True Heiress Returns to Her Unemployed Rich Family (Arabella) novel Chapter 616

"Oh," Arabella replied, before it suddenly clicked. "Wait, what?"

That came out sounding a bit odd, didn't it?

But before she could dwell on it, Matthew was already sliding into the backseat of the car.

"Try to get some rest," he reminded her, then signaled the driver to head out.

Watching the car pull away from the curb, Arabella stood there for a moment, blinking slowly.

"He did say he liked the pasta I made, right?" she murmured to herself, then gave a small, confirming nod. "Yeah, he definitely said that."

She turned and walked back.

As she passed the dining area, the image of the two of them sharing a quiet meal flashed through her mind.

For some reason, her heart gave a little flutter. Looking back, the mood had actually been... nice. Comfortable, even.

*****

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows.

Shortly after Arabella came downstairs, a breaking news alert lit up her phone.

"What in the world?" Florence asked, looking up from her tablet, her face pale.

"Arabella, have you heard from the hospital yet?" Ethan asked.

"Not yet," Arabella shook her head, scrolling through the headlines.

Jonathan set his coffee cup down firmly. "Let's not panic. Finish breakfast first, then we'll have Frank make some calls and get to the bottom of this."

"Actually, I think I should go down there myself," Arabella said, her tone steady. "If I can explain the situation in person, it'll be easier to clear things up."

"Then I'm coming with you," Alfred said without hesitation.

"Alright." Arabella agreed.

They sat down to eat, but the mood was tense.

Florence wrung her hands. "How could this happen? A complaint like this..."

Frank's expression was grim. "This is clearly a malicious false report. Someone's pulling strings."

"Mom, try not to worry," Ethan said, trying to sound reassuring. "Arabella's credentials were fully vetted when she joined Kindwell. This will get straightened out."

Florence sighed deeply. "I just don't understand who would do such a thing."

"We'll find out when we get there, Mom. It might all be a big misunderstanding," Arabella said, keeping her voice light. She didn't want her mother stressing over this.

"I'll be right there with her. It's going to be fine," Alfred added, giving his mother a reassuring look.

"Okay, but please—call me the minute you know something," Florence insisted.

"We will," Arabella promised.

After a hurried breakfast, Alfred and Arabella headed out from Cloudrise Manor.

During the drive, Alfred turned to her. "Any guesses who's behind this?"

"Well, they certainly made a show of it," Alfred remarked, his voice thick with disdain.

Arabella's eyes turned cold. "The Johnstons didn't hold back."

Just then, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and answered. "Talk to me."

"Please tell me you're not already at the hospital." Colton's voice came through, sounding strained.

"I am," Arabella confirmed.

Colton let out a frustrated breath. "Everything was calm yesterday. This blew up overnight—it was coordinated. And it's not just the Johnstons... I dug a little deeper."

"The Clarks are involved too," Arabella finished, her frown deepening.

"Yeah," Colton confirmed. "They've been providing back-end support, helping the Johnstons push this narrative."

"Freya still finds time to team up with the Johnstons to come after me?" Arabella's laugh was short and humorless. "Pathetic."

"It's personal for her now, ever since you exposed Harper," Colton reasoned. "She'll take any shot she can get."

"No surprise there," Arabella said, her voice even. She'd expected no less.

"They've built up a lot of momentum with this... it's all over social media and the local news." Colton paused, choosing his words carefully. "Maybe you should lay low for a day or two. These things usually fizzle out once the facts come out."

After all, the allegations were baseless. The truth would surface soon enough.

Arabella watched the commotion at the hospital entrance, which was now disrupting patient arrivals. "I'm already here," she said, her resolve firm. "Might as well face it head-on and settle this now."