Not A Small-Town Girl

Chapter 25

After dinner, Danielle felt completely stuffed. David had kept piling food onto her plate, and somehow, she’d kept eating.

Woody approached her, holding a folder with Tara’s medical records. "Miss Darling, here are Tara’s records," he said respectfully.

"Woody, you can just call me Danielle," she replied with a small smile.

"Of course, Miss Darling," Woody said, bowing slightly.

Danielle felt a bit awkward but let it go. She opened the file and reviewed the records carefully. After a few moments, she looked up and said calmly, "Logan, Tara’s condition isn’t as dire as it seems. I can perform the surgery."

Logan’s eyes widened in disbelief. For months, countless doctors had told him there was little hope, and he’d been preparing for the worst. "Danielle, are you sure? Do you really think she can recover?"

Danielle’s tone was steady but reassuring. "Yes. I can handle the surgery myself."

"I’ll send someone to bring her back right away," David said firmly.

"There’s no need for that," Danielle replied. "I can go to her. It’ll be less stressful for her to stay where she is."

David’s lips curved into a small smile as he looked at her. "Alright. Then I’ll go with you."

Before Danielle could respond, her phone buzzed. It was Emery. She glanced at the screen and answered.

On the other end, Emery’s voice was calm but urgent. "Danielle, someone just placed an order on the Black Web. They’re offering ten million dollars for your life."

Danielle raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in her expression. "Only ten million dollars, huh? I thought I’d be worth more than that."

Emery chuckled softly. "Well, here’s the kicker. You know this person. Want to guess who it is?"

"Who?" Danielle asked, intrigued.

"Your adoptive sister, Audrey," Emery said, his tone dripping with irony.

Danielle wasn’t entirely surprised. She’d only been back for a few days, and Audrey had already shown her hand.

When Danielle didn’t respond right away, Emery asked, "Should I cancel the order?"

Danielle’s tone was light, almost playful. "Why cancel? Business is business. Ten million dollars might be cheap, but money’s money."

Audrey was determined to get rid of her, and even if she didn’t take this job, Audrey would find someone else. She might as well pocket the money herself.

"I understand. Do you want us to send protection?"