From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 214: Past Grievances

After that, the mayor did a complete one-eighty. No matter what was proposed, he refused to go along with the development plans. He even took the lead in rallying people to run the developers out of town. Those residents who had been on the fence took one look at what happened to the mayor's son and saw it as a real-life cautionary tale. They got spooked, too, and started backing out left and right. Naturally, the whole development deal fell apart.

"That unstable guy... the mayor's son. Does he usually wander around town like that?" Riley thought back to how both she and Anne had been harassed.

"Not from what I heard," Calvin replied. "The store owner said his family usually keeps a pretty tight leash on him. No clue how he got out today. Maybe someone wasn't paying attention."

Anne, still shaken, added, "His family really ought to keep a better eye on him. What if he ends up hurting somebody?"

But Riley couldn't shake the feeling—was it really just a coincidence that the same disturbed man had crossed paths with two different women from their project team in one day?

Or was someone pulling the strings behind the scenes?

"So if the mayor is so dead set against development because of his son..." Riley began slowly, then turned to Anne. "Then how did Mr. Quinn ever get the development rights for Cedar Creek in the first place?"

Something about the whole situation didn't sit right with her.

How could a mayor so opposed to new development just stand by while investors once again set their sights on his town—and even managed to get the project greenlit?

Anne thought it over for a moment. "The rights to develop Cedar Creek didn't actually come from the mayor or the townspeople directly. The overall planning for this area was mapped out a while back by the county, even at the state level. It was a policy move, part of a wider regional development plan.

"Mr. Quinn secured the overall development rights through the official bidding process, straight from the government. Cedar Creek is just one piece of the larger development zone. However much the mayor might personally dislike it, he has to follow higher-level policy. There's no way for him to single-handedly stop it."

Anne's explanation sounded logical—it fit the usual playbook for large-scale developments. Big projects, especially those tied to regional planning, were typically government-led, with private companies coming in as partners.

Riley nodded to show she followed, but the unease in her mind didn't fully fade.

Policy was one thing, but when it came to getting things done on the ground—especially in a tight-knit town where old-family ties and traditional mindsets still held sway—a mayor's influence couldn't be brushed aside.

"I get it," Riley said carefully. "So the development is moving forward regardless. But how cooperative the mayor is will make all the difference in how smoothly things actually go."

She felt more convinced than ever that she needed to meet this Cedar Creek mayor face-to-face, and soon. She had to take his temperature herself.

Even if he didn't dare openly defy government policy, he could quietly stir up the townspeople—get them to protest, delay permits, or invent reasons to sabotage the work day after day. If that happened, moving the project forward would be an uphill battle.

The whole historic preservation issue with the old town hall had already dumped a heap of complications and uncertainty onto the project. If a few more surprises like that popped up, delays and budget overruns would be practically guaranteed.

And then there was that unstable man today... the mayor's son. Was it really just bad luck?

Riley didn't want to assume the worst of people, but she knew she had to stay sharp.

The mood in the site office felt heavier after Calvin's report. They discussed a few other construction matters, and before long, the sky began to darken.

Toward evening, an unremarkable sedan pulled up just outside the temporary gate of the construction site.

The driver didn't come in. Instead, they asked the security guard to pass a package to Riley.

When Riley got the call from the guard, she went out to retrieve it herself.

Harvey happened to be outside the office at the time, having a smoke. He watched Riley walk back with a box under her arm, and his gaze shifted. Casually, he strolled over.

"Everything alright, Ms. Harper? That looks like a heavy package," he remarked, curiosity coloring his tone.

Riley didn't break stride. She glanced his way briefly and kept her voice even. "Nothing urgent. Just some project reference materials."

She offered no further explanation, carrying the box straight to her room.

Harvey watched her go, rubbed his chin, and a faint, unreadable expression passed through his eyes.

Back in her room, Riley first carefully checked the subtle markers she'd left that morning—a slight shift in the desk chair, a barely visible thread near the drawer. Reassured that nothing had been disturbed, she allowed herself a small breath of relief.

It seemed no one had come in while she was out.

Still, she didn't let her guard down.

She set the package on the table and sliced through the packing tape.

Inside, carefully nestled in foam padding, weren't any reference materials at all. Instead, she found several compact surveillance cameras, along with memory cards and small power supplies.

It was the monitoring equipment she'd asked Vincent to send her.

That night, after discreetly installing the cameras in inconspicuous corners, Riley slept poorly.

Outside her window lay the quiet, still darkness of Cedar Creek. Now and then, a dog barked in the distance or crickets chirped—each sound unusually sharp in the nighttime silence.