Chapter 315:

Without waiting, she handed the necklace to Perla. “Help me put it on, Mom.” As Perla fastened the clasp, Zaylee kept sneaking hopeful glances at Rylie, clearly eager for some kind of reaction. But Rylie watched with gentle amusement, offering only, “A love token, you say? But you and Brad seem to have a pretty big age gap.”

Believing she’d finally struck a nerve, Zaylee grew bashful. “It’s true — my family always said I’d marry Brad one day. I’m going to be his wife. We’re meant to be together.”

A warm, almost teasing smile curved Rylie’s lips. “That sounds lovely. Be sure to invite me to your wedding — I’ll be the first to congratulate you.”

Surprise flickered across Zaylee’s face, but she managed a quick, “Of course, that’s fine.”

Confusion swirled inside her. Why wasn’t Rylie upset? Wasn’t she supposed to be jealous or at least a little defensive? If they were truly rivals, where was the competition, the drama?

Setting down her fork, Rylie dabbed her lips with a napkin. “You both enjoy your lunch. It’s late, and I have work waiting, so I’ll head out now.”

Even after Rylie’s exit, Zaylee sat in a daze. Perla, after a long pause, voiced her concern. “Zaylee, are you sure Miss Owen even cares about Mr. Brad Morgan? Maybe you’ve misread things.”

A stubborn shake of the head was Zaylee’s answer. “No way. I know she likes Brad — she’s just good at pretending otherwise.”

Perla’s anxiety deepened. “What if Brad hears about this? He’s never called you his fiancée in public, and according to the butler, Miss Owen is the one everyone recognizes as his girlfriend.”

With a flash of irritation, Zaylee stabbed her fork into a slice of meat, fingers clutching the new necklace. “A girlfriend can’t compare to a fiancée. Brad belongs with me — not her!”

Perla tried to reason with her daughter, but Zaylee’s glare cut her off. Her tone was cold, unyielding. “Mom, I’ll marry into the Morgan family and take my place as Brad’s wife. If that happens, Dad will never be able to threaten us again.” Since the day she set foot in Crolens, Zaylee had become bolder than ever, her new determination silencing Perla’s usual meekness.

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Meanwhile, with a rare free afternoon, Rylie finally turned her attention to the interviews she’d postponed for far too long.

Stepping into the lobby of the old VitaLink Hospital, she spotted workers hauling shiny new hospital signs toward the stairwell.

The modest HaloFlow pharmacy, once hidden away in a narrow backstreet, had now become the renowned HaloFlow Hospital.

By the end of today’s interviews, those new signs would take the place of VitaLink’s, marking the official change.

Rylie made her way toward the director’s office, weaving through bustling staff. A panel of four, herself included, had been assembled to conduct the interviews.

Among those interviewees, there was someone particularly special…

Marsha stood out among the applicants, her sharply cut suit and flawless makeup leaving a strong impression across the room.

From time to time, she checked her watch, her striking eyes drifting toward the interview room door, a faint impatience evident in her gaze.

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