Chapter 281
Chapter 281 A Hollow Victory
Chapter 281 A Hollow Victory
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“You’re free to go–just beg me first. Then we’ll call it even,” Arabella said with an air of magnanimity.
“What did you just say?!” Harper shrieked. Did she actually expect them to apologize?
“Was I unclear?” Arabella replied coolly. Or are you unwilling?
“You’re going too far!” Harper fumed.
Arabella remained unruffled. “It’s your call. Beg, or take a trip downtown p>
So now it was beneath them? Weren’t they the ones demanding the same from her just minutes ago? Did they think their pride was worth more than hers?
“Babe, please, don’t…” Harper whimpered, looking tearfully at Dylan.
Dylan wrestled internally–the humiliation was overwhelming.
Outside, the wail of police sirens grew louder. Time was up.
“What a shame. Looks like you’ve made your choice,” Arabella said with a slight shrug. “Jail it is p>
“No! I’m not going to jail!” Dylan scrambled to his feet, pulling Harper down with him. “Fine! I’ll apologize! I’m begging you p>
“Begging for what?” Arabella’s lips curved into a faint, disdainful smile. She’d known it–Dylan had no backbone.
“Please, just let us go. Today was all my fault,” Dylan pleaded.
“And you?” Arabella turned her gaze to Harper.
Harper was boiling with rage but genuinely terrified of being hauled away. She bit her lip and forced out the words, “Please… let us go. We won’t dare do it again p>
“Alright then. You can leave.” Arabella waved a hand dismissively.
Dylan slumped to the ground in exhausted relief.
“Babe, let’s get out of here,” Harper said, helping him up.
“Yeah, let’s go.” All of Dylan’s earlier bravado had completely vanished.
The police officers entered, quickly assessing the scene. “What happened here? ”
“They attacked us,” Arabella stated, pointing to the incapacitated thugs.
“Take them into custody, ” the lead officer ordered. He then turned to Arabella. “You’ll need to come with us to give a statement p>
“Ethan needs to go to the hospital first for his injuries. I’ll come with you,” Arabella said.
“Arabella, I’ll handle this. You stay with Ethan,” Alfred interjected, giving her shoulder a reassuring pat. “Don’t worry, I can manage the report alone p>
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Chapter 281 A Hollow Victory
“Alright,” Arabella agreed, knowing Alfred would indeed handle it efficiently.
Soon, everyone went their separate ways.
Once in the car, Arabella took the driver’s seat.
‘Ethan, how are you feeling?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
‘I’m fine. This is barely a scratch,” Ethan tried to reassure her.
Arabella felt a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry, Ethan. You got hurt because of me p>
‘Don’t be silly. I’m your brother.” Her safety was all that mattered; his minor injuries were irrelevant.
Arabella bit her lip slightly, her expression downcast.
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Seeing her self–blame, Ethan changed the subject. “It’s understandable you considered Edward’s feelings, but you really shouldn’t have let those two off so easily. I think Edward would understand p>
After all, Dylan and Harper had come with malicious intent.
‘I know. Edward wouldn’t take their side,” Arabella said, a bit of her usual spirit returning at the mention of Edward.
‘Then why let them go?” Ethan was puzzled.
Ethan, truthfully, I was mostly bluffing earlier. We don’t have definitive proof, and the outcome wasn’t guaranteed,” Arabella explained.
than understood and added, “You don’t need to worry about that. Even with circumstantial evidence, what happened today vould have made them pay a steep price p>
‘I know, but that wouldn’t have been enough. I want to hit them where it really hurts–make sure they can’t bounce back,” Arabella said, her eyes growing colder. She avoided trouble when possible, but when it came, she preferred to wait for the perfect moment
o strike decisively.
‘So today was just a warning. You let them think you’d show mercy, so they’d lower their guard,” Ethan deduced, grasping her strategy.
‘They hurt you,” Arabella said coldly. Since returning to the Hamilton family, she hadn’t yet been able to fully repay their love, and now Ethan had gotten injured because of her. It cut deep.
Making Dylan kneel was simply giving him a taste of his own medicine–letting him suffer the humiliation he’d intended for her.
Ethan smiled fondly. “I’m touched my little sister is standing up for me p>
“You’re hurt, and you’re still smiling,” Arabella muttered unhappily.
“Don’t worry. I’m alright. But Dylan might need to lie low for a few days when he gets home,” Ethan said with a light chuckle.
Arabella looked surprised. “Huh p>
“Those kicks from Alfred were perfectly placed. On the surface, Dylan seems okay, but he’ll be feeling it later p>
“Oh, I see,” Arabella said, quietly impressed. Those with real combat skills knew exactly what they were doing.
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Chapter 281 A Hollow Victory
“Alright, no more long faces,” Ethan reassured her.
Arabella glanced at him. “Let’s get to the hospital first and have your injuries properly checked p>
“Okay,” Ethan agreed, knowing she wouldn’t rest easy until he was cleared by a doctor.
Harper half–supported Dylan as they rushed into the ER.
“Doctor! He’s hurt! You need to check him right away!” Harper urged anxiously.
“Let me take a look,” the doctor said, beginning his examination and ordering initial scans.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.