Chapter 190 - 189: Erin Whittaker Should Die in a Gutter

Chapter 190: Chapter 189: Erin Whittaker Should Die in a Gutter

Julian Fletcher let out a cold laugh, as if mocking Asher.

He thought Asher would guess wrong.

He thought Asher was just being conceited.

He stubbornly believed in Erin Whittaker.

’Suddenly, I find Julian Fletcher a bit pathetic. He’s been completely blinded just because she saved his life.’

"Cece..."

While the police went to search, both Julian Fletcher and Asher tried to talk to me at the same time.

I frowned, warily watching the two men before me.

One was an ex-lover I’d completely forgotten due to my amnesia. The other was a man I’d been blind enough to love after losing my memory. Both of them... felt like strangers.

Julian Fletcher seemed repentant, but his attitude toward Erin Whittaker was laughable and ironic. There was also too much about him that I couldn’t see through.

And Asher... even more so.

’Asher is a genius. He found the missing Erin Whittaker with just one look at the surveillance footage. It’s impossible that he hasn’t found a single clue about the serial killer case by now, unless... unless the killer’s IQ is even higher than Asher’s.’

’Or a genius just like Asher.’

’But back then, the only two geniuses with perfect scores in the gifted class were Asher and Charlie. Unless Charlie isn’t dead...’

In all the years since, no other perfect-score genius had ever appeared in the gifted class. Asher and Charlie were practically legends recorded in the school’s history.

"Cecilia Caldwell..." Julian Fletcher took a step forward. "Erin Whittaker wouldn’t willingly put herself in danger. She wouldn’t be in the demolition zone. This is all just a Blinding Technique, unless..."

Julian Fletcher lowered his voice, speaking softly beside me. "Unless Sebastian Lancaster was behind this from the start. He had someone kidnap Erin Whittaker, a classic case of the culprit crying ’thief!’"

I gave Julian Fletcher an indifferent glance. ’His hostility toward Asher is really something.’

"I’d advise President Fletcher to mind his own business," I said in a low voice, taking a step back.

Julian Fletcher frowned, looking hurt. His eyes seemed to ask why I didn’t believe him. "Have you never considered that he might be the mastermind behind the serial killer case? That he planned it all with those murderers, that he wants to use an assassin to kill you?"

I frowned, annoyed. He was talking too much.

But Julian Fletcher’s words did serve as a reminder.

’If Asher is the mastermind... then it’s true no one would ever be able to find the truth.’

’He plans, and someone else executes. Just like on his clue wall in the basement—two question marks, one for the mastermind, one for the executioner.’

’Could the thing Asher has been evasively hiding be himself?’

’But if he was the one who killed me... and then, after recognizing me, he’s been so good to me, so obedient... that’s just too terrifying... and too insane.’

"Cece..." Asher stood a short distance away, softly calling my name.

I glanced at him, then averted my gaze.

He hung his head, as if he knew he had done something wrong.

I hate it when people use me as a stake in a bet. Before, it was Julian Fletcher and his friends. Now, Asher is using me in a bet, too...

Regardless of the outcome, it’s a chilling way to act.

"Found her!" We had all been silent for a long time, so long that I’d lost track of how much time had passed.

Zane rushed back in ahead of the others to tell us the news.

"In a building scheduled for demolition in the old tear-down zone, we heard a generator. Erin Whittaker is inside! She’s free—no one is holding her. She was just hiding there!" Zane was breathing heavily and poured himself a glass of water as soon as he came in.

Asher kept his head down, saying nothing, not daring to look at me.

Julian Fletcher’s expression, however, had turned utterly foul. "Was it you?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice.

He was interrogating Asher. "You had someone take her there, didn’t you?"

Asher looked at Julian Fletcher indifferently, his eyes filled with a chilling coldness.

"A bet’s a bet, Julian Fletcher. Can’t you afford to lose? Are you going to start framing people now?" Madeline Quinn said angrily. "And is that Erin Whittaker really so innocent?"

Madeline Quinn rolled her eyes and looked at Zeke Shaw. "I knew that ’white lotus’ had perfected her act."

Julian Fletcher pointed angrily at Asher. "You designed this whole thing from the start."

Asher said nothing, only watched Julian Fletcher with a grim expression, the corners of his mouth curved in a mocking smile.

Provoked by Asher, Julian Fletcher surged forward as if to strike him.

I stepped in front of Asher, glaring at Julian Fletcher. "Julian Fletcher, a bet’s a bet. You’re the one who wanted to wager. You lost."

’From now on, I just want Julian Fletcher to get out of my life and stay out.’

Asher hugged me from behind, his gaze on Julian Fletcher growing even colder. "You lost..."

Julian Fletcher clenched his fists tightly, saying nothing.

He looked like he was holding himself back.

Soon, Erin Whittaker was brought back.

The police had no authority to restrict her freedom; she had the right to go wherever she pleased. So, from the very beginning, Erin Whittaker was making excuses.

"Someone told me the killer had targeted me. They told me to run away immediately and not let anyone find me. That person told me there were clothes hidden in the restroom for me to change into and escape."

Erin Whittaker sobbed. "I was scared. Scared I’d be killed by the murderer, that I’d end up like Cecilia Caldwell—turned into a taxidermy specimen after death, trapped in a glass display case."

With red-rimmed eyes, Erin Whittaker took out her phone and showed the police an unknown number. "This is the person who sent me the messages."

"A stranger tells you to do this and you just believe them? What if that was the killer? If we hadn’t found you in time, you could be dead by now!" a police officer scolded Erin Whittaker angrily.

Erin Whittaker looked at Julian Fletcher, crying. "Julian, you were looking for Cece... I was so scared. Someone sent me a message, and I just believed them."

Erin Whittaker deliberately glanced at Asher. "I’m so scared..."

’Obviously, she’s starting her performance, trying to frame Asher for this.’

"Was it you?!" Julian Fletcher glared at Asher, stepping forward and grabbing his collar.

"And what would my motive be?" Asher asked lightly.

"You deliberately lured Erin Whittaker away to make me panic. Then you stepped up to ’find’ her and made a bet with me, all so you could intentionally make me lose!" Julian Fletcher said angrily.

Zeke Shaw sighed helplessly off to the side. Even Lucas Grant couldn’t watch anymore.

’Clearly, Julian Fletcher is no match for Asher when it comes to intelligence and sophistry.’

When faced with Julian Fletcher’s accusation, Asher didn’t choose to explain or defend himself. Instead, he made Julian state his motive. In a situation like this, the more you say, the more mistakes you make.

Because everyone knew that Julian Fletcher himself had been the one to propose the bet.

Asher had simply gone along with it.

It was only then that Julian Fletcher realized. He stared at Asher furiously. "You predicted I would make a bet with you?"

Beyond the fury, a look of shock now filled Julian Fletcher’s eyes, as if he was finally realizing just how formidable Sebastian Lancaster truly was.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about." Asher looked at me, aggrieved, as if wanting me to speak up for him.

"Julian Fletcher, take your savior and go home. Don’t be late, or she might disappear again," I said in a low voice, staring at Erin Whittaker, my hands clenched so tightly my knuckles turned white. "The victims of the serial killer were all found in ditches. I’m sure after you die, there’ll be a stinking gutter perfect for dumping your body..."

I sneered, staring coldly at Erin Whittaker. "You want to be turned into a specimen in a glass display case? You think you’re worthy?"

Terrified by my words, Erin Whittaker instinctively hid behind Julian Fletcher.

She stared at me in horror, unable to say a word.

"Cece..." Just as panicked as Erin Whittaker was Asher. He pulled me into his arms almost instinctively and said quickly, "Cece, my injuries hurt... Can we go home?"

I snapped back to my senses, stunned for a moment. ’Those things I just said...’

Lucas Grant was watching me suspiciously, but he said nothing.

I subconsciously looked at Madeline Quinn and Zeke Shaw, afraid they would misunderstand.

’Afraid they’d suspect I have a connection to the killer. After all, this identity of Silvia Lynch is pretty unusual.’