Not A Small Town Girl (Danielle and David) novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

After dinner, Danielle felt completely stuffed. David had kept piling food onto her plate, and somehow, she’d kept eating.

Woody approached her, holding a folder with Tara’s medical records. "Miss Darling, here are Tara’s records," he said respectfully.

"Woody, you can just call me Danielle," she replied with a small smile.

"Of course, Miss Darling," Woody said, bowing slightly.

Danielle felt a bit awkward but let it go. She opened the file and reviewed the records carefully. After a few moments, she looked up and said calmly, "Logan, Tara’s condition isn’t as dire as it seems. I can perform the surgery."

Logan’s eyes widened in disbelief. For months, countless doctors had told him there was little hope, and he’d been preparing for the worst. "Danielle, are you sure? Do you really think she can recover?"

Danielle’s tone was steady but reassuring. "Yes. I can handle the surgery myself."

"I’ll send someone to bring her back right away," David said firmly.

"There’s no need for that," Danielle replied. "I can go to her. It’ll be less stressful for her to stay where she is."

David’s lips curved into a small smile as he looked at her. "Alright. Then I’ll go with you."

Before Danielle could respond, her phone buzzed. It was Emery. She glanced at the screen and answered.

On the other end, Emery’s voice was calm but urgent. "Danielle, someone just placed an order on the Black Web. They’re offering ten million dollars for your life."

Danielle raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in her expression. "Only ten million dollars, huh? I thought I’d be worth more than that."

Emery chuckled softly. "Well, here’s the kicker. You know this person. Want to guess who it is?"

"Who?" Danielle asked, intrigued.

"Your adoptive sister, Audrey," Emery said, his tone dripping with irony.

Danielle wasn’t entirely surprised. She’d only been back for a few days, and Audrey had already shown her hand.

When Danielle didn’t respond right away, Emery asked, "Should I cancel the order?"

Danielle’s tone was light, almost playful. "Why cancel? Business is business. Ten million dollars might be cheap, but money’s money."

Audrey was determined to get rid of her, and even if she didn’t take this job, Audrey would find someone else. She might as well pocket the money herself.

"I understand. Do you want us to send protection?"

Emery sounded worried.

"No need," Danielle replied casually. "It’s a small matter."

"Alright, but stay sharp," Emery said, clearly still concerned.

"Okay," Danielle said. After hanging up, she turned and found David watching her intently. His intense gaze caught her off guard, making her heart flutter like a calm lake disturbed by a sudden ripple.

Breaking the silence, she said, "I should head home now."

David’s lips twitched into a soft smile. His voice was low and gentle as he said, "I’ll drive you."

In the car, the ride was quiet. As the smooth motion of the vehicle lulled her, Danielle’s eyelids grew heavy. Before long, she was sound asleep.

When the car rolled to a stop in front of Treeside Villa, David glanced over at her. Her peaceful expression caught his attention-long lashes resting on her cheeks, her delicate nose, and lips faintly pink.

Without her usual cool and guarded demeanor, she looked soft, vulnerable, and entirely captivating.

"Goodbye, Danielle. And to you all as well," David said before getting in his car, showing no intention of trying to win over Danielle’s brothers.

Seeing David’s smug look, Danielle’s brothers glared after the car, watching it until it disappeared from view. Danielle found their over-the-top reactions amusing. "Why don’t we go inside?" she suggested gently, worried they might actually run after the car if she didn’t speak up.

At the sound of her voice, her brothers immediately softened, their fierce expressions melting away.

"Danielle, are you free tomorrow?" Xavier asked, his tone hopeful. "I’ve been meaning to take you shopping, but you’ve been so busy." He pouted slightly, as though deeply disappointed.

Danielle’s heart softened at his words. She did have plans for the next day, but seeing his enthusiasm, she decided they could wait. "I’m free," she said with a small nod.

"Great! I’ll take you out tomorrow!" Xavier beamed, more excited than when he’d won an acting award.

The other brothers groaned internally, cursing Xavier’s cunning nature.

"Xavier, are you serious? You’d just attract attention everywhere," Matthew said. "Danielle, you’d bebetter off going with me."

"Danielle, I’m free too," Joseph added quickly, not wanting to be left out.

"I’ve got nothing on tomorrow either," Austin chimed in, determined to stake his claim.

Danielle chuckled at their eagerness. She raised a hand, signaling them to stop. "Alright, alright," she said with a playful smile. "I’ll go with Xavier tomorrow. I’ll spend time with the rest of you another day, okay?"

Xavier couldn’t contain his grin, puffing up like a proud peacock. "Don’t worry, Danielle. I’ll make sure we have the best day. No fans, no interruptions, I promise!"

The other brothers, though a little disappointed, held back their protests. Danielle’s happiness was what mattered most, and they’d all get their turn eventually.

Unbeknownst to them, Audrey stood on the third- floor balcony, watching the scene unfold below. Her expression was dark and filled with jealousy.

She had never experienced anything like this. Sure, her brothers were kind to her, but they’d never gone out of their way to fight over her attention.