After Mistaking My Stepsister’s First Love - Chapter 88

Although the abandoned building was only half-constructed, its basic framework was intact. The scorching heat, however, quickly beaded Jian Mo’s forehead with sweat.

Yet, even as she remained silent, her captor refused to relent.

The moment she felt fingers brush against her chin, Jian Mo’s eyes snapped open, and she jerked her head away.

“Heh, President Jian has quite the temper. There’s no need to be so guarded after all, I bear you no grudge. The one who suggested bringing you here wasn’t me. As for who it was. I’m sure you already have an idea.”

The woman chuckled again. “Of course, if you can’t guess, I’d be happy to tell you.”

“President Jian truly has a remarkable mother. We’ve collaborated for years, and it’s always been smooth sailing. What a shame, really, that you had to interfere. Not only did it ruin our partnership, but I also lost a substantial sum of money. So, have you thought about how you’ll compensate me?”

Jian Mo said nothing, her expression indifferent, her gaze not even flickering toward the woman.

Unfazed, the woman smirked. She was well acquainted with Jian Mo’s temperament, if she took offense every time, she’d have died from anger long ago.

But then, as if struck by a thought, she suddenly smiled. “It’s fine if you don’t want to speak. I can just tell you outright.”

“Do you know why I invited you here? It’s all thanks to your dear mother. The two of you are quite the pair, a mother-daughter relationship like yours is truly one of a kind.”

As she spoke, the woman studied Jian Mo’s face closely. Seeing no reaction, she nodded in understanding. “Ah, so you’ve already guessed who it is. Not surprising, you’re the smartest person I’ve met in all these years. Pity, though, that your intelligence is wasted. Otherwise, with the rapport I share with your mother, imagine what we could’ve achieved together. The business opportunities would’ve been endless.”

At last, Jian Mo reacted. She lifted her eyelids slightly, her lips curling into a mocking smile, as if to say:

I’ve achieved everything I have without relying on anyone. You’re all talk but I’ve actually done it.

Understanding the meaning behind that look, the woman’s expression darkened momentarily. Yet she didn’t lose her temper. Instead, she gave Jian Mo a meaningful glance before leisurely taking a seat.

“Since you’re so clever, President Jian, you must know what we’re after. If you don’t want to suffer, I suggest you hand it over willingly. Otherwise, things might get unpleasant.”

Of course, Jian Mo knew what they wanted the so-called “evidence” in her possession.

But…

The truth was, she didn’t actually have any concrete proof. The only thing that came close was that one document.

At first, she hadn’t noticed anything amiss beyond the financial records. It wasn’t until she scrutinized the document that she discovered additional evidence, evidence that could not only incriminate Jian Li but also drag this woman down with her.

Originally, Jian Mo’s plan had been to use this as bait to lure them out. And while it had worked sort of only this woman had taken the bait. Jian Li was nowhere to be seen.

It didn’t take long for Jian Mo to realize the truth: this woman was foolish enough to serve as Jian Li’s scapegoat.

The moment Jian Mo went missing, it wouldn’t stay hidden for long. And with only this woman and her lackeys present at the scene, no matter what excuses she offered, she’d be caught red-handed.

Jian Li would never show up so easily. It was entirely possible that she was using this woman to draw attention while secretly planning to flee abroad herself.

Jian Mo pondered for a while and became increasingly convinced that her guess was correct.

This was troublesome. If her suspicions were right and Jian Li intended to escape overseas, then there was no time to waste, she might already be on the move.

At this thought, Jian Mo immediately turned to the woman and sneered, “All this talk is pointless. You should be asking yourself why Jian Li hasn’t shown up and sent you instead.”

The woman paused, her brow furrowing slightly. “What do you mean?”

Jian Mo laughed. “I’m saying you’re a fool used and manipulated without even realizing it. You’ve obediently followed her orders, but haven’t you noticed that Jian Li hasn’t appeared once throughout this entire kidnapping?

I suspect this has been your doing from the start. All the evidence points to you, while Jian Li remains completely clean.”

“Let me guess did she always claim to be too busy or too restricted, leaving everything to you? Meanwhile, she stayed hidden in the shadows, ensuring that even if someone investigated, they’d never trace it back to her.”

The woman’s expression visibly shifted because Jian Mo had hit the mark.

That was exactly what Jian Li had told her. Even in this operation, every detail implicated her enough for the police to easily pin it on her.

Before the operation, Jian Li had claimed she was going to gather evidence, so they had agreed to split up.

But now, hearing Jian Mo’s words, the woman realized something was off.

It wasn’t that she had blindly trusted Jian Li, she had been deceived!

Thinking back, she realized that ever since meeting Jian Li, she had been led by the nose, overlooking crucial details. Only now did the red flags become obvious.

The woman knew she wasn’t the sharpest, so she had always relied on her partner for strategy. But now…

A terrible suspicion arose had her partner betrayed her?!

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