Chapter 69

Riley ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, releasing a heavy sigh as she stared at the damning report. She couldn't believe how far these people had gone to manipulate and compromise their records. Slamming her hand against the desk, she stood abruptly, startling Zoey, who looked at her with concern.

"Are these results accurate? How could she be involved in this?" Riley rubbed her temples, her eyes scanning the names of those potentially tied to the manipulation of their medicine. It had been a scandal years ago, one that died down only because BioSynthix couldn't prove the tampering. They'd been forced to pay a staggering settlement, resulting in both capital losses and employee layoffs.

Zoey sighed, her voice gentle but firm. "You need to talk to her, Riley. Get the intel you need."

Riley froze. Talk to her? The person who did her dirty? She swallowed hard. Isabella Ross. It had been years since that name had haunted her, but now, it loomed large in front of her again, a ghost from her past.

"It's time to face what you've been running from," Zoey continued, walking closer. "If you want to restore your family's business reputation, you need to confront this head-on."

"You don't understand—" Riley began, her voice strained.

"I may not understand everything," Zoey interrupted, her tone soft but unwavering, "but I do know that you can control this situation if you face it. No one else can conquer your fears for you, Riley. Only you."

Riley gulped, the weight of her past pressing heavily on her chest. She had been running from everything—especially confrontation. The idea of facing Isabella Ross again was terrifying. Their history was too entangled in pain and betrayal. But if she wanted to protect Sienna, she had no choice.

She rubbed her hands over her face, trying to gather her resolve. "Find her," Riley said firmly, her voice unwavering despite the turmoil within. "Find Isabella Ross."

Zoey gave a slight nod. "I'll get someone on it. And then what?"

Riley turned to Zoey, her expression hardened. "Tell her... I want to play games with her again."

There was no hesitation in her voice now. Riley knew Isabella Ross was a master manipulator, someone who thrived on control and deception. But Riley had learned from the best, and she had a different plan in mind. If she could reverse the manipulation, turn Isabella's own tactics against her, she might just have a shot.

All she needed was one solid plan—one foolproof strategy to draw Isabella in. Riley had to make sure the bait was irresistible.

Riley sighed, sensing the presence of someone trailing behind her. It was past ten in the evening, and what was supposed to be a quick trip to the convenience store for some chips had turned into something far more unsettling. She hadn't bothered to check her pantry before leaving, and now she was regretting it. Clutching the paper bag tighter, her steps remained calm, though her instincts were on high alert—the person behind her was still following her.

The next stretch ahead was a dark alley, a shortcut to her unit. Her pulse quickened as she prepared to run, but before she could make a move, a figure stepped out from the shadows, blocking her path. She glanced over her shoulder—the person behind her was still there. She was trapped.

"What do you want?" Riley's voice was firm, but she couldn't ignore the glint of metal in the stranger's hand—someone from the alley was casually swinging a knife.

"Riley Pierce, right? The youngest heiress of BioSynthix." The person sneered, as if reciting a fact they took pleasure in.

Riley raised an eyebrow, quickly assessing them. Did she know these people? "Wow, you must be stalking me pretty hard to know that much," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she mentally prepared for an attack. It was three against one. She was at a clear disadvantage.

Without warning, the person behind her landed a sharp kick to her back, sending her stumbling forward. "What the—" she gasped, pain flaring up her spine as she struggled to stay on her feet.

The two figures in front caught her, laughing as if it were all a game. "Rich people like you don't belong in this world," said the one with the knife, stepping closer, the blade now pointed at her throat.

Riley's gaze flicked to the knife, then back to the assailant's face. A cold smile spread across her lips. "Really? And worthless people like you think you deserve a place here?" she shot back, before delivering a swift backward kick to the person behind her, then punching the two attackers in front.

She was about to run, but the knife-wielding assailant was quicker. The blade swung toward her, and fortunately, Riley's reflexes kicked in, allowing her to dodge a stab to the face. However, she didn't anticipate the follow-up attack. The knife pierced the left side of her stomach. Though she had raised the paper bag full of chips as a makeshift shield, she could still feel the depth of the wound, sharp and searing.

She groaned, sinking to her knees as the three attackers hastily retreated, sensing her pain. "What the fuck?" she hissed, clutching the wall for support, her breath quickening. She pressed down on her wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but the pressure only intensified the ache.

With determination, she dropped the paper bag and forced herself to stand, staggering back toward her unit. This shouldn't get out into the public, she thought frantically, stepping into the elevator that would take her home. Her breathing was ragged, and sweat trickled down her spine as she fought to stay composed.

Shaking, she scanned her RFID to open her door, feeling the warmth of blood dripping onto the floor and staining the lock. Each drop was a reminder of how close she was to losing control.

Closing the door behind her, Riley leaned against the hallway wall and slowly made her way to the living room to grab her first aid kit. Frustrated, she groaned as she struggled to remove her hoodie, throwing it onto the floor. Mochi, their pup, barked excitedly from his cage.

"No playtime now, Mochi," she mumbled, sinking down against the wall. Her breath hitched as she fumbled for antiseptic to clean her wound.

Meanwhile, Sienna parked her car in her slot and locked it, glancing at her phone. Riley hadn't messaged her. Panic surged through her as she rushed to the nearest elevator, eager to reach Riley's unit. Jogging towards the door, she froze when she noticed something on the floor.

"Blood?" Sienna's heart raced as she crouched to touch the crimson stain. "It is blood," she whispered, her anxiety mounting. Fumbling in her bag for Riley's RFID, she spotted more blood on the lock.

"What the hell?" As soon as the chime of the door sounded, she hurried inside and shut it behind her.

"Riley!" she called out, racing further in, only to find Riley on the floor, half-naked and bleeding from her stomach.

"Hey," Riley managed, her complexion pale.

"What the fuck happened?!" Sienna rushed to Riley's side, desperately trying to help clean her wound. "Who did this?" she asked, worry flooding her voice.

Riley's breathing came in harsh gasps as she pressed a hand against the wound. "We need to get you to the hospital," Sienna insisted, reaching for her phone.

"No... no, d-don't," Riley leaned her head against the wall and coughed. "This will go public if you take me to the hospital. Just help me with this," she said, grabbing bandages and antiseptic.

"But—"

"It's fine, I'm fine," Riley laughed weakly, though her breath was still shaky. "It's not that deep, but I need to stop the bleeding first."

Sienna, trembling, nodded and helped Riley apply pressure to her wound, trying to staunch the flow of blood.

"Who did this? Tell me," Sienna asked, her voice trembling as she finished cleaning Riley's wound and securely bandaging it.

Riley shook her head, wincing. "No idea at all, but they know who I am," she replied, still gasping for breath. The medicine she had taken hadn't yet dulled the pain.

"You need to get checked by a professional, Riley. You should—" Before Sienna could finish, Riley pulled her in for a quick kiss.

"Calm down, I'm not dying yet," Riley joked, but Sienna bit her lip, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Hey! That's not funny," Sienna said, her voice breaking. "We should report this to the authorities," she insisted, still crying.

Riley swallowed hard, gently wiping away Sienna's tears with her thumb. "Did I make you worry? I'm sorry, please don't cry," she murmured, her heart aching at the sight of Sienna's distress.