Chapter 84

Chapter 84:

Under usual circumstances, Ava might have snapped back at Fernanda with a sharp retort. Now, though, she was overwhelmed by guilt and couldn’t find the words to defend herself.

With effort, Ava pulled herself up from the ground, her movements shaky as she approached Fernanda. Her eyes, filled with desperate sincerity, met Fernanda’s. “I swear, I never meant to hurt you. My only thought was to slow you down in the race,” she admitted, her voice thick with regret.

Bobby closed the distance, his face etched with disappointment. “Still making excuses, Ava?” he retorted sharply. “You meddled with her bike, almost causing a disastrous crash, and yet you claim there was no harm intended?”

Ava shifted uneasily, her gaze flitting between Bobby and Fernanda as she reiterated her stance. “I only intended to slightly alter her motorcycle to impede her performance, not to endanger her,” she insisted, her voice tinged with desperation. “The screw I tampered with was meant for the gearbox—I’m at a loss as to how it impacted the brakes.”

Bobby, frustration etching his features, responded sharply, “Regardless of what you thought you were doing, it was a direct attempt to harm her life.”

As Ava stumbled over excuse after excuse, Bobby’s irritation simmered to the surface.

A murmur started to spread among the onlookers around them.

“How could she sabotage someone’s motorcycle during a competition? That’s downright malicious!”

“She’s just jealous, plain and simple. Ava’s always liked Bobby, and now that he’s engaged to Fernanda, she can’t stand it!”

The crowd, mainly composed of affluent young adults from Esaham, were familiar with the trio from the Harper family’s recent welcome banquet for Fernanda. The intricate dynamics between Fernanda, Ava, and Bobby were well known.

LΑτєѕτ chαρτєrs ιn g𝓪l𝑛ovєl𝑆.𝗰𝑜𝗺

In the eyes of the onlookers, Ava’s motives were transparent, sparking a flurry of speculation about an impending dramatic showdown. The primary question on everyone’s mind was how Fernanda would confront Ava.

Ava scrambled to explain herself, her voice wavering. “I really didn’t intend any harm. I just…”

Fernanda abruptly silenced her with a sharp slap across the face. The sound cracked through the air, abruptly cutting off Ava’s excuses. The force of the slap stunned not only Ava but also Bobby and the bystanders.

Such an act was seen as deeply dishonorable, particularly among those from sheltered, upper-class backgrounds. Nobody in their circles would dare make such a bold, disrespectful gesture.

The stinging pain on her cheek forced Ava to confront a bitter truth. This was not the first time Fernanda had struck her—it was the second.

Before Ava could even grasp the full weight of the slap, Fernanda’s hand connected again.

“I told you just now—if your parents won’t teach you manners, then I must.” Her eyes were icy as she spoke, her tone leaving no room for argument. “Consider those two slaps a lesson from your parents.”

Without pausing, Fernanda delivered a third slap with a resolute thud.

“This one’s from me,” she declared, her voice seething with fury.

Today, her anger had reached its peak. She had encountered a variety of personalities, yet none as infuriating as Ava, who consistently overstepped boundaries.

Ava’s actions today weren’t just inappropriate—they were a direct threat to Fernanda’s life. Ignoring this would only signal that Fernanda was an easy target for bullying.

Her decision was clear as she fixed her eyes on Ava, each word sharp and deliberate. “I’m going to call the police. You won’t get away with what you’ve done!”

Ava, desperate, shot back immediately, “No, you can’t call the police! This should be resolved between us, privately. You can’t involve them!”

“Oh, I can’t?” Fernanda countered with a scornful sneer, her disdain palpable. “Since when do you dictate what I can or cannot do? I’ll handle this my way, and you have no right to interfere.”

Ava’s panic surged. Settling this matter privately might mean a simple apology and some compensation. But police involvement could tarnish her record, making the incident public knowledge—exposing her even to those who hadn’t witnessed today’s debacle. The idea sent chills down her spine.

“No!” Ava cried, shaking her head in desperation. “You can’t do this to me!”

She then turned to Bobby, gripping his arm as she pleaded, “Bobby, I really messed up this time. I promise I won’t do it again. Please, just forgive me this once, okay?”

Her cheeks still burned from the slaps, but Ava’s focus was entirely on the threat of police intervention and the consequences that might follow.

Bobby stayed quiet, painfully aware that the victim of the incident was his angel, and thus, it was her call on how to proceed.

“Was the man in the green motorcycle suit, the one who kicked her down the slope, working with you?” Cristian pressed on.

Ava froze for a moment, her face a mixture of confusion and shock. “Wait, what are you talking about?”

Bobby leaned forward, picking up a photo from the table and pointing to the figure in green. “This man, do you recognize him?”

“I don’t know him. Who is he?” Ava’s eyes darted around the room before she took a step back, her hands flailing as she protested. “I loosened the screw, yes, but I swear I don’t know this man! You can’t just pin everything on me because of one mistake! I really don’t know him!”

With those words, Ava rushed over to Fernanda, her eyes blazing as she confronted her. “Fernanda, I own up to my actions. You can hit me or yell at me, and I’ll take it. But I refuse to be blamed for things I haven’t done. You can’t just blame everything on me!”

As Ava declared her innocence, she stood tall, her voice resolute. Observing her earnest demeanor, Bobby felt a tug of conviction in his gut—she was being honest this time. She truly had no connection to the mysterious man in the green motorcycle suit.

Fernanda’s voice was icy as she spoke. “Alright, if you don’t know him, I’ll dig deeper.”

Her resolve was unshakeable. She would not let anyone who had harmed her off the hook. Determined to track down the perpetrator, she was ready to invest whatever effort was necessary.

With the day’s troublemaker pinpointed, the crowd began to thin out, leaving the bustling race venue. Yet, as they dispersed, the incident lingered in their minds.

It was common for young people to clash over matters of the heart, often resorting to underhanded tactics. To some, Ava’s meddling might have seemed trivial—after all, Fernanda had emerged apparently unscathed.

Many tended to judge actions by their consequences rather than their intentions. But this brewing love triangle promised to unfold into a dramatic affair.

As the venue emptied, the police finally made their appearance. Ava was caught off guard—she hadn’t truly believed Fernanda would involve the authorities. And she certainly never imagined that she, the distinguished heiress of the Ross family, would find herself in handcuffs.

Fernanda’s smile, thin and sharp, barely concealed the mocking edge in her tone. “Enjoy your stay behind bars,” she sneered, her smile never quite reaching her cold eyes. “You’ve earned this all on your own.”

Ava opened her mouth to retort, but before a word could escape, she was roughly pushed into the back of a police car, the door slamming shut with a definitive thud.

“Let me out! Do you even know who I am?” Her voice rose in panic as Ava banged her hands against the window. “You can’t just arrest someone without knowing the full story!”

“We’re well aware of the circumstances. You’re being detained on suspicion of intentional harm. We need to conduct a thorough investigation.”

Sinking into the seat, Ava’s thoughts churned with remorse. If only she had foreseen the consequences, she would never have taken any actions against Fernanda. The weight of her regret was crushing.

Now, as the police station loomed ahead, dread filled her. How could she ever explain this to her parents? The mere thought of her father’s reaction sent a shiver down her spine—he would be furious if he learned what she had done!

.

.

.