Chapter172 The One Who Ordered My Kidnapping... Was You, Ariana
Ariana stumbled, a flicker of panic flashing in her eyes.
But it only lasted a moment. She quickly composed herself, turned around, and put on an expression of confusion mixed with offended anger.
"Miranda, have you lost your mind?"
Ariana took a deep breath, her voice trembling as if she'd been wronged. "I know you won the competition and want to humiliate me, but how can you joke about something like this? Kidnapping? I have no idea what you're talking about!"
Without daring to look at Miranda, she clutched her limited edition handbag tighter and hurried toward the venue's main entrance.
Her steps were rapid, her heels clicking chaotically against the marble floor, matching the wild pounding of her heart.
But she'd barely taken two steps when Miranda caught up and blocked her path.
Miranda showed no signs of fatigue from her speech. Instead, the confrontation seemed to unleash an intimidating presence around her.
She raised one hand to stop Ariana. Her sleeve rode up with the movement, revealing the red marks on her wrist from the ropes.
"You don't understand?"
Miranda's voice was ice cold. "Is it that you really don't understand, or that you're afraid to?"
"Get out of my way!" Ariana shrieked, reaching out to push her aside. "I don't know what you're talking about. You're insane!"
Miranda didn't budge. Her eyes fixed on Ariana's face, which was twitching slightly from guilt.
"Since you don't understand, let me be more specific."
"This morning, on my way to the competition, I was kidnapped in a premeditated attack. The kidnapper's name was Zron. He locked me in an abandoned clinic on the west side of the city. He didn't just demand ransom. He also planted two modified gas tank bombs in the basement."
"His goal was simple: stop me from competing, take my money and assets, then detonate the bombs to make it look like an accident."
With each word, Miranda took a step closer, her gaze peeling away Ariana's mask layer by layer.
"And the person who orchestrated all of this, who wanted me dead... was you, Ariana."
The moment these words left her mouth, the entire venue erupted.
The audience and judges, still reeling from the plagiarism revelation, now gasped in shock, their eyes wide.
"Kidnapping? And trying to blow someone up? My God, this is a civilized society!"
"If this is true, that's absolutely vicious! Willing to kill someone just to win a competition?"
"I knew there had to be a reason Miranda almost arrived late. She went through something this terrifying!"
The cameras that had been focused on the stage swiveled in unison toward Ariana's ashen face.
Flashes exploded in a frenzy, shutters clicking continuously, capturing every detail of Ariana's disheveled panic.
Several bold reporters had already rushed to the front with their microphones.
"Ariana, is what Miranda said true?"
"Did you really hire someone to kill her for the shares and the competition? Please respond!"
Ariana stumbled backward under the barrage of questions. The blinding flashes made her eyes sting.
The terror of imminent ruin felt like invisible hands crushing her throat.
"Shut up! All of you, shut up!"
Ariana screamed hysterically, her carefully maintained elegant image completely shattered.
She whipped her head around, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Miranda, filled with venom.
"Miranda, you're lying! You're slandering me!"
"What proof do you have? Just your word? This is defamation! I'll sue you for libel!"
As she shouted, she suddenly shoved Miranda with all her strength.
Though Miranda was on guard, she was still injured, and her high heels made her unsteady. The push sent her staggering backward, nearly falling.
Taking advantage of the moment, Ariana went wild, shoving aside the reporters in her way and sprinting toward the door that represented freedom.
If she could just get out!
If she could just get back to the Lancasters, or find Harrison, she might still be saved!
Five meters. Three meters. One meter!
The door was right there!
A glimmer of hope sparked in Ariana's eyes. She reached out and pushed against the heavy carved wooden door with all her might.
Bang!
The door swung open.
But what greeted her wasn't fresh air or the busy street outside.
It was a solid wall of people.
Those crisp uniforms instantly shattered all of Ariana's illusions.
Over a dozen fully equipped police officers had already sealed off every exit from the venue.
The lead officer regarded the panicked woman trying to rush out with a cold expression. He pulled his badge from his jacket pocket and held it up in front of Ariana.
"Ariana, this is my police identification."
The officer's voice was flat, without any inflection. "You are suspected of involvement in a kidnapping, extortion, and attempted murder case. Please come with us to the station to assist with the investigation."
Ariana froze completely.
She stared at the badge inches from her face, her mind going blank with a buzzing sound.
"No... it wasn't me..."
Her face was deathly pale as she shook her head frantically, unconsciously backing away. "You've got the wrong person. It really wasn't me... I didn't kidnap anyone or hire anyone to kill. You can't arrest me!"
She rambled incoherently while her eyes darted around, searching for any gap to escape through.
The police had seen this type countless times. They remained unmoved.
"Whether it was you or not will be determined after questioning at the station. The suspect Zron has already confessed everything and provided your bank transfer records and phone recordings."
The officer's tone grew heavier. "Ariana, please cooperate. Otherwise, we will use force."
Hearing "Zron confessed," Ariana's last psychological defense crumbled completely.
That useless fool! He actually sold her out!
When fear reached its peak, it turned into madness.
"I won't go! I'm innocent! Miranda is framing me!"
Ariana screamed and suddenly lunged, trying to squeeze through the gap between two officers.
She couldn't go in there. If she went to that place, her life would be over! She still had to marry Harrison. She still had to be on top of the world!
"Restrain her!"
The lead officer frowned and gave a look to the two officers beside him.
The two well-trained officers reacted instantly, stepping forward and grabbing Ariana's arms from both sides.
"Ah! Let go of me! You're hurting me!"
Ariana struggled desperately, kicking off one of her heels, her hair in disarray, throwing a tantrum like a madwoman.
Click!
A crisp metallic sound rang out.
Handcuffs locked around Ariana's well-manicured wrists.