From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 243: A New Beginning

"How... how did you all know about this?" Devin's gaze went vacant, his body going slack as if all the bones had been removed, and he crumpled helplessly to the ground.

Scott's words had also ignited long-simmering anger among the villagers.

"Devin! You heartless lowlife! When we raised funds to restore the historic hall—did you skim money from that too?"

"That's right! My family's compensation for the land easement was short by almost a third! I came to you, and you told me it was the standard rate set by the town—said if they wouldn't pay it, there was nothing you could do."

"And my son—you got him that factory job over in Havenbrook, but the place was a fly-by-night operation. He almost got seriously injured, and in the end, he didn't see a single cent."

All at once, the crowd erupted.

The villagers shed their fear of Devin and began calling out every shady thing he'd ever done while throwing his weight around.

Devin was completely buried under the sudden outburst. Trembling under the barrage of accusations, he curled up on the ground, covering his head with his hands.

Scott watched the scene unfold and didn't waste a breath. He gave a firm nod to the two sturdy men assisting him. "Lock this disgrace in the storage shed behind the historic hall. No one goes near him without my say-so."

"Yes, sir," the two men replied respectfully. Then they stepped forward, each taking one of Devin's arms, and roughly hauled his limp form off the ground.

"No! Let me go! Scott, I was wrong! Give me another chance—please!" Devin snapped back to his senses and let out a sharp, panicked yell, thrashing with all his might.

But the two men paid no attention to his cries or his struggling, dragging him away without another word.

As Devin was taken off, the commotion slowly died down.

Scott turned and made his way over to Riley, his expression apologetic. He gave a slight, respectful dip of his head. "Ms. Harper, please accept my apologies. The town council failed in its oversight, and because of that, you've been put through all this trouble.

"Regarding your project—the council has discussed it. Devin's conduct has severely hindered Cedar Creek's development and damaged the council's reputation. We will fully cooperate with your timeline, remove any unnecessary obstacles, and ensure the project moves forward smoothly."

He paused, his eyes earnest. "I hope this won't affect your view of our community. We're counting on you to develop a solid plan, one that can help share Cedar Creek's heritage with more people."

Riley genuinely admired Scott's decisiveness and skill.

"As for what happened here today, Ms. Harper, you have my word. If anyone dares to use this incident to slander or discredit you, the town council will issue a public statement immediately to set the record straight."

The old man really knew how to handle a situation. Having been involved in both local politics and business, his words not only overturned the ugly scene Devin had created—crushing every rumor completely—but also provided the strongest possible rebuttal to clear Riley's name.

On top of that, he'd promptly entrusted the future direction of the town to her.

Facing Scott's trust and expectation, Riley responded with quiet dignity—neither overbearing nor submissive. "You have my word, Scott. I won't walk away from my responsibilities, and I certainly won't allow Cedar Creek's heritage to be tarnished."

Scott gave Riley an approving look and nodded slowly.

Then he raised a hand and firmly dismissed the crowd that had gathered.

The villagers gradually dispersed, leaving in small groups.

Riley stood there, feeling the calm after the storm, yet a warmth she couldn't quite put into words lingered in her chest.

She knew very well that the only person who could have brought in someone as respected and influential as Scott—and gotten him to come personally to clear her name and deal with Devin—was Sebastian.

Almost instinctively, she glanced toward the entrance of the town just up the road. Sure enough, a low-profile black sedan was parked quietly there, its window partly rolled down as if it had been observing everything unfold.

From a distance, Riley's eyes met the deep, steady gaze behind that window.

The corner of her mouth lifted slightly, and a quiet understanding passed through her eyes—something only the two of them shared.

Sebastian simply gave her a small, almost imperceptible nod. Then he signaled to his driver, and the sedan's window rolled up smoothly. Amid the curious glances and murmurs of the remaining onlookers, the car pulled away quietly, leaving without a sound.

The driver glanced into the rearview mirror, a little confused. "Mr. Torres, aren't we heading to the project site now?"

Sebastian's reply was calm and assured.

"No need. She knows what to do."

In his mind, Riley's capability and resolve were never in question.

And his role was simply to clear the most stubborn obstacles from her path—quietly, without fanfare.

After the car had driven off, Anne, who had been standing beside Riley, leaned in curiously and whispered, "Riley, who was that? He looked like someone important. Is he from around here?"

The light in Riley's eyes softened almost imperceptibly. She shook her head lightly and replied offhandedly, "Not sure."