Chapter 193

Chapter 193:

Felix stood at the foot of Rylie’s bed, his voice distant as he addressed Johnny’s father. “Wilder, you really didn’t have to come all this way for something so trivial p>

Wilder Reid advanced a few steps, his reply warm and earnest. “Please, don’t say that. Miss Owen was hurt because of us. The Reids must take responsibility p>

With a subtle motion, he signaled to his assistant, who promptly unveiled a beautifully polished sandalwood box. “Inside is a herbal tonic from the Reid family’s reserves. It’s been aged for a hundred years. This should speed up Miss Owen’s recovery p>

Paola looked at the priceless tonic, feeling another wave of jealousy. She silently reassured herself that once she secured Johnny, these things would be hers too someday.

Marcus gave a dismissive snort. “Are you under the impression we actually want your gifts p>

His glare landed on Johnny, who hovered in the background. Marcus’ voice softened, but there was a hidden edge. “Tell me, Johnny, what exactly were you doing when everything went wrong p>

Color drained from Johnny’s cheeks. He moved to the front, head bowed. “It was my mistake. I should have kept Rylie safe, but she was the one who protected me instead. I’m really sorry for failing her p>

Lifting his eyes, Johnny found himself unable to look anywhere except at Rylie’s frail form on the bed. “I accept whatever consequences come my way p>

“Oh?” Near the window, Deandre had propped himself up, his cuffs sporting suspicious smudges. “And what would that look like, Johnny?” he asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

Taking his time, Deandre wiped his hands on a handkerchief before speaking again. “Without specific ideas, your promise is worthless p>

That was enough for Kendrick, who interjected, “Deandre, let’s not get carried away.” Still, even Kendrick’s eyes seemed to be weighing Johnny.

A rush of anxiety pushed Paola forward. She offered a gentle defense. “You shouldn’t place all the blame on Johnny p>

Her words caught in her throat. Tears gathered as she pleaded, “It was chaos. Johnny truly did everything he could p>

Everyone in the room turned to her, and an uneasy hush fell over the group. A gentle smile spread across Rylie’s face. “Johnny’s never been at fault in my eyes. Paola, you don’t have to worry — nobody here is going to lay a finger on him p>

Johnny frowned, subtly moving sideways to put some distance between himself and Paola. “Please, Paola, stay out of this. You’re only making things harder for me p>

The sting of his words left Paola ashen, tears threatening to spill as she struggled to compose herself.

Tension thickened, casting a heavy hush over the gathering.

Breaking the uncomfortable silence, Hulda laughed and approached, leaning on her cane. “Rylie, would you believe the trouble this boy causes p>

Without warning, she grabbed Johnny’s ear, giving it a sharp tug. “He’s been beside himself since last night, refusing to rest until he could apologize face to face. The whole night, he tinkered away on some project — I can’t quite make sense of it, but I’d like you to see if it suits your taste p>

Off balance from the tug, Johnny managed to kneel by Rylie’s bed. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small velvet box. “I came up with this myself. It’s meant to protect you p>