Dr. Gribble had a rough night, tossing and turning till dawn. When he finally


    dragged himself out of bed the next morning, dark shadows hung under his eyes, and he felt like he was in a fog even on hismute to the hospital.


    Settling into his chair, he barely had a moment before Quinn stormed in. Her expression was as defiant as ever, ring at him like he was dirt under her shoe.


    "Didn''t I already tell you to quit?" she snapped.


    Dr. Gribble backed up a few steps, his lips quivering. "Miss Quinn, I was dragged into this mess against my will. Don''t burn bridges. We live in a world of rules andws."


    A flicker of disgust passed through Quinn''s eyes. She thought he talked way too much. “Dr. Gribble, you''ve got your money. It''s toote to start with this now. You really don''t want to cross me. Better do as I say, or else..."


    The threat hung in the air, heavy and clear.


    After she left, Dr. Gribble slumped in his chair, sweat dripping down his face. The fear of someone trying to run him over again that night gnawed at him. Would he get lucky twice? He couldn''t die-not now. He had to survive!


    Then he heard that familiar voice from the previous night-ra.


    ra was standing right at Quinn''s hospital room door. When Quinn saw her, fury twisted her face. "ra!"


    Wasn''t the Bradford family''s security on the hunt for ra? How could she just show up like this? Quinn''s eyes turned red, her rage melting into a look of pitiful vulnerability. “ra, I begged Mom not to send you to an asylum. Why are you here to taunt me? I''ve already lost my child. Isn''t that enough for you?"


    ra nced back and, sure enough, she spotted Naomi and Simon. Naomi rushed forward, ready to p ra, but ra caught her wrist effortlessly.


    "Naomi, you always seem ready to p me whenever we meet," ra remarked calmly.


    Naomi''s anger was palpable. Her shoulders were shaking. "ra, how dare you show your face here?!"


    ra released her grip, her voice steady. "I didn''t do it, and my conscience is clear. Why shouldn''t I be here?"


    "Oh, you have a clear conscience, huh? Do you know what folks are saying about you? They''re calling you ruthless, heartless, a jinx!"


    As soon as Naomi spat out those words, a hundred-dor bill was flung at her cheek.


    ra just smiled.


    "If you really hate me that much, take this hundred bucks. If only you''d remembered to use it on some protection back when you and Johnny became an item."


    Naomi''s eyes widened in disbelief, and then she fainted from sheer anger. The impact of ra''s words was so intense that people passing by were left speechless. Nurses rushed over to catch Naomi and whisked her into a room.


    Unfazed, ra lowered hershes and turned to leave. But Simon stepped in her path. "Is that how you talk to your mother?"


    ra looked up, her eyes now brimming with tears. "What else do you want, Simon? Seriously, I gotta ask-would you really let yourself have an illegitimate kid?"


    She lowered her head, dabbing at her tears. "Even if you''ve been fooling around with Quinn, you''re still technically my fiancé. I just can''t see you being dumb enough to let someone like her get pregnant."


    Simon had been ready to scold her, but those teary eyes softened his resolve. ra had always been tough as nails. She had never shown a hint of weakness, and always put him down. But now, she seemed so fragile, like she needed someone to save her.


    "ra, what... what are you getting at?"


    "Don''t you get it? Quinn was never pregnant. It was all her own little drama. But no one in the Bradford family, or anywhere else for that matter, believed me. I came here today to set the record straight. The truth stands on its own. If you want to lock me up in an asylum, then go ahead. I won''t fight it."


    ra had switched gears, knowing that confronting Simon head-on would only make him dig in his heels and be more sinister. But if she showed vulnerability, his protective instincts might kick in.


    She timed her words perfectly, making sure Dr. Gribble could hear everything from his room. If Dr. Gribble wanted to turn things around, Simon was his ticket.


    Simon reached out, ready tofort ra, when Quinn emerged from the room, her face pale and her body trembling.


    "ra, why are you ndering me like this? You''ve really lost your mind."