Chapter 10

Jasmine's hands were shaking as she dialed Roderick's number. "I thought we agreed not to talk anymore," Roderick said coldly. "I've sent you the paperwork to sever our father-daughter relationship. It's almost the end of the month. You need to get to Southmere either today or tomorrow." "I just have one question." Jasmine's voice was hoarse. "Was it you who handed me over to Caesar for 'discipline,' or did he ask for me himself?" "What's the point of asking that?" "Tell me!" Roderick fell silent for a moment. "It was him. He traded for it with the Neoburg project. Honestly, you always annoyed me anyway. Killed two birds with one stone." The phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a crack, the screen shattering. Then Jasmine burst out laughing. The sound echoed through the empty villa—raw, ragged laughter that tore at her throat until tears streamed down her face. "Caesar… you really are something else." She didn't know how long she had sat there. Eventually, she w