Chapter 881:
“Detour Inc. was once Rylie’s rightful inheritance from her parents. It’s only natural that she would want to reclaim it,” Leland said in an even, deliberate tone. “And now, she is not only the renowned Healing Hand, but also the daughter of the richest man alive and a close associate of the head of the Morgan Group. Any one of those connections alone would make it unwise to oppose her. Besides, we’ve already made too many mistakes. Tell me, has Rylie ever been wrong? Every time, she has proven her words through her actions.”
A heavy silence settled over the room. Not a single person dared to respond.
Tessa pressed her trembling lips together, tears shimmering in her eyes.
“I just want her to come home and be my daughter again.”
Nicolas remained silent for a long while before finally murmuring,
“Me too. I wish she could be my sister again.”
At Savory Haven, Terrance had arranged a private dinner and personally invited Gregg, arriving discreetly with only his wife and daughter.
Paola had been dragged to the restaurant entrance against her will, but no amount of persuasion could make her step inside. Laurel’s expression was taut with anger, her voice cutting sharply through the evening air.
“This concerns the future of our entire family. I’ve arranged so many suitable and prosperous matches for you, and you’ve failed every single time. Not this time. I won’t allow it.”
Paola struggled against her mother’s grip, her voice breaking as she pleaded,
“Mom! Haven’t I already told you? I’ve chosen Evan, and I’ll stand by him! He’s coming to pick me up any minute now. He’s a world-renowned plastic surgeon, unmatched in skill, and his wealth far surpasses that of this old man!”
“You’ve been saying that for days. Where is he, then? Since when did you start making up stories?” Laurel snapped, her voice sharp with disbelief as she dismissed Paola’s words entirely.
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The two women continued to grapple at the entrance when the crunch of tires on gravel announced a new arrival. Rylie’s car had just pulled up.
She had only come to dine, yet the moment Paola caught sight of her, a desperate light flared in her tear-streaked eyes.
“Rylie! You have to help me! You saw it yourself on the ship, didn’t you? Evan, the top billionaire, he admitted our relationship! Please, I’m begging you, tell them the truth!”
Rylie’s expression remained unreadable. She didn’t respond and moved to walk past, but Paola panicked and grabbed hold of her coat.
“Rylie! Help me explain! Once I—”
“…become his wife, you can consider our scores settled. Even if your family collapses, I’ll help you!”
A low, mirthless laugh escaped Rylie’s lips. She stopped, turned slightly, and fixed Paola with a glacial gaze that cut straight through her.
“You’ve truly thrown away every trace of self-respect.”
For a heartbeat, Paola stood frozen, the sting of humiliation flickering across her face. Then she snapped back, her voice trembling with fury.
“Rylie! Go ahead and look down on me now, but one day you might come begging for my help. Don’t destroy a bridge you’ll wish you had kept!”
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