From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 200: Turning the Tide

She then shifted her tone and turned her attention back to the crowd of residents.

"Still, the fact that rumors were able to stir you up in the first place probably means Quinn Group didn't communicate clearly enough. That's why people started having doubts—worried you might be treated unfairly."

Anne's face paled slightly, but seeing Riley's calm expression, she bit back any objection.

"Here's an idea." A cool smile touched the corner of Riley's mouth as she made a suggestion that left everyone stunned. "Call the headquarters right now and ask Mr. Quinn to authorize a five-million-dollar spot bonus. Tell him it's for an immediate reward. Anyone who can provide what they're calling the 'new contract'—whether it's the original, a copy, or even a clear photo—as long as it proves the contract exists, gets the five million paid out on the spot."

Five million dollars!

A ripple of shock went through the crowd. Even Anne and Calvin looked taken aback.

Anne, who was usually sharp at reading situations, immediately understood what Riley was doing.

"You're right!" Anne straightened up right then, slipping back into her polished executive assistant demeanor, and played along firmly. "Ms. Harper makes a fair point. I'll go call Mr. Quinn and request the funds right away. Everyone, please rest assured—Quinn Group would never shortchange a business partner, and we won't tolerate anyone deliberately damaging our reputation."

With that, she stepped away purposefully, pulled out her phone, and began dialing.

The residents watched her go and started murmuring among themselves.

"Five million... is she serious?"

"Wow, who is that woman? Talking about five million like it's nothing... Are Quinn Group people really that loaded?"

"Sounds like a stalling tactic to me. Get us to leave, then they'll pack up overnight."

"But what if it's real? Whoever's got that contract would hit the jackpot."

Right then, movement finally came from inside the temporary offices, which had been shut tight with the windows closed.

A few young staffers in Quinn Group polo shirts peered out cautiously. Seeing the mood outside had eased somewhat, they gathered their courage and filed out.

Most looked pale—clearly shaken by the earlier tension.

The one in front was a project manager in his thirties. He hurried over to Riley, his expression a mix of relief and respect.

"Ms. Harper, are... are you all right? We wanted to come out sooner, but the door was blocked..." He spoke quickly, worried she might think they'd abandoned her.

Riley just glanced his way and didn't dwell on it.

She knew it was too much to expect regular office employees to confront an upset crowd.

Now, though, the timing felt right.

She raised her voice again so everyone could hear her clearly.

"Folks, I know you still have plenty of questions, and you're not sure whether to believe the offer of a five-million-dollar reward.

"But standing out here all packed together isn't going to solve anything."

"It's getting late. You can't stay out here all night, right?"

That was a practical point, and a lot of people nodded in agreement.

Seeing that, Riley smoothly laid out her suggestion.

"How about this: choose a few people who can speak for everyone and come with us into the meeting room. We'll sit down and go through everything point by point. What do you say?"

The idea caught the interest of many right away.

But soon, a skeptical voice rose from the crowd.

"Why should we go inside with you? What if you keep our people in there?"

"Yeah, you get our reps in a room, lean on them one by one, split us up... You think we don't see that?"

Once doubt took root, it spread easily.

Riley didn't look surprised—she'd expected that question.

"I get your concern," she said calmly, meeting the wary looks around her. "You're worried that if your representatives come inside, we might try to cut a deal with them privately.

"So to make sure everyone feels comfortable, your chosen people can keep their phones recording the whole time—or even stream it live."

The residents fell silent, caught off guard by Riley's reply.

They'd seen developers lose their temper, play the victim, talk in circles—but never one who voluntarily invited them to gather evidence.

Then Riley went on, her voice clear and steady. "We'll have an open, honest conversation. You lay out your questions and your proof. We'll address every single one.

"I believe a company the size of Quinn Group wouldn't be foolish enough to mess up something this basic—hiding the truth and leaving such an obvious paper trail for everyone to find. Doesn't that make sense?"

That last question sounded like she was asking for their opinion, but it carried weight.

After that series of moves, the crowd quieted completely.

The middle-aged man who'd been speaking earlier now watched Riley with a completely different expression.

Finally, he turned and began talking quietly with several of the older community members beside him.