<b>Chapter </b>230


    “This is my private business, What’s it to you?” Andrea’s heart was pounding wildly, her palms slick with sweat. “You said you’d take care of me. You call this taking care of me?


    “Spying on me, digging through my personal life? Don’t you think that’s way out of line?”


    He still had no idea she was an imposter. As long as she yed this right, she could still slip away when she wanted. Even if she couldn’t get anything from him, she could always wring something out of Reba.


    And if worst came to worst, she could just sell everything he’d given her before–including the house.


    After all, he was already getting suspicious.


    Jeffrey’s eyes grew a shade darker.


    Gregory jumped to defend Mr. Hanson. “Ms. Smith and Mr. Garcia did all that snooping without telling Mr. Hanson. He didn’t order any of it.”


    “Oh really? So when he imed he was broke but still had people digging into my life—you’re saying that wasn’t his doing either?” Andrea shot back, her anger clear.


    Gregory remained serious. “When something seems out of the ordinary, it’s only natural to look into it.”


    “From now on, I want you and your friends to stop investigating me and start respecting my privacy!” Andrea said, her voice unwavering. “If you can’t do that, then just stop making promises you can’t keep.”


    Gregory’s brows drew together.


    He wasn’t having it at all.


    He turned to Jeffrey, clearly backing him up. “Mr. Hanson, you can’t agree to that.”


    “Tell Stanley and Riley Smith to stop snooping around,” Jeffrey said, his obsidian eyes growing hazy.


    “Mr. Hanson!” Gregory called out, his voice edged with anxiety.


    After all the digging they’d done to expose her, they’d finally got a chance to cut her loose for Mr. Hanson. If they pulled back now, everything they’d uncovered would go to waste.


    Jeffrey looked up again, his gaze calm and unwavering. “Just follow my orders.” <fn3c69> Readplete version only at fι?dnοvel</fn3c69>


    Gregory looked like he wanted to say something, but held his tongue. In the end, he called up Stanley and passed along Jeffrey’s orders.


    Stanley looked genuinely confused. “Why?”


    Gregory exined that Andrea hade by to confront them.


    Stanley’s voice was t. “Got it.”


    13:38 Mon<b>, </b><b>Oct </b>6


    :


    Gregory was stunned for a second. ‘Really? Just “got it“?”


    ‘Is that all you’re gonna say?‘ Gregory thought, a little exasperated.


    ‘Not even gonna ask anything else?‘ he wondered, feeling more than a little thrown.


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    215 vouchers


    “Do you still want the money?” Jeffrey asked, fixing his eyes on Andrea, who was clearly nervous but trying to cover it with bravado.


    “Yes!” Andrea snapped, feeling like something was off but too pressed to care. “Just transfer it over, like we agreed. After I’m gone and have settled down somewhere else, consider us done–for good.”


    Jeffrey nodded. “Fine.”


    Gregory had been a bundle of nerves, but seeing Jeffrey so cool and collected, he couldn’t help but start to unwind a little.


    Mr. Hanson was not the kind of guy to just roll over for anyone. Letting Andrea call the shots without even pushing back? That was so not his style.


    ‘Unless… Gregory’s mind started racing, suspicion flickering to life.


    He stared hard at Jeffrey’s calm, unreadable face.


    ‘Could he really be thinking what I think he is?‘ Gregory wondered, suddenly unsure.


    “Transfer the money to her, just like she asked,” Jeffrey instructed.


    Gregory nodded. “Got it.”


    Andrea asked, “When will the money hit my ount?”


    Gregory replied, “One week.”


    “Really? You think it’s fun to pull this trick twice?” Andrea shot back, her face falling as she assumed Jeffrey was just dragging things out. “You literally promised just a second ago, and now you’re changing it?”


    “If you want everything to be done legally with proper contracts and no risk of the money being taken backter, it’ll take about a week,” Gregory exined. “But if you only care about getting the cash, I can transfer it to your card right now.”


    Andrea shot him a suspicious look.


    Two hundred million wasn’t just pocket change–it was serious money.


    For someone like her, whose ount barely ever saw any action and never had that kind of cash flowing through, dumping that much money in all at once would be sure to set off rms at the bank.


    “Alright, one week then,” Andrea agreed after thinking it over, her tone firm. “But during that week, I don’t want you or any of your people snooping around in my business anymore.”


    13:38 Mon<b>, </b><b>Oct </b>6


    She said her piece and strode out, not bothering to look back or linger even for a second.


    Gregory closed the door behind her.


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    35 vouchers


    Back at the bedside, Gregory finally couldn’t hold his question back any longer. “Mr. Hanson, did you agree to Andrea’s demands because you knew Mr. Garcia probably wouldn’t listen to you anyway?”


    Jeffrey nodded. “That’s right.”


    He’d promised to look after Andrea, but if others weren’t on board, there was no way he could make them.


    He used to talk about giving her special treatment and indulging her, but after everything that had happened, it was all spent. Now, all he cared about was keeping his promise to watch over her–nothing else mattered


    anymore.


    “You’re seriously still going to hand over the money?” Gregory couldn’t help blurting out, doubt clear in his voice as he stared at Mr. Hanson.


    “Yeah,” Jeffrey replied coolly, like it made no difference to him.


    As soon as Andrea stepped out of the hospital, she pulled out her phone and called Reba.


    She still had a week before the money from Jeffrey wouldnd in her ount, and she knew she had to convince Reba to help her before then.


    If Reba agreed to help, if she was willing to back her up, Andrea would finally have a glimmer of hope.


    Reba and Jessica Scott were having dinner when Reba’s phone started buzzing, the caller ID shing. She didn’t hesitate–she picked up right away.


    “What did you want earlier?” Andrea’s voice came through the line. “Did you finally make up your mind?”


    Reba hesitated for a split second, remembering exactly what Jessica had told her to say–nothing more, nothing less. “I’ll pull out all the stops to cover your tracks,” she said carefully. “But when you leave, you have to tell me who that person really is.”


    Andrea shot back without hesitation, “No way.”


    Reba blinked. “What?”


    Andrea was clearly thinking ahead. “If I tell you then, how do I know you won’t just bail on me and leave me hanging?”


    “Then forget it,” Reba said coldly, refusing to let Andrea take control. ‘If I let her have it her way once, she’d just keep pushing her luck. “The deal’s off.”


    “Wait!” Andrea blurted out, practically begging before Reba could hang up.


    Reba paused, setting her chopsticks aside and waiting for Andrea to speak.


    13:38 Mon, <b>Oct </b>6


    Jessica was listening intently, not missing a single word.


    “Look, I’m just worried. What if you find out who it is and then bail on me?” Andrea said seriously. ‘I don’t have anything on you–if you change your mind, there’s no way I can stop you.”


    “Suit yourself. Don’t bothering to me, Reba replied coolly, refusing to let Andrea push her around.


    Andrea bit back her annoyance. “You seriously don’t want to know who that person is? Not even a little?


    “Of course I do,” Reba said coolly, not missing a beat, “but I’m not going to sit here trading blows with you. If I had that much time and energy, I’d rather be in court with Jeffrey than tangled up in your drama?


    The moment Reba said that, there was a heavy silence on the other end of the line.


    Andrea didn’t say a word, stunned by her reply, just letting the awkward quiet stretch on.


    Andrea was painfully aware that things between her and Reba could never be fixed. The grudges went way back to their school days–and now, with Jeffrey tangled up between them, that rift was only getting deeper.


    “Then promise me,” Andrea said, steeling herself for the gamble. “Once you learn who that person is, you’ll help me vanish–keep Jeffrey off my trail. And if he somehow manages to track me down, you’ve gotta have my back and keep me safe.”


    Reba’s brow twitched ever so slightly.


    She nced over at Jessica, her eyes silently asking, ‘Is Andrea even all there?‘


    ‘Where does she get the confidence to believe I’d ever stick my neck out for her?‘ Reba thought, genuinely bewildered.


    “So, are you in or not?” Andrea pressed, eyes locked on Reba, not bothering to hide her impatience.


    “Not happening,” Reba retorted, t and quick. “Our deal’s just me covering your tracks–whatever else goes down, that’s your problem, not mine.”


    Andrea was ready to lose it again.


    Reba shut her down cold. “If you don’t like it, then that’s it. We’re done here.”


    Andrea forced herself to bite back whatever she was about to say, choking down her anger.


    It was only a matter of time before Jeffrey figured out she was an imposter. And with Ian’s people guarding Ben, there was no way she could silence him.


    Once Ben woke up, her whole identity scheme woulde crashing down–and knowing Jeffrey, there was no way he’d let her off the hook.


    Reba was really her only hope left. Even though Reba always gave her that look of disdain, Andrea knew that if Reba said she’d help, she really meant it.


    Reba was way too proud to ever lie to her–at least that’s what Andrea told herself.


    <b>13:38 </b>Mon, Oct 6


    After weighing it all, Andrea made up her mind to take the risk. “Pine, she said, sounding a little defiant