"It really is all Addison's fault!" Virginia no longer cared about holding back. She instinctively tried to shift the blame. She couldn't afford to let Lance think even worse of her. "Addison ... she ... " Virginia's thoughts were scrambling, quickly trying to build a plausible excuse. She knew Addison had already caused Lance to lose faith in her before. If it weren't for her quick thinking, making up a story about her mother's passing and how she had to work to make ends meet, Lance might not have let it go. But Virginia knew this wouldn't work forever. She couldn't keep running away from the truth. She couldn't let Lance's image of her as someone perfect, someone pure, shatter. Lance raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "What did Addison do?" His voice was calm, yet there was something beneath the surface, a quiet intensity. How was Addison involved again? Virginia nervously tugged at her skirt. She was still spinning excuses in her mind, and despite the cold, she could feel the sweat gathering on her brow. "Talk." Lance frowned, his patience thinning. He didn't want to see Virginia waver or hesitate. He just wanted to hear the truth. His words were sharp. "Stop wasting time. I need to know what happened." Lance wasn't calm—not by a long shot. His emotions were still swirling, crashing like waves against the shore. The mention of Harvey's name had stirred up a storm of complex feelings inside him. The instant Harvey's name crossed his mind, it had felt like when he was a child, his authority questioned by those around him.It was as if Harvey's name carried with it a cruel reminder of the past. ... But despite all of this, Lance remained unnervingly composed. His emotions might have been a mess, but his mind had never been sharper. The more turmoil he felt inside, the clearer his thoughts became. Virginia was still sorting through her thoughts when Lance's voice cut through the air, sharp and loud enough to make her flinch. "O-Okay. Addison ... uh, she ... " "Go ahead, I'm listening," Lance replied, his tone flat, emotionless. Lance knew the moment had come to understand the whole situation. Was Virginia aware her authorization was fake? Had she been lying all along? And most importantly, had Addison truly been the one to bring the real authorization? Where had Addison even gotten it? Was there more to her than met the eye? "Addison pointed me in the wrong direction," Virginia said, her voice quivering slightly. "She made sure I saw the package and kept implying that her authorization was fake ... " "I never thought Addison could be so deceitful! I trusted her completely ... I never imagined she would lie to me." Lance raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanged. "Why?" "Why would she do that? Addison had already sent the real authorization, so why would she try to mislead you?" His reasoning was clear, his mind focused. He wasn't allowing his emotions to cloud his judgment of her words. Virginia tightened her grip on her skirt. She took a breath, choosing her words carefully before speaking firmly. "Because of jealousy and hate." Lance frowned, repeating the words quietly. "Jealousy and hate ... ?" Jealousy? Hate?Virginia continued, "Addison is jealous because she wants to be with you." "Not only is she jealous of me, but she also hates me. She even hates you because of it. She's consumed by that feeling." Lance remained silent. "Now that I think of it, I'm sure Addison set me up because she's jealous of me, and she hates me!" Virginia was a little animated. "Addison made me think it was fake. She knew me well enough to know that I'd destroy the fake one. But the truth is, the real authorization was in my hands, and what I had was the fake one." "She knew everything, yet she led me to believe something else. She made sure I misunderstood everything, because that would make you doubt me, make you think I was lying." "And then you'd think that I was a liar. You wouldn't love me anymore." Lance's face flickered with uncertainty. He pursed his lips, deep in thought. "Of course, there's also hate involved. She didn't want Johnston Enterprise to get the authorization. She wanted it destroyed, even if it meant watching it slip through your hands. She wanted you to regret it!" "She's letting love turn to hate. She didn't want Johnston Enterprise to get the authorization. Not at all." Virginia's voice wavered as she spoke. "Addison is terrifying." Lance remained silent, but the anger inside him seemed to swell. His face tightened, as if he was struggling to keep his emotions under control. Virginia glanced at him, feeling a slight relief. "Even though Addison and I are competing for your attention, I've always respected her." "I shouldn't have been so easily fooled," she added quietly. Lance's expression hardened. He had clearly misjudged Addison. Was it really because of jealousy? "She's too good at hiding who she really is," Lance muttered under his breath. The person Addison appeared to be now was a far cry from who she once was. It was as if she had completely changed. That calm, composed demeanor she had shown? It had all been a lie.Her performance had been flawless. She had fooled him for years. A bitter laugh escaped Lance as he stared at the floor. His dark eyes were clouded with frustration. Now, she was manipulating Virginia just as easily. Virginia hesitated. "I feel so guilty ... " Her voice trailed off before she added, "But if the real authorization was destroyed, what do we do now?" "We can't get out of this mess without it ... " Then it hit her. How could Addison have had the authorization in the first place? The one she had arranged was fake. So how could Addison, someone with no powerful connections, have gotten the real one? Had she somehow gotten it from a rich businessman? Virginia voiced her thoughts. "Lance, if my authorization was fake, how did Addison get the real one?" "Could she ... ?" She didn't finish. Lance's face flushed with anger. He stood abruptly and walked out the door without saying another word. Virginia stopped herself from saying more. She sat back on the sofa, watching him leave. Her face was calm, almost relaxed. Virginia knew Lance was clever. He didn't need her to spell it all out. He would figure out where Addison had gotten the real authorization. She had hinted before that Addison might have been involved with other men, but it was all just speculation—until now. Now, she had evidence. ... Lance left the apartment, his expression grim, his steps fast and determined as he headed toward Addison's place. He needed answers. He had to figure out where Addison had obtained the authorization.His car zipped through the streets, and before long, he arrived at the Huatian Villa. He got out, walked up, and rang the doorbell. Inside, Addison was sitting on the sofa. The sudden sound of the doorbell made her frown. Without thinking, she stood and went to open the door. When she did, she was once again confronted with a face she recognized. Why is he here again?