Chapter 82

Chapter 82:

Bobby and Cristian both wore cold, angry expressions, clearly disturbed by what had happened. Cristian, especially, was not only furious but also overwhelmed with guilt and self-blame. He had been the one to invite Fernanda to the race, yet he hadn’t been able to protect her, which led to her serious injury.

“The person who tampered with the brakes on your bike and the man who hit you—I will find them both,” Cristian promised Fernanda, his voice firm. “I’ll make sure you get answers p>

Fernanda was touched by Cristian’s sincerity, her heart fluttering just a little. She gave a small nod and whispered, “Okay p>

Bobby, on the other hand, was angrily cursing the person responsible. He only paused when his throat became dry, his rage momentarily silenced. He glanced over at Fernanda and lifted his chin, his voice steady. “Don’t worry. With Cristian and me around, no one will dare hurt you again. Once we track that jerk down, I’ll make sure he regrets this for the rest of his life p>

That scoundrel had kicked his angel down the slope. Luckily, she’d escaped with just a few scrapes. But if things had turned out differently, the consequences would have been unimaginable—something Bobby couldn’t even bear to think about.

Just then, his phone rang. It was Ava.

He picked up, and without wasting a moment, Ava’s voice came through, full of concern. “What’s happening? Is everything okay p>

“Cristian is fine. It was a friend of ours who got into a small accident,” Bobby explained.

Ava’s heart skipped a beat at his words.

Since Cristian was okay, she knew it must have been Fernanda who was hurt. The realization hit her like a wave, and her hands shook so badly that she could barely hold the phone.

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Fernanda had an accident… Could it be because she had messed with her motorcycle that this happened?

Ava’s mind raced in panic. She knew Fernanda’s personality—there was no way Fernanda would let this slide. She would track down whoever did this, and when that happened… Ava couldn’t even imagine the consequences. What would she do then?

She cursed herself inwardly, already regretting her actions. If she had known how far-reaching the consequences would be, she never would have tampered with the motorcycle in the first place.

Frustrated, Ava stomped her foot and was about to lose her composure when someone called her to get in the car. They informed her that the others who had been at the bottom of the slope had taken a different route, and it was time for them to leave too.

Ava’s mind was a whirlpool of anxiety and confusion. Should she just leave? If she did, she could avoid facing Fernanda and the rest of them when they returned. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

But to her surprise, the entire race venue had been locked down. No one—whether they were there to race or to watch—was allowed to leave. All of this was under Cristian’s orders.

At first, some people grumbled, complaining about having to stay in the cold on the hillside all afternoon when they just wanted to leave. But once they learned about the accident and that their presence was needed for the investigation, all complaints vanished.

Most of the racers were young enthusiasts, driven by their passion for…

Motorcycles and their love of fair competition brought a strong sense of camaraderie among the racers. When they learned that the accident was likely deliberate, they didn’t hesitate to offer their help.

“Ava, do you know what happened?” Minnie approached Ava, her voice full of curiosity. “I mean, there hasn’t been an accident like this in years. So why now p>

Ava was so consumed by the anxiety building inside her that she couldn’t focus on Minnie’s words. Her mind was filled with worries and what-ifs, and everything Minnie said after that faded into the background. The only thing Ava could feel was the knot in her stomach tightening with frustration, her nerves so taut she could hardly breathe.

By the time it was nearing 8 p.m., night had settled in, and the streetlights flickered on. From the hillside, the vast expanse of Esaham’s city lights sparkled below, stretching endlessly into the horizon and casting a soft glow over everything in sight.

Cristian and the others finally returned, and Ava’s eyes locked onto Fernanda, who was lying on a stretcher. It was really Fernanda who had been hurt.

Cristian wasted no time, turning to the organizer and asking for all the photos and videos from the race. He was determined to find the person Fernanda had mentioned—the one who had kicked her down the slope.

They found a group photo from the starting line, where all the racers were lined up. Fernanda leaned in, carefully examining the picture before she pointed to one of them. “That’s him p>

The racers at the starting line were all geared up, their helmets hiding their faces. Bobby, eager to find the culprit, immediately called over a few friends to search the crowd for the person in the photo. But to everyone’s shock, the person was nowhere to be found.

People started asking around, but no one seemed to have noticed him. Cristian’s voice turned sharp, his gaze cold. “Didn’t I tell you to lock down the venue?” he asked the race organizer. “I specifically told you no one should leave p>

The organizer looked genuinely distressed. “Mr. Reed, you’ve got it all wrong. As soon as I got your order, I blocked off the road. No one has left p>

Several members of the race committee backed him up, confirming that neither participants nor spectators had left.

Just then, Bobby’s voice broke through the tension. “Hey, Cristian! Come take a look at this p>

Cristian walked over, noticing another photo in Bobby’s hand. It was a photo from the finish line, showing all the participants. Forty-two riders had competed that day, but only thirty-nine were in the picture. Three people were missing from the photo—Cristian and Fernanda were expected, but the third person was the man in the green racing suit.

“That guy didn’t even finish the race?” Bobby cursed under his breath. “That jerk must’ve slipped away halfway p>

There was just one main road leading down the mountain, but there were several smaller, rugged paths that could offer an escape. Cristian stood silent, his eyes locked on the two photos, his expression cold and intense.

After a long pause, Bobby spoke up. “Even if he ran, we still need to find him. Let’s check the surveillance footage from all the cameras on the way down the mountain. We can spot him; we can’t let him get away p>

“Checking the surveillance might not be enough,” Cristian replied, his tone thoughtful. “If he was prepared, he could’ve changed his clothes p>

All we know is what he was wearing at the start. If he changed, how would we ever recognize him p>

Bobby scratched his head, slowly nodding. Cristian’s words hit home. He was right.

Just then, the inspection report for Fernanda’s motorcycle came through, revealing that a screw was missing from the brake system.

“That screw was definitely taken out on purpose,” Bobby said, his fist slamming the table in anger. “Who could be so cruel p>

Everyone else was equally stunned and uneasy at the outcome. After this accident, who knew what could happen next? Would they be the next ones in danger? They were all waiting for the investigation to get to the bottom of this.

Meanwhile, Ava was trapped in her own anxiety, struggling to breathe with each passing second. She couldn’t stop her eyes from darting nervously between the race organizers as they moved around, the constant motion only making her feel more on edge.

She kept telling herself to stay calm—if she lost it now, everyone would know something was off. This place was temporary, just a makeshift venue with no cameras around, so no one would discover that she was the one who had tampered with Fernanda’s bike. But she couldn’t let her guard down, not even for a second.

The pressure of staying composed weighed heavily on Ava, and despite her constant reassurances, her guilty conscience made it impossible to find any peace.

“Ava, are you cold?” Minnie asked, noticing her shaking. “What’s going on p>

“Yeah, the wind’s a bit chilly tonight,” Ava responded quickly, her voice giving away her nerves.

“I actually have a jacket with me. You should put it on so you don’t catch a cold p>

Minnie, dressed in a long gown, didn’t feel the chill, but Ava, wearing a mini skirt, had goosebumps covering her legs.

Minnie draped the jacket over Ava’s shoulders, but the weight of it and Ava’s nervousness caused it to slip off. Ava quickly reached out to catch the jacket, but as she did, her bag slid off too. In a panic, she lifted her leg to catch it but lost her balance, stumbling and falling, causing the contents of her bag to spill out.

Minnie screamed in shock. “Ava, are you okay p>

Her cry caught the attention of everyone nearby. Fernanda also turned her gaze toward the commotion. She had already sensed that something wasn’t right with Ava. Guilt was hard to hide, and she could see it on Ava’s face.

Fernanda’s eyes followed Ava’s movements to her bag and the items scattered on the ground.

“What’s that, Cristian?” she asked, pointing to a small, shiny object glinting under the light. It looked like a screw.