Chapter 540:
The specialists around them nearly buzzed with anticipation, their eager stares making Zander’s skin prickle. For the first time, he wondered if something larger was at play—something he didn’t yet see.
Once he’d steadied himself, he offered her his card. “Reach me anytime.”
She accepted it, traded a few last words with Rory and the others, then headed for the exit.
News must have leaked ahead of her. By the time she reached the hospital’s front steps, a restless crowd of fans had formed.
They expected to see Vincent, but instead, Rylie appeared—the one they believed was to blame.
In a heartbeat, the air turned violent. Bottles flew toward her head. “Murderer!” someone screamed.
“Protect Miss Owen!” The Owen family bodyguards moved in unison, their training kicking in as they closed around Rylie. Shoulders squared and arms raised, they became a human barricade, intercepting most of the objects hurled their way.
The mob, however, surged forward with the force of a breaking wave. No matter how the guards pushed back, the chaos kept driving them into a slow retreat. Rylie couldn’t take a single step without being shoved or jolted. A splash of liquid struck her, soaking her hair and shoulder, leaving her looking rumpled and exposed.
From inside the hospital, Rory and several others burst out, drawn by the uproar. The scene before them froze them in place for half a heartbeat before Rory shouted, “Call the soldiers! Get the hospital’s guards here—now!”
“These are your fans?” Rory snapped, whipping around to face Zander. Fury burned in his eyes. “How the hell did they decide Rylie’s the one who hurt you? Did you instigate them online?!”
Zander shook his head hard, his voice raw. “No! I didn’t—this isn’t me!”
He knew the rumors were spreading like wildfire online, his name trending, and messages of concern flooding in. But he had never fueled the harassment—especially not against Rylie, given her connection to Deandre. He wouldn’t have risked it.
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Flashes from camera phones strobed across the chaos, bystanders capturing every second like it was entertainment.
“Zander,” an elderly medical professor called out, his tone urgent, “take off your mask and hat—go out there and make it clear Rylie has nothing to do with this. If she’s harmed, the medical field will suffer a loss we can’t repair—and it’ll be on you.”
Zander’s hands twitched toward his disguise, but he froze. In his current state, barefaced and unprepared, how could he possibly step into that crowd?
Rory’s voice cut through the rising panic, steady and sharp. “These people are out of control. If Zander shows his face now, it’ll only pour gasoline on the fire.”
“Damn it! Then what the hell do we do? Where are the military guards? Why are they dragging their feet?!”
Out in the street, Rylie was still locked in the center of the chaos. The camera flashes washed over her, making her appear pale, but her gaze stayed steady—cool and calculating as she scanned for the smallest break in the crowd.
The air grew heavy, suffocating, as more bodies pressed in. Her expression hardened.
Then, a blast from a military jeep’s horn ripped through the noise—sharp, commanding, impossible to ignore. Every head turned.
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Message from Noa: Friday is here, dear readers! Have a great time. God loves you and Noa wishes you all the best. (ɔO‿=)ɔ ♥
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