Chapter 283 Chapter 283 OLIVIA'S POV : 93 E20 vouchers A small , cold smile tugged at my lips as the final pieces slid into place . The puzzle that had nagged at me for years suddenly resolved into a picture I recognized . It was uglier than I'd imagined , but at least it was whole . I had to give her credit , the woman was a master at moving strings . She'd stitched people and events together so neatly that even I had been woven into her tapestry without noticing . For years we had all been pawns on her chessboard , and she had been playing three moves ahead . They had mentioned my unborn child , a detail that had felt like a threat and a promise at once and though I'd never seen those men before , their words had lodged in me like a splinter . Back then , I'd believed the obvious lie , I'd believed it was Adrian behind everything because their mouths had shaped his name . I had let the thought rot and fester into a thousand bitter assumptions . Now I saw the pattern . She had known . She'd known I was pregnant before I told anyone . She'd orchestrated the revelation , timed it with cruel precision waiting until I was close enough to overhear when she told Adrian that she was carrying his child . Not a coincidence . Not a frightened confession . A deliberate broadcast meant to wound . She'd wanted me to hear her triumph , to feel the floor drop away beneath me . And when she sent her men , she made sure they dropped Adrian's name into the chaos , a breadcrumb trail pointing at him The anger that rose then was calmer , clearer . It wasn't the frantic , animal fury of someone who panics , it was a calculated , bone - deep resolve . To think part of the reason I'd come here at all was to get revenge . For a long time that revenge had been raw and unshaped , a thing that could have swallowed me whole . She had tried to kill me twice , she had attempted to erase me , but this wasn't about breaking her the way she'd broken me . It was about setting things right . I would have my revenge , yes but I would take it the right way . The justice way . " Hey , are you okay ? " Adrian's voice asked softly from my right . He came closer , the residue of the interrogation room's fluorescent glare catching at the bandage near his ribs . Even now , even after he'd bled for me for my son the sight of him grounded me more than I wanted to admit . " I'm perfectly fine , " I said , though inside I felt anything but relief and rage warred for dominance until my chest felt too tight . " In fact , I feel better now that we finally know . " The officer who had been facilitating the replay of the robbers ' statements left us . The commissioner remained , pragmatic and alert , he folded his hands on the table as though to contain the situation in neat , legal lines . " So , the commissioner prompted , " you both know this woman then , Mr Westwood ? " Adrian's jaw tightened . " It's a long story . Not one I'm eager to relive . Let's focus on the facts . " The commissioner nodded , accustomed to the brittle edges of people's frailty when their histories were dragged under bright lamps . " Very well . We can issue arrest warrants . We can publish her face , put out an APB , coordinate with airports , and borders making it difficult for her to leave the country . Once she's identified publicly , it's a matter of time . " I almost laughed aloud again , but it would have been the wrong sound in that room . Instead , I let the idea hang there for a heartbeat , then shook my head . 10:57 Wed , Sep 24 Chapter 283 93 20 vouchers " No , " I said , the single word making both men look at me like I'd offered them a strange coin . " That's not a good move . " Adrian blinked , incredulous . " You don't want her arrested ? " " I do , " I said , " but not like that . " The commissioner adjusted his tie , waiting , professional patience folded around the moment . " If you post her image , publish a warrant , broadcast that you're closing in , she'll run . She's not a random thug , she's clever , and she has a network . If she gets wind that you've put resources behind a public manhunt , she won't just go quietly . She'll disappear somewhere I'll never find her , and if she cannot be easily caught , she can still strike in other ways . She could move , and while the police chase shadows she might orchestrate another attack . We need her in a place where a trap can be sprung . " Adrian's brows drew together . " You want us to bait her ? " " In a manner of speaking ." the words tumbling out now that the plan had taken form in my mind . " Everything Isadora did , she did to get closer to you . Even during the robbery , the robbers deliberately avoided harming you . That was on purpose . She wanted you alive and visible , accessible because her obsession runs on proximity and spectacle . So here's what I propose : instead of screaming to the country that we're after her , we invite her to come to you . " Both men searched my face . There's always a tiny moment when people weigh the speaker's sanity against their own willingness to play along with a dangerous suggestion . It's a knife - edge I know well . " Call her , " I said . " Tell her you want to talk . Tell her you'll meet her at your house or your office . Make it personal . Make it something only she would bite on . The moment she comes , we have officers staged wearing plainclothes , undercover waiting to pick her up . No alarm bell , no chance to slip away . We don't blare around the city that we're coming for her , we make her come to us because she can't resist the lure of you ." Adrian was quiet for a measure of time . The wound along his ribs was a dull ache under his shirt , every motion pulled at him , but the steel in his eyes was back , the same dangerous determination I'd once loved and hated in equal measure . " You want me to call her myself ? " he asked . " Yes . " My voice was firm . " She expects everything to be public and blunt . She'd plan for it . But she won't expect you to invite her privately . She's reckless , that's how she operates . She can't help herself . Make it sound like you want closure . Make it sound soft , personal , a weakness she'll prey on . But under the surface , she'll be walking right into the net . " The commissioner's posture softened slightly ; his fingers tapped on the table as he calculated logistics . " We'd have to coordinate surveillance , confirm she's the one before she arrives , and ensure there's no secondary plan in place ." " Of course , " I said . " I don't expect anything sloppy . We'll stage a controlled environment , Officers will be in adjacent rooms , on phones , ready , the team will be prepped to move , but not until she's in position . No rash public notices . No media leaks . We only want her to step into a place where there's nowhere to hide . " Adrian rubbed his hand over his face , then set his jaw . He was always good at cold strategy when his instincts were turned from violence to planning . " We'll need to ensure there's no escape , double - check exits , confirm she's alone , and ensure any accomplices are contained ." " You'll need a plausible reason to get her to come , " I added . " Something that will worm under her skin and 10:57 Wed , Sep 24 Chapter 283 A 93 20 vouchers make her believe you're offering what matters most to her : time with you , the chance to ' explain ' everything , the promise of something only she thinks she can possess ." The commissioner leaned forward , his interest sharpened . " Do you have something specific in mind ? Anything you've noticed Isadora reacts to - threats , flattery , certain words ? " I let a breath out between my teeth . We all knew her obsessions , I knew them because they'd shaped the last five years of my life . " She craves validation and dominance . She's volatile when she feels ignored . Tell her you want to meet to reconcile , or confess something you've been thinking , make it sound like you might be vulnerable to her charms again . That's the bait . She'll come thinking she's won . " Chapter 284