She waited until Ellie went off to the bog; then got up, came over to tell me she was leaving, and said I could have my bangle back; the one I gave her when we had our commitment ceremony. She chucked it down on the table in front of me, with everyone fucking gawping. So I picked it up and said, ‘Anyone fancy this, it’s going spare?’ and she fucked off.” (The Cuckoo’s Calling, Robert Galbraith)
I would incline to read the bold part as: “came over and told me.” But I wonder if it can have this meaning: “came over in order to tell me.”? In many cases, when there isn't obvious cause-effect relationship with the previous verb, it seems that to read to-infinitive as the former way - successively or resultatively - is more natural than purpose interpretation.
Which way do I have to read the example? And is there some tips to distinguish between the two interpretations?
I phoned him to say that I was going to be late.
Verb X intending to do Verb Y.