Chapter 483
Elaine frowned. “If you wanted to save him, you should have stayed on-site until he was safe. Why did you run away?”
Rylie blinked in disbelief, struggling to process what she’d just heard. “Run away? I walked out like anyone else would. Since when does saving someone mean I have to stay glued to the spot?”
Suspicion dripped from Elaine’s voice as she zeroed in, eager to seize on any pretext. “Show your medical license right now. If Vincent suffers so much as a headache, I’ll have grounds to take you to court!”
With deliberate calm, Rylie set her cup down and fixed Elaine with a steady gaze. “My license isn’t your business. I’d appreciate it if you let me finish my coffee in peace.”
“Excuse me? You think I don’t have the right?” Outrage flickered across Elaine’s face as her patience snapped.
Her finger nearly jabbing Rylie in the face, Elaine’s voice climbed higher, thick with accusation. “You sneak around a concert, refuse to prove you’re a doctor, and still expect anyone to trust you? I see right through you — posing as a fan so you could get close enough to hurt Vincent. I’m responsible for him! If anything happens, do you honestly think you can walk away clean? I’m convinced you set this whole thing up!”
Words spilled faster as Elaine’s agitation grew, her body crowding Rylie’s space. “Let’s get one thing clear: Vincent’s lying in a hospital bed, still fighting to breathe. Nobody knows what will happen next! If things take a turn for the worse, you’ll be my first call to the police. Don’t think you’ll disappear without consequences. You’re coming with me to the hospital right now. The police will get your full story — your past, your motives, every last detail!”
A colder edge crept into Rylie’s stare, her casual indifference replaced by a look sharp enough to cut glass. She set her cup down with a deliberate clink that echoed between them.
Being unfairly targeted and berated was growing old fast, and her patience was wearing thin.
“If you’re not here to thank me, then you’d better go,” she said, idly spinning the cup between her fingers. “Otherwise, I might just show you the door myself.”
Elaine’s laughter rang out, laced with disbelief. “Throw me out? I’m a VIP here. Only the owner gets to make that call. You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not!”
While Elaine was busy ranting, Rylie quietly lowered her gaze, intent on settling the bill. As she arranged payment, news arrived — the café had already changed hands five minutes ago.
Unbeknownst to Elaine, someone had just bought the entire place for a staggering ten million dollars, all while she was busy ranting. That price dwarfed anything the café had been worth before.
A faint crease formed between Rylie’s brows.
Earlier that day, the owner, Craig Martinez, had been fretting over how to unload the struggling café. Then, out of nowhere, he’d received a call from an anonymous buyer—someone willing to pay ten million simply for the location.
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