Chapter 272 Apologize
As Renee neared the hospital gates, her path was obstructed by a sizable crowd gathered in protest.
Their raised banners and posters, coupled with the outrage etched across their faces, made it clear they were rallying against some perceived injustice.
Renee moved closer in her car, and her gaze fell on the posters. Her eyes narrowed. The image on them stirred a sense of recognition…
The young woman featured prominently on the signs–wasn’t that the same woman who had bumped into her earlier? It all clicked in an instant. It turned out the young woman was a public figure—a celebrity.
At that moment, Renee seemed to understand everything.
No wonder something had felt off about the young woman’s demeanor. That “accidental” collision had clearly been planned.
Renee pulled over by the curb and reached for her phone, which was lighting up with a flood of notifications.
The first message was from Ryland. “Renee, you’ve got trouble! People online are attacking you, saying you made Etta Cruz cry! Ridiculous, right? As if you’d ever make someone cry like that. Honestly, if it were you, she’d be saying you slapped her instead!”
Renee couldn’t help but let out a short laugh at Ryland’s usual bluntness, though her amusement was fleeting. The next message caught her off guard. Ryder had reached out to her, too, though his words were far more measured. “If you need anything, just say the word. I will help you.”
Renee’s chest tightened slightly as she read his message. Ryder was
someone she owed a debt she might never be able to repay. She could still vividly recall how he had been her anchor during the darkest moments of her life. And yet, she couldn’t shake the knowledge that the distance between them was growing, no matter how much she cherished his past support.
Or maybe, Renee thought, Ryder might not even accept her attempts to express gratitude.
With a steadying breath, Renee pushed those thoughts aside. She opened the car door and made her way toward the gathering crowd.
As she approached them, she deliberately slowed her steps, observing the scene. Strangely, not a single person seemed to notice her presence.
The absurdity of it all struck her.
They had gathered here to demand answers from her, and yet, they failed to recognize the very person they sought?
“Renee! Show yourself and apologize!”
“Renee! Come out and face us!”
“Renee! Where are you, you coward!”
Renee couldn’t help but shake her head at the irony.
Her lips curled into a faint smirk as she finally spoke, her tone calm but laced with icy authority. “I’m standing right here.”
Her voice wasn’t raised, but the unmistakable firmness in her tone caused a ripple through the crowd.
Some people turned, their gazes quickly locking onto her as realization dawned. “It’s her! That’s Renee!” someone exclaimed, pointing at her with
alarm.
“Renee is here!” another shouted, the crowd stirring with energy.
Renee let out a low, humorless laugh and shook her head again, mocking the absurdity of the situation.
The crowd erupted in an uproar, their voices filled with anger. “You are the one who bullied Etta! How could you do something so despicable?”
“Targeting a young woman like that, who do you think you are? You are outrageous!”
“Apologize, Renee! Apologize right now! Just because you have money doesn’t mean you’re above everyone else!”
“Apologize! So what if you’re Mrs. Mitchell? Does that give you the right to throw your weight around and treat others like that?”
Renee’s gaze turned frosty as she scanned the group, her voice cutting through the chaos like a blade. “All of you, shut up!”
Her tone, laced with an air of dominance, silenced the crowd instantly.
Renee let the hush linger for a moment before continuing, “Let me ask you something. Who here can say they actually saw me bully that woman? What’s her name again? Never mind; it’s irrelevant. The real question is— who among you witnessed it firsthand?”
A man clutching a camera stepped forward, defiant. “There is video evidence online! Are you seriously going to deny it? Someone recorded it, and you have already been exposed!”
“How could you not admit it now?” someone jeered, their tone dripping with disdain. “There’s a video online! You’ve been caught red–handed!”
Renee’s eyes narrowed, her brow knitting together as realization dawned. This wasn’t a coincidence. The whole situation was clearly an orchestrated attempt to target her.
Barr’s warnings echoed in her mind. He had been right. These people, cornered and frantic, were throwing out attacks whenever they could, desperate to cause chaos.
Without acknowledging their shouts, Renee strode decisively toward the hospital’s entrance. A few from the crowd surged forward, attempting to block her path, but she stopped abruptly, turning on her heel with a steely glare.
“Enough,” she said coldly, her voice sharp enough to slice through all the noise. “I’m letting this go because I know you’re nothing but clueless bystanders, caught up in some online hysteria. But let me make myself perfectly clear–if any of you dare cause a scene here and disrupt the hospital, I won’t hesitate to show you just how ruthless I can be.”
The weight of her words hung heavy in the air, silencing the group of people. Even those who had been the loudest before hesitated, the fire in their protests quickly dimming under her unflinching stare.
Renee scanned their faces one last time, her voice cutting through the uneasy silence. “You’ll get the explanation you’re clamoring for soon. enough. When the truth comes to light, let’s see how many of you still stand behind that woman you’re so eager to defend.”
With that, she turned sharply and entered the hospital, her steps purposeful. The security guards moved swiftly to close the doors behind her, shutting out the murmur of the subdued crowd.
