From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress (Riley and Lucas) novel Chapter 227

Chapter 227 Drugged

Chapter 227 Drugged

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He shifted nervously, rubbing his palms together as he waited. The moment they entered, he hurried over as if they were his last hope.

“Ms. Harper-thank goodness you’re here!”

Riley glanced around, frowning. “Mr. Hardy, where are the town elders?”

Devin put on a helpless expression. “Don’t even ask. Right as everyone was about to leave, Frank’s blood pressure spiked. He got dizzy, and his family rushed him to the clinic. The rest went along to check on him. I only just got the call myself.”

He let out a regretful sigh. “But since I’d already invited you all the way out here, I didn’t want to just leave you hanging-wouldn’t reflect well on us folks from Cedar Creek. So I came by to explain in person. Really sorry about this.”

It sounded perfectly reasonable.

Anne and Calvin bought it completely, even asking a few concerned questions about Frank’s condition.

Riley, though, smiled faintly to herself.

She was almost certain the whole story was a lie.

Still, she couldn’t imagine what Devin could possibly pull off alone.

At worst, he’d just make up another excuse to buy a few more days.

Thinking that, she replied casually, “Well, if that’s the case, we can reschedule.”

“No, no-don’t say that,” Devin cut in quickly. “You’re already here. Can’t let you drive all this way for nothing. I’ve already put in the order. Let’s have lunch and talk things over. I may not speak for all the elders, but at least you’ll know where I stand. That’s worth something, right?”

He ushered the three warmly to their seats, then stepped to the doorway and called down the stairs, “We’re ready for the food!”

Soon the same middle-aged server from before entered, carrying several plates of carefully prepared dishes.

“Here, try this. It’s our local specialty. You won’t find it this fresh back in the city.”

Devin played the gracious host, pouring iced tea for each of them himself.

“Thank you, Mr. Hardy,” Riley said politely. Using the serving fork, she took a small portion of fish.

It was tender and flavorful-genuinely delicious.

She offered a compliment. “This is excellent. I’m sure visitors would love it.”

That seemed to open the floodgates. Devin grinned in agreement. “Absolutely. Cedar Creek owes everything to the coast.”

Then he launched into a lengthy telling of the town’s history-how it had gone from a run-down fishing community to a well- known, prosperous coastal town, all under his guidance.

Riley listened quietly, a faint smile on her lips, treating it as a chance to gather background for their plans. She stayed cautious,

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9:23 am Ppp.

Chapter 227 Drugged

only taking occasional small sips of her drink and eating very little.

But Anne and Calvin didn’t share her wariness.

Their guard was completely down. As the mayor recounted hard times and good, they kept eating, praising each dish enthusiastically.

Halfway through his story, Riley raised her glass to sip again-when a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her.

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Oh no

Alarm shot through her. She realized her whole body was going weak, strength draining rapidly.

She knew immediately-there must have been something in the food or drinks.

Fighting to stay conscious a moment longer, she turned sharply to warn the others beside her.

But what she saw made her heart drop.

Anne, and Calvin were both slumped over the table, unconscious. She hadn’t even noticed when it happened.

So Devin’s long speech hadn’t been about pride or history at all. It was just a stall-a way to keep them eating long enough for whatever he’d slipped into the meal to take effect.

Riley had eaten very little, so she was still clinging to the last shreds of awareness.

But she knew she couldn’t let it show.

In that split second, she made a calm, swift decision.

She didn’t struggle or cry out. Instead, as the dizziness deepened, she let herself go limp and pretended to pass out.

Just before darkness fully took her, she mustered every bit of strength left to quietly tug her handbag open-just an inch.

Her fingers found the small stun device she always carried.

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