Chapter 200

A piercing scream shattered the peaceful atmosphere.

Gasps echoed through the crowd.

"What was that?" someone cried out.

"Something's wrong in the dressing area!"

"That sounded like Gabrielle!"

Evelyn and Sophia Bennett exchanged startled glances. Their confused expressions mirrored each other perfectly. Just moments ago when they'd left, Gabrielle had seemed completely fine.

The entire group rushed toward the source of the disturbance.

Inside the dressing room, Gabrielle sat hunched on the bench, face contorted in pain. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead as her complexion turned ghostly pale. The agony radiating from her was palpable.

Benjamin was the first to reach her. "Gabrielle, what happened?"

Dominic Prescott stepped forward, voice laced with concern. "Are you hurt?"

Gabrielle lifted tear-filled eyes. "My... my foot..."

All eyes dropped to her outstretched leg.

Only one boot remained on her feet. Her bare foot trembled visibly as she fought against the pain.

"I was changing boots because my feet were sweating," she gasped. "Something inside... stabbed me. It hurts so much..."

Benjamin immediately knelt to examine the injury. "There's something embedded in her foot. Looks like... a nail?" He glanced up urgently. "We need help!"

Dominic's demeanor shifted instantly into command mode. "Silver Peaks Ranch has medical staff on standby. I'll have them summoned immediately."

"Hold on just a little longer," Benjamin reassured Gabrielle, watching as tears spilled down her cheeks.

Meanwhile, Sophia tugged Evelyn aside. "That's the same pair of boots you tried on earlier," she whispered. "How did a nail get in there?"

Evelyn's gaze remained fixed on Gabrielle, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

The doctor arrived with impressive speed. After quick assessment, he produced forceps from his medical kit and expertly removed the offending object. Antiseptic was applied before careful bandaging.

Throughout the procedure, Gabrielle clung to Benjamin's arm, her grip tightening with each wave of pain. Tears streaked her makeup as she whimpered softly.

"The object has been removed," the doctor announced. "Avoid getting the wound wet to prevent infection."

Gabrielle looked utterly drained. "Benjamin," she whispered weakly, "please ask for pain medication. The throbbing won't stop."

Benjamin's expression darkened with anger. "What kind of establishment allows dangerous objects in customer footwear?" he demanded.

The doctor held up the extracted item. "Actually, this isn't a nail. It's an earring stud. And since we employ no female staff at Silver Peaks, this clearly doesn't belong to us."

The diamond stud glittered in his palm - undeniable evidence of someone's carelessness... or perhaps something more intentional.