ia Co

an empire. She was not just the widow of Anderson's late father; she was the force that had ensured the

ves of carefully curated books, their spines unbroken, their presence more for appearance than for readi

el Ri

records. Nothing about the woman added up. Her history was too clean, too curated. It w

the door interru

in," s

side, her expression neu

ough she already knew the answer. Jasmin

er document beside the folder. "Shan

t a flicker of amusement danced in her

yet. But if he finds out on

son believe they are invincible. That they can see through ever

speaking. "Anderson doesn

n we won't interfere. We'll simply give him

aling a number. After a brief

smoothly. "I want everything on Walton Dodson mad

tention back to Jasmine. "Now, tell

sed with her. And she knows ex

inted but unsurprised. "Then we'll ha

eeted him with their usual efficiency, but he barely acknowledged them as

in her hand. She didn't rise when he entered, nor did she offer a

through his hair. "Mother, I'm b

ure," she interrupted s

"I assume this has somet

there was no warmt

tightened. "W

le, sliding it toward him. "I've done my

pages were standard-background checks, employment hi

mach cl

losely. "You recogniz

p sharply. "Where

You should be asking yourself

Whatever you think you're provi

e was steady.

what you th

Anderson? Because from where I stand, she is either a

ply, standing. "I don

ated. "No, but you

but her voice stop

Love makes fools of eve

e walked out, but her