Chapter 29
It wasn’t until now that Sally realized the clinic she was eyeing actually belonged to Elise’s father.
“I heard you just got out of prison and immediately started banging on about divorcing Brad. Now you’ve got nowhere to go and you’re planning to use that pathetic three–bit medical ‘skill‘ of yours to run a clinic and scrape by?” Elise curled her lips into a cold sneer. “With the way you mess up, you’re more likely to kill your patients than cure them.”
Her tone was light, almost casual, but every word hit like a sharpened arrow straight to the heart.
In the past, Sally might’ve snapped back, but right now, she felt nothing–no anger, no hurt, just cold, empty calm.
“How good or bad my skills are isn’t up to you to judge. Honestly, I never really cared about this place. Since it’s your family’s clinic, forget it.” Sally spun on her heel, heading for the door. “Better rent it to someone else.”
No matter how tough things got, she wouldn’t stoop to renting from anyone connected to Lena. Not because she was scared of trouble, but because she didn’t want to drag unnecessary headaches into her life.
Most of all, it just rubbed her the wrong way.
“You already put down a deposit,” Elise snapped, stepping forward with a nasty glint in her eyes. “There’s no backing out now.”
She reached out and blocked the exit. At that moment, a youthful voice piped up from outside the door: “Mom, isn’t this just breaking your word?”
Sally looked up to see Lena walking in, holding Nick’s hand.
Huh, she thought. So Elise had clearly known all along who was coming to sign the lease. She’d even invited Lena over to watch the drama unfold. And dragged Nick along too, just to humiliate her.
“Exactly! Sally, you should set a good example for the kid. Otherwise, little Nick might pick up some bad habits, right?” Lena slipped off her sunglasses, a sly smile tugging at her lips.
“If I’d known this place belonged to Elise, I wouldn’t have even come,” Sally said, her voice low and indifferent.
Elise’s face darkened, her voice rising a notch. “You don’t like my family’s place? Well, guess what, I don’t like you either!”
“It’s not the clinic I have beef with. It’s you.” Sally’s words were cold and sharp, the truth laid bare.
Lena frowned slightly, her gaze fixed on Sally’s face. “Look, the feud was between you and me, Sally. Elise was just a witness, testifying on my behalf. If you’ve got grudges, take them out on me. No need to sabotage the whole deal over it.”
“It’s necessary,” Sally said seriously, eyes locked on Lena.
“Mom, it’s been ages. Let it go already, don’t be so petty!” Nick suddenly chimed in. “Remember when you framed me? I didn’t hold it against you.”
Sally’s gaze fixed hard on her son. This was the child she had carried for ten months. The family dinner–he’d been on Lena’s side the entire time, convinced she was the one behind it all.
Kids are innocent; they see what they’re told. Someone had clearly whispered poison in his ear, and just like before, he’d testified for Lena in court without a second thought.
Their stubborn loyalty–both father and son–was something Sally could never forget. But there was truth in what Nick said: the past was the past.
Her heart had already died once. She’d been reborn from the ashes.
“I don’t want the deposit. Rent it to whoever you want.” Sally shot Elise a cold glance and headed for the door. Good thing the deposit wasn’t much–just a few hundred bucks.
“Since my dad heard you wanted to sign the contract, he hasn’t been looking for anyone else,” Elise raised her voice. “If you back out now, it’ll waste time. If you don’t go through with it, you owe me a month’s rent, plus my dad’s effort and emotional damages–ten thousand dollars in total!”
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10:24 AM
Chapter 29
Elise’s words made Sally stop dead in her tracks. She turned and fixed Elise with a hard stare. “Who taught you to calculate like that?”
“I don’t care!” Elise threw down her trump card, pulling out all the stops. “I want that money, or I’ll sue!”
Sally let out a bitter laugh. “No contract signed yet. Where exactly are you gonna sue me?”
“I have my ways.”
Hearing that, Sally’s eyes narrowed, the pieces clicking into place. This whole thing was a setup from the start. Elise never planned on renting the place to her.
She was just playing the game, hoping to trap her.
But before Sally could answer, a cold, commanding voice cut in. “Big words, Miss Tatum. And how exactly do you plan to ‘deal with her?”
Everyone turned toward the source, and their eyes went wide. Sally, too, stood up straight.
Jaxon? Here? She wondered. If last time at the orphanage was a coincidence, this wasn’t.
Meanwhile, Jaxon’s arrival threw Elise into a total mess. Even Lena, who had been enjoying the spectacle, looked unsettled.
No one knew better than her how powerful Jaxon was in Westmere. No one dared to provoke him—and he was clearly on Sally’s side.
“Mr. Zale, my friend was just joking. She’s straightforward,” Lena explained. “Maybe a bit blunt, but she wasn’t serious about hurting Sally.”
Sally wanted to roll her eyes at the obvious flattery but held back. Jaxon smirked, then locked his gaze on Elise.
“If it’s a joke, then refund the deposit.”
The moment he said that, Sally couldn’t help but smile. Money talks. Not just any smart move, but capital smart.
Not only did she dodge paying that outrageous fee, but she was getting her deposit back.
“Mr. Zale, you’re a businessman. Surely you know deposits aren’t refundable if there’s no contract, even if it’s just a little money…
Elise started to protest but was cut off. “Every little bit counts,” Jaxon said coolly.
Sally burst out laughing. Elise’s face flushed with rage, but meeting Jaxon’s icy stare again, she finally backed down.
“Fine. Since Mr. Zale is here, I’ll return the deposit,” muttered Elise.
Sally hadn’t expected to get her deposit back so smoothly. Outside, walking side by side, she looked up at Jaxon.
“Thanks for stepping in earlier,” she said.
“Just doing what’s right.” Jaxon’s voice was low and steady.
Sally nodded, hesitated a moment, then finally asked the question burning in her mind. “But… what are you doing here, anyway?”
“Just passing by. Saw things getting heated, so I thought I’d check it out,” Jaxon replied.
Sally nodded thoughtfully. “So that’s it.”
Jaxon lowered his gaze on her. “Heard you’re thinking of opening a clinic?”
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