Chapter 2: Betrayal and Tragedy

Ava's POV

My heart was pounding as I rushed into the elevator, pressing the button for the top floor over and over. I needed to get to Dad's office. My whole world had fallen apart in just a few hours, and I needed something solid to hold onto.

The elevator doors finally opened, and I stumbled out. Dad's office took up the entire top floor of the building - the penthouse suite, as he liked to call it. The view from up here was usually breathtaking, but today I barely noticed it.

I was relieved to find the office empty. Wiping my tears, I went straight to Dad's desk. I had to find that contract - the one I'd begged him to sign. It said that once I got married, Gabe would take my place as the acting chairperson of the company.

How could I have been so blind? Dad never liked Gabe, but I thought he was just being overprotective. Now I understand. But even knowing what Gabe had done, my heart still ached. I loved him so much. How could he betray me like this?

I rifled through the drawers, my vision blurry with tears. Finally, I found the contract. Without hesitating, I ripped it to shreds. Gabe would never get his hands on my family's company.

I was about to leave when I heard footsteps and voices coming towards the office. Panicking, I dove under the desk, covering my mouth to muffle my breathing.

The door opened, and I recognized Dad's heavy footsteps. Then I heard the click of high heels - Grace. I peeked out and saw Dad hand her a document. Then he walked out to the balcony, leaving Grace alone in the office.

I watched as Grace looked at what seemed to be a photo. Her face changed, looking shocked and angry. She stormed out to the balcony. I couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but their voices were raised in argument.

What happened next was like a nightmare. Grace pulled something out - it looked like a thin cord or wire. Before I could even process what was happening, she wrapped it around Dad's neck and pushed him.

I watched in horror as my father fell from the balcony.

I wanted to scream, to run to him, but I was frozen in place. The fall from this height - nobody could survive that. My dad was gone.

Grace rushed out of the office like nothing had happened. I could hear screams starting from the street below.

I crawled out from under the desk, my whole body shaking. I couldn't think straight, but I knew I had to do something. I grabbed Dad's laptop and stuffed it into a backpack I found in the office. Then I snatched up the keys to the car he'd given me as a wedding gift.

I ran out of the office, my mind racing. But as I turned the corner, I collided with Grace. We both froze, staring at each other. Then she started screaming.

"It's Ava! It's Ava! She killed her father!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She was trying to frame me! I pushed past her and ran for the elevator, my heart feeling like it would burst out of my chest.

I made it to the back garage and jumped into the car. As I peeled out of the parking lot, I saw another car start to follow me.

I drove as fast as I could, my hands shaking on the steering wheel. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions - grief for my father, betrayal from Gabe and Sophie, fear of what Grace had done and what she might do to me. Tears streamed down my face, making it hard to see the road.

I felt like I couldn't breathe. How had everything gone so wrong? This morning, I was excited about my wedding. Now, I had lost everything - my fiancé, my best friend, and my father. I was alone, running for my life.

As I approached a bridge, I noticed a sign telling drivers to slow down. But I couldn't slow down - not with two cars now following me. A car with the plate number KLM421 zoomed past me. For a moment, I felt relieved, thinking maybe the cars weren't after me after all.

I turned on the radio, desperate for something to drown out my thoughts. A song came on - one that Dad used to sing to me when I was little. Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks as I sang along, my voice cracking.

Suddenly, a blinding light flashed in my eyes. A car was coming straight at me, its high beams on full. I couldn't see anything. I jerked the wheel, trying to get out of the way.

Everything happened so fast. I felt the car hit the edge of the bridge. Then we were falling.

The impact with the water was like hitting a wall. Water rushed in through the windows. I fumbled with my seatbelt, my fingers clumsy with panic.

Is this how I'm going to die? I thought. I can't die here, not with Dad's killer still out there.

I pushed against the door, but the pressure of the water held it shut. I kept trying, my lungs burning for air. But the car was sinking fast, and my strength was fading.

As my vision started to go dark, I had one last thought: I'm

sorry, Dad. I'm so sorry.

Then everything went black.