Chapter 13
Chapter 13:
Warmth surged through Fred at her words. Where doubt about Stacey’s status as an adopted daughter had once held him back, now certainty about her place in the Kirk family erased all hesitation. For the first time, he saw her as the perfect partner.
Taking Stacey’s hand, he called out for everyone to hear,
“Let every student here serve as witness to our agreement p>
A bitter chuckle left Rylie as she spun on her heel and headed for the school’s notice board, a throng of onlookers quickly falling in behind her.
Across the way, a sleek black Bentley sat idle with its door open. An officer was about to step out, but a calm, commanding male voice stopped him.
“Hold back, Brock. She can handle herself p>
Leaning back against the seat, Brock Hewitt folded his arms and shot a curious look at Brad.
“I’ve never seen you in such high spirits, sir. Guess the legendary doctor’s presence really does wonders for your mood p>
With a sideways glance, Brad’s smile cooled.
“You’d do well to keep your comments to yourself p>
In a flash, Brock mimed sealing his lips, but he only lasted a moment before his curiosity resurfaced.
“Who would have thought Fred’s fiancée and the miracle doctor are one and the same? She’s supposed to be the Kirk family’s daughter, but lately, there’s a storm brewing in that family. The real heiress isn’t clear, and if Rylie doesn’t belong, people will just write her off as some backwater nobody p>
Pausing, Brock’s brows knit in confusion.
“What puzzles me is this, Mr. Morgan: if Rylie really is the miracle doctor, why would she ruin her own reputation like this? Rumor says she’s just a pretty shell — no brains, no heart p>
Instead of answering, Brad asked,
Mⱺɍɇ Ʉρȡąţɇş ĩŋ
“Will she come out on top on those exams p>
A thoughtful silence passed before Brock replied with a nod.
“She’ll do it. If not, you’ll have to watch her eat crow in front of the whole school p>
Brad’s lips twitched into another small smile.
“We’ll know soon enough p>
Students packed in tight around the shrouded rankings, hearts pounding as if the announcement were the opening scene of a play.
Feigned sympathy colored Stacey’s words as she leaned toward Rylie.
“There’s still time to back out, Rylie. I could never let you suffer that kind of shame. Just say sorry and let’s end this p>
A laugh slipped from Rylie, clear and bright.
“No chance. I’d much rather see you crawling instead p>
As soon as the scores appeared, the entire student body broke into uproar.
At exactly noon, the cloth was swept away with theatrical flair, marking the long-awaited unveiling of the results. The students instinctively parted, stepping aside to allow Rylie, Stacey, and Fred the front row to see the list first. Fred guided Stacey straight to the bottom of the list, scanning upward with quick, eager eyes.
When Stacey noticed that Rylie’s name wasn’t anywhere near the bottom, her heart fluttered with a secret burst of delight. She immediately assumed that Rylie had turned in another blank exam and hadn’t even made the rankings.
Squeezing Fred’s hand, Stacey tilted her head and said to Rylie with faux concern, her voice soft and dripping with carefully crafted pity, “You’re not even at the bottom this time, Rylie. Maybe it’s time you stop trying to compete p>