The person on the other line merely responded, “Keep your mouth shut. Don’t say what you shouldn’t, or I’ll make sure you never say anything again.”

The line went dead. The driver, who was still holding his phone, felt cold sweat soaking his back.

As night fell, Hansel stood motionless in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, like a statue lost in thought. He watched the sun gradually set, the sky darkening as shadows crept in and spread. The city outside was cloaked in darkness, reflecting his tall silhouette against the glass.

Suddenly, he picked up his phone and dialed a number. The call was answered quickly.

Hansel spoke first. “Having fun, Sam?”

There was a brief pause before the person on the other end responded, “Hansel, what crazy idea are you on about this time?”

Hansel smiled, though his tone remained cold. “Didn’t Sean give you a call?”

Sean Lee—that was the driver’s name.

Another silence followed.

Hansel continued, “He probably told you they survived, didn’t he?”

Sam said nothing.

“What a pity. Sean was too scared of prison to finish the job. Because of that, I’m not guilty of hiring a hitman or inciting a crime. Your entire plan was for nothing.”

Sam’s eyes darkened. “When did you figure it out?”

Hansel chuckled. “After all these years of calling ourselves brothers, you know me well. Why wouldn’t I know you just as well?”

Evelyn had cut off Lucy and Franklin’s financial support and even kicked them out of their hotel. Yet, they still managed to live comfortably, moving into another five-star hotel and continuing to wait outside his company every day.

There was no way they could’ve survived this long without someone backing them.

Sam let out a small laugh. “I truly underestimated you.”

“Why?” Hansel’s veins bulged as he spoke, his voice low and full of anger. “Why set me up?”

They had been through so much together. Was Sam really so determined to send him to prison?

If Sean had succeeded in killing Lucy and Franklin, Hansel would inevitably be implicated. To lessen his own sentence, Sean would have named Hansel as the mastermind.

It was two counts of murder. With the media likely fueling the story, sensationalizing it, the headlines would be about a rich heir hiring a hitman, showing reckless disregard for human life.

It would have sparked public outrage. The pressure from public opinion would sway the court, leading to a harsher sentence.

It was a trap that, even with all his influence, Hansel would struggle to escape.

“Sam Cooper, you’re ruthless.”

Sam let out a bitter laugh. “Well… didn’t you already figure everything out?”

Hansel had anticipated that Sean wouldn’t go through with murder, and he had also deduced that Sam was behind it all.

Hansel clenched his teeth. “I thought of you as a brother. Why? Because of Miranda?”

Sam burst out laughing, the sound harsh and filled with bitterness. “Brother? I wish I’d never been your brother!”

Hansel laughed as well, hitting the truth right on the mark. “Exactly. We were brothers, which is why Miranda will never be with you.”

Sam’s laughter abruptly stopped.

“You think sending me to jail will change that? To Miranda, you’re nothing more than her ex-boyfriend’s close friend. She’d never cross that line—especially not someone like her, who knows exactly what she wants.”

“Shut up!”

“Oh? Does that make you angry?” Hansel mocked, his voice sharp. “It’s funny, Sam, to see you like this! You deserve it!”

Sam was usually so careful and meticulous. The trap he’d laid shouldn’t have been so sloppy.

But the moment Hansel noticed something was off, he hadn’t immediately suspected Sam. The mistakes were too obvious, the flaws too numerous.

Sam, who was always so clever, couldn’t have made such simple errors.

However, Hansel had forgotten something. No one would stay calm and rational forever. Even the smartest people make mistakes when they were desperate.