I'll make sure everyone knows Jasmine is nothing but a leech—a parasite living off others."
Jasmine's chest rose and fell sharply. She took a deep breath, emotions swirling—disappointment, hurt—until she forced them down.
When she lifted her head again, her eyes were cold and stripped of fear.
"My conscience is clear. I treated you as an elder, which is why I tolerated you. I didn't take legal action when you insulted me. But if you continue to slander me or threaten me with violence, I will protect myself through the law. I won't hesitate."
Her voice was steady, each word landing like a hammer blow.
Jasmine's defiance unsettled Blair. She didn't like it. In her mind, someone from the countryside was meant to be at her mercy.
"Bianca, Jasmine... I can't out-argue you. But I have evidence. You'll both be ruined soon enough."