Chapter 202
Kayla frowned deeply. She didn’t know all the details of what had happened that night. She only knew that Shawn had lured Felicia to the hillside, shoved her off the cliff, and left her for dead, thinking the rushing water would do the rest. However, she now realized someone else had been there.
Who could it have been?
Her mind raced, flashing back to the day she’d gone to the Lawson family to call off the engagement. She remembered Felicia stepping out of a man’s car and the fleeting glimpse she’d caught of him a stunning, unforgettable presence. “Damn it!” Kayla slammed her fist against the car seat, forcing herself to calm down. After a moment, she hissed into the phone, “Do you want more money? Fine. Finish the job. Get rid of Felicia, and this time, I’ll pay you even more.” Her black card had no spending limit, and soon, she would have an additional 4% stake in the Fuller Group. The annual dividends alone were a fortune.
She could definitely afford to pay Shawn more. It was a drop in the ocean for Kayla.
Spending that amount was definitely worth it if it meant getting rid of Felicia for good.
“Really?” Shawn was eager. He was desperate, willing to risk anything for the cash. “Then, meet me. Bring the down payment. I’m hiding under the bridge at Cedar Street.”
Even over the phone, Kayla wrinkled her nose in disgust. Cedar Street was infamous for its bridge a haven for trash, vagrants, and the foulest smells. There was no way she would ruin her shoes by stepping foot there. “Why don’t you meet me by the nearby beach?” she suggested sharply. “I’ll grab the cash and head over.”
“Sure, whatever you say.”
…
Meanwhile, Ruben had just finished loading the last of Kayla’s shopping bags into the trunk. As he shut it, he caught Kayla’s mention of withdrawing cash. His mind immediately raced.
The last time Kayla had made a cash withdrawal, it had been for Shawn-hush money and a down payment for his failed attempt to harm Felicia.
And now, once again…
Ruben’s demeanor shifted in an instant. Putting on a façade of subservience, he asked, “Ms. Kayla, are we heading back to the Fuller residence, or do you have other plans?”
“Take me to the bank,” Kayla replied
curtly, shooting him a disdainful glance His apparent compliance seemed only natural to her-proof that the lesson she’d taught him
earlier had worked.
“Of course,” Ruben said with a practiced smile, suppressing the thrill of knowing he might soon uncover more dirt on Kayla.
Kayla naturally had no intention of getting her hands dirty at the bank. She tossed her card to Ruben and ordered, “Go withdraw 100 thousand. The PIN is six eights.” “Yes, Ms. Kayla,” Ruben replied.
He used three different ATMs to withdraw the full amount, carefully stacking the bills before returning them, along with her card, to Kayla.
Kayla took the cash, satisfied. “Let’s go. Take me to the beach near Cedar Street.”
“Right away.” Ruben, barely containing his excitement, drove with unusual enthusiasm.
…
20 minutes later, the car pulled up at a dimly lit beach. Across the water, the neon lights of a bustling nightlife district reflected off the river, casting faint, colorful glimmers on the sandy shore.
Shawn was already there, crouched near the edge of the beach. His eyes lit up when he saw Kayla stepping out of the car, money in hand.
After escaping from the local
hospital, he’d been living like a
rat-hiding, scavenging, and nursing his injuries. His hand was still useless, and his body was barely holding together.
He’d even had to fight off elderly vagrants for scraps of food under the bridge.
Now, seeing Kayla with the cash, he looked like a starving man spotting a feast. He rushed toward her, his voice almost frantic. “Where’s the money?”
Even Kayla, who already knew his situation was dire, was taken aback by the sight of him. He was filthy, his hair matted and his clothes tattered. He looked worse than most beggars.
She hesitated for a moment, doubt creeping into her mind.
Could this pathetic piece of shit handle Felicia?