Chapter 1048:
She roughly wiped her tears, drew a steadying breath, and fixed her gaze on Judd. “Judd, start compiling every one of Gregg’s assets at once. Make a detailed list. Flag anything ambiguous or disputable.”
Her voice, now eerily composed, sent a shiver through the room. “And… I need Rylie. I have to speak with her.”
“For what?” Rylie asked, entering with a cluster of IV bottles in hand. Her movements were effortless as she approached Paola and swiftly swapped the emptied bag.
Paola’s lips trembled slightly. “You… saved me?”
Rylie’s eyes held a glint of calm authority. “I was the one operating on you. Otherwise, do you really think your leg—or your chest—would have survived?”
𝖣𝗈𝗐𝗇𝗅𝗈𝖺𝖽 𝖯𝖣𝖥𝗌 𝖿𝗋𝖾𝖾 𝗈𝗇 𝗀𝖺𝗅𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗌.𝖼𝗈𝗆
Paola’s gaze finally steadied, resolve shining through. “I’ll tell you everything. I’ll cooperate fully. And… I’m truly sorry for what I’ve done to you. Will you help me one final time?”
Rylie raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “How?”
Paola’s tone was unwavering. “I know you have connections with top-tier lawyers. I want to retain one—someone capable of securing every bit of Gregg’s inheritance.”
Rylie leaned closer, a hint of skepticism in her eyes. “And why exactly would I help you?”
Paola met her gaze without flinching. Her voice, hoarse yet resolute, cut through the tension. “I’ll cooperate completely with the authorities. Once I inherit Gregg’s estate, I’ll hand over everything from the A7 and A8 plots to you. It will be enough to stabilize Detour Inc.’s finances. Does that work for you?”
Detour Inc. had once risked everything to secure the A7 and A8 plots. Any misstep would shatter the company’s capital and trigger immediate bankruptcy. And now… that worst-case scenario was reality.
Her proposition carried undeniable sincerity, leaving little room for doubt.
Rylie had already considered a similar plan. A faint, controlled smile curved her lips as she extended her hand. “Gatlin will manage the logistics—and he’ll do everything possible to ensure you avoid prison.”
Relief surged through Paola as she grasped Rylie’s hand firmly. Percy observed silently, his features torn with uncertainty.
“Paola… are you really planning to ruin our parents?”
Paola fixed Percy with a cold, unreadable stare. “Percy, it’s high time you learned to rely on no one but yourself.”
Instinctively, Percy sought Rylie’s gaze, his eyes begging for reprieve.
Rylie’s lips curved into a subtle, knowing smile. “You’d do well to heed your sister. Defy me, and struggling to survive will seem like the smallest of your concerns.”
Her smile offered no warmth, only a calculated edge, and a shiver ran down Percy’s spine. He knew all too well the power she wielded—once, he had even admired it. Any trace of his former defiance or bravado had vanished; he stayed silent, frozen.
Afterward, the investigation proceeded without incident, moving efficiently under the authorities’ direction.
Meanwhile, at the detention center, Laurel and Terrance grew increasingly agitated. Laurel muttered over and over, “She’s only angry right now. Once she cools off, she’ll remember we’re family. I’m her mother—she’ll come back.”
Her brief sense of relief proved fleeting. The couple, facing multiple charges, along with several top executives from Detour Inc., were soon summoned to stand trial.
.
.
.