Chapter 94 - Her Selfrespect
Willingly or unwillingly, Aarvi has to watch the adults' game of bruising and hurting. There was a day, she was weeping and shrieking in pain when Vance watched her like an animal enjoying himself holding a wine flute in hand.
What Vance was going through was nothing compared to what she had gone through. Vance was just in physical pain but they hadn't only tortured her physically but her soul had screamed in agony, her inner self had left her, she had tried to bite her tongue off and suicide, her psyche was trembling wishing she was never born.
Aaron who was next to Aarvi realized her trembling hands putting on a calm composure. Her eyes were on the boxing ring but he knew they weren't focused on them but she was reminiscing her nightmares.
He wanted to pull her to his arms and assure her nothing will go wrong again, maybe to assure himself that he is now capable to protect her even if her plans fail. But he didn't act recklessly, she might be weak about a few things yet she was stronger than one could think of.
Aaron slowly kept his left backhand on her leg stretching his finger out. Aarvi suddenly took a deep breath, distracting from her memories by the touch. Her tensed body relaxed looking at Aaron's hand.
She accepts she wasn't capable as Vance to watch somebody whacked hence she decided to keep her attention away and there was no one better than Aaron. Instead of holding his hand what he was expecting, she pulled his hand on her lap and compared it with her palm.
"Why am I so small? My hand looks like a kid's palm next to you."
Aaron sighed internally, although she doesn't play by rules, he was glad she was distracted from her memories. Shawn who heard her mellow voice turned to witness her comparing her little palm with his brother's. Now he learned that he will be fed with dog food in the coming days.
He was thinking he doesn't stay with them for the dogfood but little did he know they will soon stay together.
Nevertheless, Shawn's attention went back to the men in the ring curious about what Dax was telling. He wanted to go there and beat the shit out of Vance, yet he knows Aarvi would never let them hurt their image. He, the Prince of Mocon, and Dax, the pacesetter, the top-dog, the vanquisher... Uff! Shawn didn't want to list them because each article of Dax gets him a new title.
Some were envious of Aarvi looking at how Aaron was indulging her despite people around them but their attention was pulled back to Dax each time they heard a punch.
Out of all, one person's attention was on the couple. Nico kind of had a feeling everything was planned but he had no proof to prove it. 'If everything is planned, are Shawn and Brother Aaron are in the plan? Why will they want to hurt Vance?' He was failing to join the dots and each of the thoughts was ending him at 'Ms. Evans is Ava Kelly.'
Vance Hays's friends were dreaded, they wanted to stop the fight but didn't want to disgrace Vance hence they just prayed Vance to get back to his form or just give up to keep his bones safe. They had laughed at Dax but now they wanted to slap their mouth for underestimating him each time.
Dax wanted to break the rules and crack the bones but controlled himself because Aarvi's name was included. "I am letting you live because you didn't marry and ruin her life." He slammed Vance head hard and knocked him out before going away trying to subside his anger
Aarvi knew well what Dax was saying. The latter had coaxed her to tell a few things to provoke Vance so she just disclosed less sensitive things even though she knew Dax wanted to know a lot more.
The innocent Ava was very easy to know any truth out of her but however Dax tried to know by asking her, she was too meticulous with her words. Dax wasn't sure whether he should be happy for seeing her strong or feel bad for seeing her toughen up considering her real self as weak.
Vance's friends quickly took the water bottle and went to Vance who was laying on the ring having no strength to move. "Brother Vance, what happened to you? Why didn't you fight back?"
"Brother Vance, let's go to the hospital. Blake, call for an ambulance."
One by one, they took care of Vance who leaned on the post and met Aarvi's gaze. It was a lifeless gaze but that reminded Ava's eyes when the bullet pierced her heart and she fell down without life in the body and lost the breath. That gaze had haunted him for months, he felt hard to breathe watching Aarvi.
Elliot who saw his line of sigh scoffed, "Brother Vance, forget about that unprofessional company. Health and body are important."
Aarvi stood up moving Aaron's hand away from her lap and went towards Vance towed by Shawn. Dax turned grim seeing her go to Vance and looked away from them but he didn't know her plan.
'Was game over for Hays?' Nope, She had just begun.
Elliot glared at Aarvi as though she was behind Vance state but Vance tried his best to look anywhere but not her. Shawn looked at Vance and snorted, "Dax obviously saved his face. If I was him, I would make sure he never wakes up."
Aarvi turned to Shawn and worded clearly in her mellifluous voice, "Ava Kelly!?" She sounded as though she didn't know her.
It was a hair raising movement for Vance who stiffened without daring to meet anyone's gaze. He regrets, he still regrets whatever he did with Ava however he really didn't know how she got into the eye of Leon Harmon. He just supported them and he wasn't the actual reason behind her death yet he can't stop regretting his actions because he could have saved her from all of it.
What was the price he asked for saving Ava? Her self-respect, her dignity, her pride.
How could he expect Ava to beg and apologize when she hadn't done anything to him? Why does she have to agree to be his mistress or a plaything and ask her grandfather to support Hays International?
Didn't he feel it ludicrous saying those words?
Now Aarvi will collect the debt with interest to the range they should tremble by the thought of her.