Chapter 397:
Brad held her quietly, his eyes fixed on her peaceful face. Firelight flickered across her skin as candle shadows danced around them, but he didn’t move—still and silent, like a statue guarding something precious.
Outside, the wind and rain had quietly ceased at some unknown time, leaving behind a tranquil tenderness.
The day after Marsha reported a “patient” who matched Ronan’s requirements, word spread quickly that Brad was hosting a celebration at Savory Haven. The reason for the celebration wasn’t a secret.
Ronan had thought about targeting Rylie, but she was too well-guarded. Brad’s people were always close by, watching in silence. And now, she’d disappeared for days without leaving a single trace. He couldn’t find any opportunity to eliminate her.
Now, as he stared at Marsha’s message about the donor, all other thoughts fell away. The pressure of losing his patent rights and the lure of untold wealth clouded his usual caution. He picked up the phone and called her.
“I’ll take care of the arrangements. Get ready to move the patient.”
Marsha had her phone on speaker. Rylie sat right in front of her, eyes on the tablet in her lap, where a reply was already typed out.
Marsha replied smoothly, “You expect me to arrange this? I might be the hospital director, but I can’t mess with the surveillance.”
“I’ll send someone to handle that. They’ll cover the cameras. A vehicle will be sent to pick you up. You just need to hand over the patient,” Ronan said.
Marsha pressed, “This is an overseas deal. Are you moving them directly?”
Ronan said coldly, “Smuggling them out now is too risky. We’ll do the extraction on the ship, then dump the body at sea. It’s harder to…”
“Track that way.” Marsha said calmly, “I understand. I’ll play my part. But once it’s done, I want those photos gone. And I want my payment.”
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Ronan chuckled — a sharp, mocking sound. “Relax. I’ll keep my word this time.” The moment the call ended, Marsha’s voice turned cold. “That snake won’t return the photos. Once I hand over the patient, he’ll forget every promise.”
Rylie rested her chin in her palm, thoughtful. “So that’s how he’s done it before — organ harvesting at sea. No land, no law, no evidence. He’s meticulous.”
Marsha snorted. “How else has he managed to work with the Wilde family for so long? But their secrets will come out eventually. When they fall, I hope I will not go down with them.”
Rylie gave a soft smile. “You have my word. I won’t drag you down.”
When Marsha left, only Brad and Rylie remained in the study.
Brad tapped the arm of the sofa, thinking. “We can’t just pick anyone to pose as the donor. They’ll need to pass for a real patient and defend themselves if things go south. Most soldiers are too strong, too obvious. One look, and Ronan’s men would be suspicious. Such people are hard to find.”
“That’s why I’ll go myself,” Rylie said calmly, like she was stating the weather. “Marsha hands me over, I board the ship, and once the surgery begins — we strike.”
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