Her Eyebrows Rise In Shock

"You had been lurking in the shadows for twelve years, but today is the day that ends," Andretti said, casting a glance toward Ava and Zoe.

"Your daughters are quite beautiful, but it's a shame they won't be seeing their parents anymore," he added with a sinister smirk.

Ava, Zoe, and Eliana were already in tears. Although Ava and Zoe didn't fully understand the situation, the tension in the air felt suffocating and dangerous. Eliana held them tightly, pressing their faces against her chest to shield them from the unfolding horror.

"Please, spare my family. Do whatever you want with me," Sebastian pleaded, desperation in his voice as an ominous grin spread across Andretti's face.

"You can't tell a devil what to do," Andretti muttered with a sinister grin as he pulled a gun from his pocket.

Sebastian's eyes widened in shock, mirroring Eliana's expression. She found herself praying silently, hoping nothing would happen to them.

This was the first day they had felt truly happy in years, but now it seemed fate was against them. She wished desperately that this was all just a nightmare.

Her thoughts shattered when Andretti aimed the gun at Sebastian, and her heart skipped a beat.

The ballroom was thick with an air of danger, and the guests could sense it, some were so terrified they felt they might pee on themselves.

"Say your last words, Sebastian," Andretti said in a deep, resonant voice that sent shivers through the crowd.

"Please," Sebastian mumbled, tears welling in his eyes.

"Please don't kill..." Before he could finish, Andretti pulled the trigger, and the bullet struck Sebastian in the head.

Sebastian shrieked before collapsing to the floor, his body going limp. Eliana had already left Ava and Zoe, she rushed to Sebastian's side.

"Please, Sebastian, open your eyes! Please!" she cried, her voice filled with anguish as she shook him, but he didn't respond. He was already gone.

At that moment, her world shattered, and a fiery rage ignited within her.

"It's your turn now, you need to go and join your husband," Andretti said, and Eliana turned to him, her eyes blazing with fury and grief.

"What did our family do to you? You killed my husband!" Eliana shouted through her tears, her voice trembling with anguish while Andretti laughed cruelly in response.

"You know exactly what your family did wrong, and I don't have time to waste. You should go and join your husband," he said with a chilling smile. With that, he fired a bullet from his gun, striking her in the chest. Blood spilled from Eliana's mouth as she collapsed beside Sebastian, her breath fading away.

Ava and Zoe rushed to their parents, their small hands trembling as they clung to Eliana and Sebastian, hot tears streaming down their faces.

"Mom! Dad! Open your eyes!" Ava cried while Andretti savored the scene before him, a twisted smile on his face. Just then, the wail of police sirens pierced the air.

"Dammit! Those bastards! I was enjoying this show," Andretti growled, frustration evident in his voice. "But I'll continue when we get to the castle."

"Take them with me," He commanded.

"Okay, boss," Two of his men replied, while the other two fell in line behind them.

The two boys grabbed Ava and Zoe, attempting to carry them away from their parents. Despite their desperate struggles to break free, the girls were no match for their strength. As they were taken outside, Ava and Zoe called out for their parents, tears streaming down their faces.

By the time the police rushed in, it was too late, the boys had already vanished, and the guests emerged from their hiding spots.

Some of the officers sprinted out of the house in pursuit of Andretti, hoping to catch him before he could escape.

...

The car sped down the road, and Ava and Zoe couldn't hold back their tears, crying even harder.

Andretti's annoyance grew with their sobs.

"Can you both be quiet? You're disturbing my ears with your noise. Your parents offended me, and death is the only way to repay them. Get that into your heads!" he yelled, but his words did nothing to stop their tears.

Ava only cried louder.

"Stop the car," Andretti commanded the driver, who immediately brought the car to a halt.

Without hesitation, Andretti flung open the door and yanked Ava out of the car. Zoe tried to follow, but one of Andretti's men held her back.

"Let go of my sister!" Zoe shouted, panic rising in her voice.

"Since you can't keep quiet, you can go meet your parents right now," Andretti said with a wicked grin as he lifted Ava off the ground. They were standing on the edge of the bridge.

"Let go of me! I will..." Before Ava could finish her sentence, Andretti hurled her off the bridge. Zoe's eyes widened in horror as she screamed Ava's name.

TEN YEARS LATER

A woman stood in front of the mirror, brushing her long hair that nearly reached her waist. Her flawless, feminine figure and glowing, snow-white skin shimmered under the dim light.

She was so engrossed in her task that she didn't notice the door open. A girl in a maid's uniform stepped inside.

"Ava," The girl in the maid's uniform called. Ava dropped the comb she had been holding onto the dressing table and turned to face her with a bright smile.

"How do I look?" Ava asked, twirling in front of Gemma.

"You look stunning, as always," Gemma replied, and went to sit on the single couch in Ava's room.

It happened, Andretti really threw her off the bridge, and she had fallen into the river. But thankfully, Ava knew how to swim.

She couldn't swim for long when exhaustion set in, and ten-year-old Ava was on the verge of giving up. Just then, Robert and Juliette spotted her from their ship on that fateful day. Since then, she has become their adopted daughter.

The couple had no children of their own, as Juliette was unable to conceive, and Ava was the best thing that had ever happened to them since they found her.

"I've been waiting for you to brush my hair. I love it when you brush my hair," Ava mumbled as she walked closer to Gemma.

"I'm sorry, I didn't have an excuse," Gemma replied, prompting a chuckle from Ava. Aside from being the maid, Gemma had been a close friend of Ava's ever since Robert and Juliette brought her into the house.

Gemma had been working for Robert and Juliette since she was nine years old, following in her mother's footsteps, who also worked as a maid in the household.

"Are you not going to be late?" Gemma asked, standing up from the couch.

"I'm leaving now, I just need to grab my bag," Ava replied as she walked into her dressing room.

"Okay, I'll be downstairs," Gemma said, heading out of the room.

Ava quickly picked up her pink bag and hurried out of the dressing room.

The outfit she wore exuded an air of luxury, even though it was all in shades of pink, including her high heels.

She was putting on pink high-waist jeans and a matching pink crop top, her hair cascading down to her waist, giving her a classy yet cute look.

Just as she was about to dash out of her room, she noticed her wrist felt empty.

She had forgotten to put on her bracelet.

"Oh my goodness, I nearly forgot," she mumbled, turning back to her dressing table.

She picked up the bracelet and couldn't help but stare at it, it brought back a flood of memories.

She could remember when Sebastian gave them the bracelets on their birthday, and how he wore it on their wrist. That day wasn't one she wanted to remember, but she couldn't shake the image from her mind, the moment their parents were killed, leaving them shattered.

The memory of being separated from Zoe and nearly losing her own life haunted her, and tears streamed down her face as she thought about it.

"If Zoe is still alive, I hope she still has hers with her. I miss them so much," she mumbled, sniffling.

Doubting whether Zoe is still alive, Ava hired private detectives for the past five years, but they haven't found any leads, and it breaks her heart every day.

"If you're out there, I hope you're searching for me just as desperately as I'm searching for you," Ava mumbled, folding the bracelet in her hand and hugging it to her chest.

"Tomorrow is our birthday, and the anniversary of our parents' death. I want to find you so we can avenge what happened to them, and to us. Please show up if you're still alive," Ava mumbled, sniffling as she held back tears. She remained in that position for a few moments before putting the bracelet back on her wrist, a sad smile crossing her face.

After fastening it, she walked out of the room, her expression heavy with sorrow.

...

Ava descended the stairs and headed straight for the dining room, knowing she would find Robert and Juliet there.

Upon arriving, Ava was surprised to find only Juliette there.

"Good morning, Mom," she mumbled, leaning in to peck Juliette on the cheek.

"Morning, angel," Juliette replied, a smile lighting up her face.

"Where's Dad?" Ava asked, glancing around.

"There was an emergency at the company, and he had to leave early to handle it," Juliette explained. Ava nodded slowly, absorbing the news.

"I'm leaving," Ava said, leaning in to give Juliette another peck on the cheek. But she paused when Juliette spoke.

"What? You're not going to eat before you go? I can't let you leave this house without something in your stomach," Juliette insisted, and Ava pouted in response.

"You don't have to worry, I'll eat when I get to school. I'm already late," Ava mumbled.

"No excuses will change my mind. You need to sit and eat your food, you need energy before going to school," Juliette said firmly. Ava sighed and sat down beside her, realizing that no amount of persuasion would sway her mother. She should have known they would never let her go hungry.

A maid approached to serve her food, and Ava began eating once the maid was done.

Ava was eating quickly, completely unaware of Juliette's eyes on her until she looked up from her food.

"What?" Ava asked, meeting Juliette's gaze.

"You're so pretty, my angel," Juliette said softly, causing Ava to smile.

"I know you're eagerly searching for your sister, and I understand that, but please don't forget about us when you find her."

"You have no idea how happy we are to have you in our lives. You never made me feel like the barren I was. I couldn't bear it if you left us. You can ask for anything, and we'll do whatever it takes to keep you with us," Juliette said, her expression serious.

Ava gently took Juliette's hand under the table, a soft smile on her face.

"You may not realize it, but what you and Dad have done for me means everything. You've become my family since you adopted me, and that will never change. But I need to find my sister," Ava said, her voice steady. Juliette nodded in understanding.

"I'm happy for you, and if you need our help in finding your sister, we'll gladly assist," Juliette replied.

"Okay," Ava said, her determination clear.

"Mom, I'm late. I need to leave right now," Ava said, standing up from the chair before rushing out of the dining room.

"But you barely ate! Wait! Let the maid pack some food for you to take with you," Juliette called after Ava, but she didn't turn back and quickly rushed out of sight.

Juliette smiled to herself before continuing her meal.

TREASURE COLLEGE*

The drive to school took nearly an hour, and as soon as the driver parked the car, Ava jumped out, forgetting her bag inside.

As Ava's driver, Xavier was about to start the car, he noticed her bag in the back seat through the rearview mirror. He quickly got out of the car.

"Oh, she forgot her bag," he mumbled, opening the back door and retrieving it.

"How will I know her class?" he wondered aloud, feeling a bit confused. Nevertheless, he began walking toward the school with Ava's bag in his hand.

The school catered exclusively to wealthy students and was also the largest and most prestigious institution in the country.

Xavier stepped inside.

...

Ava rushed into the classroom, breathing heavily. Once she finally calmed down, she looked around but saw no sign of the lecturer.

"Pinkie!" Amy called out, waving from the back seat. That was the nickname Ava's friends had given her because pink was her favorite color.

Ava smiled and made her way to join her three friends, Amy, Molly, and Haven. They had been friends since high school and remained her closest companions in college.

She settled into her seat between Haven and Amy.

"Why is there no lecturer in the class?" Ava asked.

"The class was shifted at the last minute, so you're safe, pinkie," Molly replied, and Ava let out a loud exhale.

"I love your dress," Amy commented.

"Thank you!" Ava said, smiling.

"I can't help but feel a bit jealous of your beauty. I desperately want to be like you, but it just doesn't seem to work," Molly admitted.

"I'm not surprised, this isn't the first time you've said that," Haven remarked flatly, prompting a chuckle from Amy.

"I'm dead serious, babe. I even tried her skincare routine, but it doesn't work," Molly insisted, her expression serious.

"Okay, but just give up. You'll never be like her," Haven replied.

"I know that, but why are you always on my neck? You could at least say it nicely," Molly said, rolling her eyes.

"I don't have any nice words left. I just say what comes to my mind, and it's always the truth," Haven said, trying hard to provoke Molly.

"Stop it, guys. And Molly, you don't have to be like me. I like you just the way you are because you're cute," Ava said reassuringly.

"Thank you, Pinkie," Molly replied with a shy smile, and Ava nodded in response.

Suddenly, Ava's gaze landed on Ryan, who was engrossed in his phone. She smiled at the sight.

"He's so damn handsome," Ava thought to herself, her eyes fixed on him. He never spoke to anyone at school and always seemed moody. Despite never having seen him smile, she found herself falling deeply in love with him. She didn't dare approach him to confess her feelings, so she continued to love him in secret.

"I don't even know if he knows I exist," Ava mused with a pout. "He's never looked at me or spoken to me," Ava mumbled, lost in thought.

While Ava was busy staring at Ryan, Nico had been watching her since she entered the classroom, but she remained oblivious to his gaze.

Ryan glanced up from his phone, about to look in Ava's direction, but she quickly averted her eyes.

"That was so close," Ava mumbled to herself.

"Pinkie, have you seen the latest gossip on the school blog?" Amy asked, and Ava shrugged in response.

"You should check it out," Amy mumbled. Ava was about to pull out her phone when she realized her bag was missing.

"Oh my goodness, I left my bag in the car!" Ava exclaimed, immediately standing up from her chair.

"I'll be back, babes," she said.

"Sure," they replied as Ava hurried out of the classroom.

Fortunately, she spotted Xavier on her way.

"Xavier!" Ava called, walking closer to him. Xavier paused and turned to face her.

"I've been looking for you. You left your bag in the car," Xavier said as Ava approached him. He had been wandering around the school since he didn't know Ava's class.

"Thank you," Ava mumbled, taking the bag from him. He responded with a nod.

"I'll be on my way," Xavier said.

"Okay," Ava replied, and Xavier turned to leave.

As Ava was about to head back to her class, something caught her eye, causing her eyebrows to rise in shock.