Gillian even waved the phone in front of me smugly.
Yet, I simply smiled and shook my head. “Mr. Cobb, it seems your personal secretary still has a pretty limited worldview. That dress was custom–made by my superior. Why would you expect to find the price on the internet? I told you earlier, wedding dresses aren’t all the same. Civilian use and military use are very different things.“}
I glanced at the still–stunned Gillian and suggested, “You love searching things online, don’t you? Why don’t you try looking up the value of a Medal of Honor?”
“What?! Did I hear that right? She’s with the Cabinet? And she’s this young?!” someone in the crowd gasped in disbelief.”
“No wonder Miss Riley stayed so calm through all this. She’s got the backing of the nation behind her!“}
Hearing those murmurs, Gillian’s expression crumbled. She stammered, her voice barely audible. “I… I didn’t know. I thought it was just a regular wedding dress.“>
I glanced at her sideways, raising my eyebrow. “Regretting it now, aren’t you? You assumed I was just some clueless young woman you could push around.“>
At this moment, she had nothing to say.
Panicked, she turned to Hayden like he was her lifeline and begged, “Mr. Cobb, please. I’ve worked for you for so many years. You have to help me!“>
smiled, my gaze steady as I looked her over. Her forehead glistened with sweat.
“I’d stop wasting your breath if I were you,” I said softly. “Your dear Mr. Cobb can’t even save himself right now. What makes you think he can save you?“}
Hayden’s face darkened with rage.
“Veronica!” he snapped. “Don’t push your luck. Don’t forget where you are. This is New York!“}
“Oh? So you still think the game’s in your hands, Mr. Cobb?” I asked, then pulled out my phone and held it up. “Shall I call your father and ask him who actually runs this city?”
Before anyone could react, I dialed Edric’s number right there in front of the whole crowd.
It only rang a few seconds before he picked up.
“Miss Riley!” he answered, his voice full of warmth. “The wedding’s starting soon. What brings you to the phone now?“>
glanced at Hayden, my tone suddenly turning ice cold.
“Mr. Cobb,” I said, “I just have one question for you. Is your family getting too comfortable with their privileged life these days?“>
Before he could respond, I copied the very same tone his secretary had used earlier when she threatened my superior. “You have ten minutes to show up in person. Or I’ll have no problem wiping your family’s name off the map.”
There was a long silence on the other end, then a loud crash, like a cup smashing to the ground. “M–Miss Riley… please, calm down,” he stammered. “I’ll be right there!”
His words rang loud and clear across the room, echoing through the tense silence.§
“Holy crap…” someone whispered. “She just threatened the founder of Cobb Corporation like it was nothing.”
“Even if she’s with the Cabinet, going up against them here in New York is like asking for trouble, right?”
Hayden, standing there as the Cobb family’s golden child, was now trembling with fury.
“I don’t care who you are, Veronica,” he spat. “we won’t let this go.”
