: C

most dangerous. In business, calm meant someone had done their homework. In a

calm? That w

her, let Seraphina take apart her life in front of the whole family, then announced

t defensive, either. When everyone la

is study, staring at the jade sculpture on his desk

oldest expert said it like h

djusting his lens. "The carving technique's

aelan echoe

letting him off that easy. "Th

xamined the jade under the lamp, his h

ai

ay. He pointed under t

eath the carved design. Cae

lowed. "A moder

is head right away. "Tha

t back. He turned the jade again. There, just as Varelia said-almost i

authentica

tails didn't line up. The weight was off. The mineral makeup didn't match. The fracture patterns were different from th

Varelia didn't guess. She just...knew. He remembered her at dinner. She didn't even lo

his assistant: THE EXPERTS CONFIR

thought crept in: how did his wife

s with a book in her hands. She'd changed into a plain dark dress. Her hair hung loose. She looked

in. "You w

a page. "I

the faintest trace of a smile on her

sumed

The experts confirme

, cool as e

ll you ha

beat. "What do y

gratulations?" It

r book. "Cong

k. The silence stretched out, com

w did you kn

n similar

he

plac

wai

not an

e answer

or nerves or hesitation-som

llect a

N

died

forma

learn enough to spot a fake

n was steady.

ff the hook. "What

hat's hard

tightene

ngs are easier to spot whe

eyes. "That's

ndifferent. "I don't c

n he pressed them. Varelia just got quieter. There was a difference between timid and

y doors swung open. Seraphina strode in,

ela

nod

t at Varelia. "I w

ia wa

closer. "I want

relia just looked

r w

I might've b

elia replied wi

e twitched. Cael

rned about Caelan

standable," V

s narrowed. "I

dpanned, "N

ed back to Caelan. "That's the problem." She sof

staye

prominent family links. No social circle anyone knows. Yet

er of something

she's not wh

er book fully. "

matters," Se

hy

re part of th

Caelan. "Then maybe

d. "What's that s

" Varelia's ton

to Caelan. "You'r

walk out the door

oser, urgent. "She's

ay

cting in

ay

iding so

t her eyes. "

ped Serap

on't g

ieter now. "I get it

om, curtains open to glittering city lights. She stood with her back to him

ntioned antiq

turn. "You

askin

d-he coul

otic

e room. "So w

on

ed. "Imp

m impossi

rned; her eyes danced, just brie

ld sleep,

dging the

es

ly he almost laughed. "

t

every

N

stopp

blinking. "Do you

N

y n

exactly what dea

ser. "And what

e without

ned. "I never

parate lives," sh

d. "I re

ep the ar

me lingering. He almost reache

pa

out you l

ed. "I pro

oked

s eyes. "Everyone

he wa

ly knew. And maybe, the problem wasn't how many secrets

Movement downstairs. He checked the

He pushed the door open-just a crack. Inside, Varelia stood over the fake Jade Empress

er pocket, and checked the base. Her expressio

was a tiny mark even the experts had misse

ned so quick he almost mis

re you

the artifact. "

in the m

ldn't

?" He nodded at

ed down.

es

as a

om

"Someone you

the lamp. "So, wh

d, then poin

s eyes. A tiny symbol, e

t is

n't k

ause. "Really?

k her he

'd it bot

at him. "Because I

changed,

he

nswer, just

she was done.

she wa

lamp, the room go

st him. "Good

an unfamiliar chill

, he called his assistant. "I want a full

is assistant's

yment, travel history. Di

take time. But forty-seven minu

said, not even wa

y silence-a l

d you

hesitation di

are sharpen

database. There'

d. "What do

ucation history. No jobs. No financial footprint

ossi

what I t

sear

. "...That's the

lenched

is assistant whispered. "...We fo

to the dark hallway le

asn't what Varelia

lengths to make sure no on