Chapter 218

Daphne froze mid-step. "Harrison, Rosalind! What a surprise seeing you both here." Rosalind and Harrison moved closer, but Daphne's security detail in dark suits immediately blocked their path.

"Halt!" a bodyguard barked.

Daphne waved them off with a graceful hand. "Relax. These are my university friends."

The guards reluctantly stepped aside, allowing Rosalind and Harrison to approach.

"Daphne, I can't believe you're famous now!" Rosalind gasped, eyes wide with amazement.

Daphne arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Well, I found myself a man. He's the reason behind all this." She gestured at her entourage.

"A man? You're seeing someone? Since when?" Rosalind's voice rose in shock.

A smug smile played on Daphne's lips. "He's gorgeous, loaded, and spoils me rotten. Absolutely adores me."

Without warning, Daphne grabbed Harrison's hand. "Harrison, darling, everything's going perfectly for me now. You must be thrilled for me, right? Surely you wish us happiness?"

Harrison's clear gaze remained steady on Daphne's face as she quietly said, "Congratulations, Daphne."

"Thanks," Daphne purred. "Must dash now. Let's do lunch sometime."

With that, she turned on her designer heels and disappeared into the crowd with her team.

Rosalind stared after her. "Harrison, who is this mystery man? Whoever he is, he's got serious connections in Willowbrook to bankroll this lifestyle. Not many can afford this level of extravagance."

Willowbrook's elite circle was tight-knit. Few possessed the means to shower someone with such lavish attention.

Harrison watched until Daphne vanished from sight. "I've no idea."

"Honestly? I think she's found herself a sugar daddy. Who do you think it could be?" Rosalind speculated.

Harrison glanced toward where Daphne had disappeared, then gently took Rosalind's arm. "Whatever the case, she got what she wanted. Rosalind, I'm starving. Let's grab dinner."

"Absolutely."

Meanwhile, Daphne strode down the corridor flanked by her team. Her manager, Genevieve, briefed her: "Daphne, we've got a 9 AM shoot tomorrow at Vogue Paris."

Vogue Paris?

A memory surfaced. "Isn't Gabrielle Sunder the deputy editor there?"

Genevieve nodded. "Correct."

A sly grin spread across Daphne's face. Gabrielle was Harrison's closest friend.

"Perfect. We'll be there bright and early."

Tomorrow promised to be... entertaining.

The next morning...

Harrison had just left class when Rosalind came running, breathless.

"Harrison! Did you hear? Daphne was at Vogue Paris today shooting for her new film 'Prime Time.' During a wire stunt, the harness broke! She fell and got injured - they rushed her to hospital!"

Harrison stiffened, shocked. She never followed celebrity gossip, but the news was everywhere. Headlines screamed: "Daphne Sinclair Injured During Photoshoot."

"How bad is it?" Harrison asked.

"Should be fine," Rosalind panted.

A terrible thought struck Harrison. "Rosalind, where exactly was this shoot?"

"Vogue Paris studios."

Harrison's stomach dropped. She immediately dialed Gabrielle. The phone rang endlessly with no answer.

Growing increasingly concerned, Harrison called Gabrielle's assistant instead. The voice that answered trembled with panic.

"They took Gabrielle... She's being held at the police station!"