Chapter47 The Incident
In that instant, Harrison saw a sharp, fierce edge to her beautiful face. He felt a weird, spreading feeling, something that was abrasive yet utterly compelling.
Lisa stood by Miranda. "Over there, and over there, at least three cameras are focused right here," she said. "I'm going to get the manager right now. We'll pull the footage so Mr. Gu can see the truth."
She started toward the manager. Ariana felt a jolt of panic. She absolutely couldn't let Harrison see the footage of her raising the glass to attack Miranda.
She immediately grabbed Harrison’s arm, forcing a terrible smile. "It's fine, Harrison. My cousin is just like that. Let’s drop it. My aunt and uncle have helped me out so much over the years, I don't want things to get ugly over something this small." She shook his arm, softening her voice. "We came here to eat. Don't let me ruin her party because of this."
"Your face looks bad," Harrison said, seeing her swollen cheek.
"I'm fine," Ariana insisted, forcing a brave smile. "It doesn't hurt." She quickly pulled the still-stunned Harrison back to their table.
Once they sat, Harrison sympathetically grabbed ice from the bucket, wrapped it in a clean napkin, and gave it to her. "Hold this on it." He then kindly cut her steak and put her favorite foods on her plate.
Ariana kept her soft smile while watching him, but her hands were clenched tightly under the table, her nails digging into her palms. Damn Miranda! She wanted her dead right now!
Ariana barely tasted her meal.
Watching Miranda's group finish their food and look ready to leave, a malicious thought took root in Ariana's mind.
She suddenly put down her knife and fork and said softly to Harrison, "Harrison, I'm going to the restroom."
"Okay," Harrison nodded, his eyes unconsciously drifting toward Miranda's cool figure across the room.
Ariana caught that momentary distraction, and her hatred intensified.
The moment she turned away, her soft expression was replaced by a sinister one.
She didn't go to the restroom. Instead, she slipped around to the kitchen service area and stopped a waiter collecting dishes.
"This is for you," Ariana pulled a thick wad of cash from her purse, shoved it into the waiter's hand, and her eyes turned cold. "Do something for me."
The waiter stared at the cash, easily ten thousand dollars, his eyes wide. He quickly bobbed his head. "Yes, ma'am! Anything!"
Ariana leaned in and whispered a quick set of instructions.
After hearing her, the waiter's face went white. The money in his hand felt scorching. "But if something goes wrong..."
"Nothing will go wrong," Ariana sneered, her voice firm. "All you have to do is loosen those few bolts, just like I said. Afterward, I'll give you another payment, enough for you to buy a house in another city."
Overwhelmed by the huge temptation, the waiter's fear gave way to greed. He gritted his teeth and nodded firmly. "Okay!"
A few minutes later, Ariana returned to the table, her smile noticeably more genuine, which made Harrison look at her with some confusion.
Meanwhile, Miranda's dinner was wrapping up.
"Alright, it's late. Everyone head home and get some rest," Miranda stood up, smiling. "Be safe on the way. Text the group when you get home."
"Sure, Miranda!"
"Bye, Miranda!"
The employees filed out. Lisa was the last, intending to walk down with Miranda, but Ariana and Harrison, as if timing it perfectly, got up and walked over.
"Miranda, leaving so soon?" Ariana's voice was sickly sweet.
Miranda saw her, and her smile vanished.
She felt a surge of annoyance, wondering what they wanted now, but she didn't want her employees involved.
She turned to Lisa. "Lisa, it’s late. You go ahead with the others."
"But—" Lisa looked worriedly at the lurking Ariana and Harrison.
"I'm fine," Miranda gave her a reassuring look. "I've got this."
Lisa hesitated, then nodded. "Be careful. Call us if anything happens!"
Watching Lisa and the last few employees step into the elevator, Miranda turned back to the pair, looking at them coldly. "If you don't need anything, move. You're blocking the way."
"Miranda, why are you being like that? I'm just concerned," Ariana said, feigning concern. "I heard from your dad that you haven't been home in ages. Where are you staying all this time by yourself?"
Harrison frowned instinctively at this. He looked at Miranda with a mix of judgment and disapproval. "It's not safe for a woman to live alone. I'll take you home."
His tone was so entitled, as if they were still married and he was the husband who controlled her every move.
Miranda found his arrogance laughable.
"I don't need that," she refused coldly, her eyes showing no emotion. "I'm an adult. Where I live, and if I'm safe, is none of your business."
Having said her piece, she stepped to walk around them.
At that exact moment, a malicious glint flashed in Ariana's eyes. She subtly signaled toward a dark corner of the restaurant ceiling.
She wasn't really concerned about Miranda, of course.
Tonight, she was going to make Miranda disappear from this world for good!
Screech... Scrape...
A grating, cringe-inducing sound of metal scraping suddenly came from directly above them.
They all instinctively looked up at the same time—
A heavy iron pillar, used to hold up decorative lighting, had its bolts undone. It was swaying precariously and was now plummeting straight toward them.
"Watch out!" Harrison yelled.
It all happened too fast to think. Getting clear of it completely was impossible.
In a flash, a look of calculating frenzy crossed Ariana's eyes. She suddenly reached out and shoved the Harrison next to her as hard as she could!
"Harrison, move!"
CRASH—!
A massive sound, followed by a woman's scream, exploded across the empty rooftop garden.
The iron pillar, weighing several hundred pounds, crashed down with tremendous force!
Harrison stumbled a few steps from the push, just managing to avoid the fatal center area. When he regained his footing and turned back, he froze.
Ariana was hit on the calf by the pillar's edge. The sharp metal cut her skin, and blood instantly stained her white dress.
And Miranda...
She was pinned directly beneath the pillar, completely immobilized. Dark red blood quickly began to spread out from under her.