Chapter (3): Betrayal at the fountain
Here's an improved, more imaginative, and realistic rewrite of your chapter with corrected grammar and enhanced flow:
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"Sir, your presence is needed," a voice interrupted, startling them. A short man entered the room—not quite a dwarf but certainly on the shorter side.
"Now?"
"Yes, sir."
"Miss Kornels, we'll have to continue this another time. In the meantime, feel free to look around and see if you can find any solutions for yourself," Mr. Rogers said with a polite yet dismissive tone.
"Thank you, Mr. Rogers," Kayla replied, forcing a smile. She stood, smoothing her skirt, and made her way out of the exquisite law firm.
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Outside
Sitting in her car, Kayla rested her head on the steering wheel, her mind racing with possible ways to get help. Eventually, she decided to reach out to her friends.
She dialed the first number on her list.
"Who is this?" a hoarse voice grumbled from the other end.
"It's—" Kayla began, but her words were drowned out by the sudden arrival of hungry paparazzi.
"Miss Kornels! How does it feel to fall from grace—from number one to zero?" one of them yelled, shoving a camera in her face.
She froze. Wait, what? How did they even know she was here? For crying out loud, this was exactly what she'd been trying to avoid.
"Miss Kornels, how do you respond to allegations—" another started, but Kayla didn't wait to hear the rest.
Heart pounding, she slammed her foot on the accelerator, sending her car screeching forward. Cameras flashed, and she barely missed hitting one of them as she sped away recklessly.
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An Escape
After driving aimlessly for what felt like hours, she finally found herself in a quiet alley. The silence felt like a blessing. She parked the car, pulled out her phone again, and dialed Ellen's number.
The number you're trying to call is currently switched off. Please try again later.
Kayla sighed, but before she could hang up, she heard a faint sneeze on the line. Her brow furrowed. Was that Ellen? The voice was unmistakable.
"Seriously?" Kayla muttered, feeling a pang of betrayal. Ellen was avoiding her.
Her next thought was Hailey. Surely Hailey would help—after all, her parents had benefited greatly from Kayla's family in the past. She dialed Hailey's number.
"This is Hailey Baldwin speaking," came the clipped response.
"Thank God, Hailey! Listen, I've been trying to reach Ellen, but she's been ignoring me. I need a favor," Kayla began, her voice laced with desperation.
On the other end, Hailey rolled her eyes and glared at the phone as if Kayla could see her. She debated hanging up but decided to let Kayla finish her "nonsense."
"Can I borrow some money? I'll pay you back as soon as I—"
Click.
"Number busy. Number busy. Phone switched off," Kayla mimicked sarcastically, staring at her phone in disbelief.
"HAILEY! Oh no, you didn't!" she yelled, slamming her fist against the steering wheel.
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Desperation
Left with no other option, Kayla dialed Amy's number.
"Hello?" Amy answered cautiously.
"Hey, Amy. Can I ask you for a favor?" Kayla said, forcing herself to sound calm.
"What kind of favor?"
"I... I need to borrow some money. I promise, once I win this case, I'll pay you back," Kayla pleaded, her voice breaking slightly.
There was a long pause before Amy sighed.
"Kayla, let me be honest with you. My parents have warned me not to get involved with you right now, especially with all the scandals surrounding your family. I wish I could help, but—"
Click.
Kayla hung up before Amy could finish. She bit her lip hard, the sting helping her hold back tears.
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The Last Resort
Her final hope was Aaron. Determined, she drove to his house.
When she rang the doorbell, a young maid answered.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm here to see Aaron," Kayla said with a hopeful smile.
"He said to tell you he's not home," the maid replied bluntly.
Kayla frowned. "Tell him it's his girlfriend—"
BAM. The door was slammed in her face.
"Rude much," she muttered under her breath.
Just as she was about to leave, her phone rang.
"Miss Kayla," came Mr. Rogers' voice.
"Mr. Rogers!"
"I've managed to arrange an appointment with your parents. You'll be able to see them tomorrow at nine o'clock sharp."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Rogers! I can't tell you how much this means to me," Kayla said, a genuine smile spreading across her face.
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Confronting Aaron
As she turned to leave Aaron's property, she caught sight of him near the fountain, snapping selfies with some fish he'd just caught.
She dialed his number.
Ring... ring...
"Hey, babe!" Aaron answered casually.
"Aaron, where are you?" Kayla asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Uh, I'm on a plane to Paris right now," he lied smoothly.
Kayla's jaw dropped. "A plane? Really? Because I can see you by the fountain."
There was a pause. "Wha—what are you talking about?"
"Don't even bother, Aaron. I'm looking right at you," she said, marching toward him.
"Baby, I was just trying to surprise you—SURPRISE!" he said with a nervous laugh.
"The award for Best Liar goes to Aaron Taylor," Kayla said, clapping sarcastically.
Aaron tried to hug her, but she pushed him away.
"Don't. You. Dare. Aaron, it's over between us," she said firmly.
Aaron smirked, unfazed. "Oh, Kayla. Who else would want to be with the daughter of a thief and a murderer?"
Kayla's hand flew toward his face, but he caught her wrist mid-air.
"Careful, Kayla," he said darkly, his smirk deepening. "Unless you've got a death wish."
For a moment, she stared at him in disbelief. This wasn't the Aaron she thought she knew.
"Get out of my house, Kayla. And don't come back. Or I'll sue you for trespassing."
Kayla clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. As he walked away, she whispered to herself, "I'll deal with you, Aaron. Just wait."
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