Chapter 482:
After weaving through the chaos, Rylie eventually reached the café she had just spotted on her phone. She paused briefly at the doorway before walking inside, intending to unwind with a cup of coffee.
The café featured elegant decor with a distinctly classical atmosphere, and the space wasn’t particularly crowded. Rylie selected a seat by the window, placed an order for coffee, and settled in, slowly sipping as she casually browsed the dark web marketplace on her phone.
On the dark web, everything had a price, and that made it strangely captivating. For example, this very café was listed for sale, marked as a desperate offer due to ongoing financial loss, and could be purchased at any moment.
As the minutes passed, Brad unknowingly wandered toward the edge of an artificial lake, his jacket draped over his arm. A soft breeze stirred the willow branches, and as they moved gently, he instinctively glanced upward, catching sight of an open window of the café through the leaves.
Inside sat Rylie, delicately beautiful, her chin resting on one hand, her beautiful eyes lowered, lost in thought.
A spark of happiness flickered in Brad’s eyes as soon as he spotted Rylie sitting by herself. With a spring in his step, he headed toward the café, choosing the scenic route past the rippling artificial lake.
Meanwhile, Elaine Deleon’s car sped toward the concert hall. As she pieced together the situation, a staff member sent over security footage that captured the exact moment a woman stuck Vincent with acupuncture needles on stage. Not a minute later, her phone buzzed again. A brief message appeared: “Don’t forget about the reward you promised me.”
A wry smile played on Elaine’s lips as she sent over the money, her fingers dancing across her phone before she pulled up the attached video. “Sometimes luck really is on my side,” she murmured. “That woman’s the ideal scapegoat.”
gⱯlnσν𝓮𝓁s․cøm fuels your imagination
Just then, gentle arms wrapped around her waist, a quiet exhale brushing her neck. “I can’t thank you enough for this,” someone whispered softly.
Soon, the MPV slid to a stop at the café entrance. Leaning in, Elaine pressed a kiss to her companion’s cheek. “Stay here and wait for my update,” she said.
She stepped out, her assistant following close behind, and they made their way straight upstairs, wasting no time.
Her assistant scanned the café before nodding. “That’s the one—the woman from the video.”
A curt nod from Elaine signaled her approach. She marched right over and dropped her expensive bag on the table, startling Rylie, who looked up with a puzzled frown. Elaine wasted no time. “Were you the one with the needles at the concert? Was it deliberate? Did you hate Vincent, or were you planning something even worse?”
Rylie met her gaze with an even stare, her voice flat. “Deliberate? I have no idea who you are.”
At this, Elaine straightened her shoulders. “I’m the one who manages Vincent. He collapsed on stage. Tell me, did you tamper with his water?”
With a faint, skeptical arch of her brow, Rylie replied, “Nothing was poisoned. I just happened to be there to save him, that’s all.”
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