"I’m not doing anything, let go of !" The person in the hoodie yelled out in a panic as she caught up with him and pinned him down with her foot.
His hoodie’s cap fell off, and she tilted her head to the side, seeing a red-haired teenager staring up at her nervously.
He was breathing heavily, his sharp eyes darting around in a hurry.
Noticing the many eyes turning in their direction, he gritted his teeth and shook her off.
Knowing she tore her stitches from all the rubbing, she didn’t struggle with him and stepped backward, watching him get back on his feet.
"Are you crazy? Holding against the ground like—" He gasped mid-sentence as she grabbed him by the collar and hurled him against the wall.
People fighting on the street wasn’t new, but when it involved a teenager and an adult woman, it drew attention.
Seeing a passerby raise his phone to his ear, Kelsie flashed him a tired smile and pointed at the redhead.
"My little brother is a delinquent. I’m just a big sister trying to discipline him."
Only then did the tension in the air ease.
As she tried to lead him away, the boy panicked and parted his lips to shout.
Keeping the small smile on her face, she tightened her grip on his Adam’s apple, forcing him to choke back his cry for help.
"I’m seventeen! I could sue you for harassnt!" He yelped as she threw him to the ground in a less crowded street.
"Sure. Go ahead and sue your big sister for trying to discipline you into the right path!" Kelsie sneered loudly, once again quelling any concerns from the new set of onlookers.
"Stop spouting nonsense. I could never have a crazy woman like you for a sis—" He started, but she bent over and gripped his jaw tightly, instantly cutting him off.
She stared into his eyes sternly, "You’re underage, and you know I’m crazy. So why did you do it?"
The boy glowered, "Do what? I don’t even know you!"
Drawing him closer, the corners of her lips curled up into a mocking smile, "Really? You ca into my practice at the exact ti I’d be distracted."
"You didn’t just buy sothing, you brushed shoulders with —making sure I slled your cologne."
"Cologne? All this because of cologne? If you liked it that much, you could’ve just asked for it instead of chasing down the street!" He gritted his teeth.
Kelsie’s eyes instantly dimd, and the boy paused, swallowing hard when she no longer said anything.
"I don’t like the look on your face.".
Without saying a word, her gaze only darkened further.
Her silence and piercing stare made him squirm on the ground, feeling like she could see right through him.
After a mont of shifting uncomfortably, he sat up and muttered through clenched teeth, "The cologne isn’t mine. A dude gave it to along with a thousand bucks."
"He said all I had to do was go into your practice, get any drug, then walk past you. He never said I’d be chased. That’s why I ran when I looked back and saw you after ."
Her brows perked up questioningly, "What did this person look like?"
"I don’t know. He wore a mask and a hat. He had dark goggles on so i couldn’t see his eyes either." He promptly responded.
But just like the first two tis after she stopped talking, her stare was making him squirm again.
So he reached into his pocket with shaky hands, taking out the money he had been given.
"H-here’s the money. The money he gave to do the job. C-can I go now? You’re really making uncomfortable with that look."
Kelsie scrutinized him for a while, but didn’t take the money.
Releasing her grip on his collar, she straightened back up.
"I have four surveillance caras in my practice’s reception. If you lied to , you’d better leave the country once you walk out of here. Otherwise, you’ll be living a very miserable life in prison."
The boy sat up, his courage returning as he scrambled to his feet. "I’m a minor. You can’t scare with that. If anything, I’ll only go to juvenile prison."
She shrugged, "You’ll no longer be one by the ti you get out of prison in five years for stalking a woman."
He gulped down hard and slowly began retreating back. A mont later, he turned and sprinted off without looking back.
Kelsie watched him until he disappeared into a sea of people.
Now that the imdiate threat had passed, her awareness returned to her body and the pain she’d been ignoring, struck like lightning.
She staggered backward, pressing a hand to her bleeding abdon, her breath coming out in heavy, raspy bursts.
Gritting her teeth, she turned and began heading back to her practice.
She had just reached its block when she spotted a group of won hiding behind it, peeking out.
Her practice was the only one in the building, so they had to be there for her.
From their angle, they couldn’t see the door, but realizing the gate was unmanned, they grew smug.
"I told you he’d take care of her. He always keeps to his word as long as we pay well."
"So what if she drives a Porsche? It’s only right she cos to introduce herself to us. Also, it’s been weeks since she opened up her practice here. This is not on us at all!"
"Whatever happens in there serves her right. I’m sure after this, she’ll realize her mistake and co to us asking what to do next."
"Are we talking about the woman who owns the practice?" Soone suddenly asked behind them.
They didn’t turn to see who it was and huffed righteously, "Yeah, that arrogant woman. I’m at least a few years older than her, yet she drives past without even a greeting."
"If it offended you that much, why didn’t you just go in and tell her?" The sa voice asked again.
The won exchanged knowing glances before laughing.
"Why would she? The new person is supposed to introduce herself to those who’ve been here before her."
"Why are you asking so many questions though? She’s been the topic of discussion all week. Are you new too?"
The group of won turned toward her at once.
Kelsie was usually either seeing patients, driving in or out, or holed up in her office. Even when any of them went inside, they had never encountered her.
Now, staring her right in the face, they didn’t recognize her and looked her over with confusion written all over their face.
Kelsie smiled and extended her right hand toward them.
"Hi, I’m Kelsie Sutton. I own the practice."
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