Chapter 401

Erica stormed into Claude's office within the Fontaine Galleria, rage crackling off her like fire.

Her breathing came in sharp bursts as she confronted Claude. "Claude! You'd better explain this right now! Hannah was supposed to be overseas-so why in the world is she back in town? And why is she suddenly showing up in front of Vincent again?"

Claude's gaze lifted to meet hers, steady and cutting, as though he were staring down from some unreachable summit. There was not a trace of warmth in his expression, only a glint of cold,ridiculing amusement. "Ms. Stanton," he murmured slowly, his words poisoned with disdain, "why get so worked up? Wrath only shifts fillers and stiffens every muscle."

A merciless curl tugged his mouth into a smirk."Careful with that face. After all the time and fortune

you've poured into shaping it into Hannah's reflection, wouldn't it be such a shame if it fell apart?"

Erica's fingers dug into her palm as her voice cut through the air like a blade. "Keep her away from Vincent, Claude! Don't let her cross paths with him again. Or else-"

She left it unfinished, yet the wild blaze in her eyes spelled out the threat in full.

Claude's reply was a low, scornful laugh. "Keep her away? Erica, you can't hold Vincent on your own, and that's your fault only."

He rose from his desk, his stature suddenly overwhelming, his stare honed sharp as a weapon.

"You've been hiding behind Hannah's features for so long, and what has it earned you? Vincent still won't spare you a second glance, and you dare imagine you can steer the board?"

"You-" Erica quivered with fury beneath his merciless words. She moved closer, spitting her

accusation into the space between them. "Rushing to defend Hannah, are we? Claude, you really do care about her, don't you?"

His stare iced over instantly. He stepped back, his presence striking her like a wall of frost. "Stay away from me."

His imposing presence made her stumble a step back. Yet slowly, her lips twisted into a deranged smile-half lunacy, half triumph. Her tone dripped with syrupy mockery. "Why are you so harsh with me? I thought, staring at this face, you might soften for once."

Claude's expression stayed unbroken. Hestudied every artificial curve of her features, the hollow nothingness beneath, before letting each word fall like a blade. "You are nothing like Hannah. All you've crafted is an empty mask. Do better, Erica. Or Vincent will never-never-belong to you."

The cutting words struck harder than a hand across her cheek. "Fine..." She drew in a sharp breath,forcing back the storm inside. Her voice trembled,

her eyes gleamed with frenzy. "I came here for your cooperation. To stage a spectacle. One convincing enough to make Vincent believe-fully-that | am Hannah."

Claude's gaze flickered. He regarded her, his lips drawing into a slow, deliberate smile of ice. "Oh? So you know he never believed you are Hannah. Not entirely stupid, then."

He dropped back onto the sofa, reclining as if this was no more than a show for his amusement."Continue."

Erica leaned in closer, voice lowered, spilling out the intricate design she had crafted piece by piece.

Claude listened without a word, his eyes narrowing with measured intrigue. This charade might actually be worth playing.①

At Jones Group Headquarters, Derek entered Vincent's office with a hefty stack of files-

everything he had unearthed about the impostor with Hannah's face.

"Mr. Jones, that woman has been living under the name-'Hannah Scott'-and for the past year, she's been in Klyvia," Derek reported firmly.

Unlike Vincent, Derek was convinced that the woman Vincent had asked him to look into was Hannah herself.

Derek added. "But here's what stood out among her daily routine-she's been in and out of cosmetic clinics frequently over the last year."

Cosmetic clinics offered plenty of routine treatments,so Derek assumed she was only going in for maintenance.

Vincent sifted through the report, his expression sinking darker with every page. This woman had worked endlessly to recreate Hannah-even setting the name in motion well beforehand. So many visits to cosmetic clinics... Such unwavering resolve. How much agony had she endured just to look like

Hannah? And for what? Was her purpose to get close to him for money?

Vincent snapped the folder shut and gave a clipped command. "Keep digging. Discover her true identity.And if possible, uncover her original face before the plastic surgeries."

"Understood," Derek answered with a nod.

After Derek left, Vincent's phone vibrated. It was Sharon on the line. He picked up, his voice gentlng."Grandma."

Sharon's tone flowed warm and tender. "Vincent come home early today. We're expecting a guest."