Chapter 166 Self-Inflicted, Falling from Grace
Amelia started blushing.
She had been in a relationship before.
It's just that Finn and Samuel were completely different people.
Finn was very reserved, so he wouldn't be like Samuel, wanting everyone to know about his feelings.
She had never met anyone as free-spirited and passionate as Samuel before.
He was like a fire, melting her bit by bit like ice.
She couldn't quite resist it. She cleared her throat and turned her face away, pretending she hadn't seen anything.
Niamh looked at Amelia, then glanced at the stands, a cold sneer in her eyes.
She thought, 'Go ahead and be proud. The more glory you have now, the worse it'll be for you later.'
"Ladies, please put on your helmets and do a final check of your protective gear." A staff member from the racecourse came over to remind them.
The "helmet" was an equestrian helmet to prevent head injuries in case of an accidental fall.
Amelia tied her hair into a ponytail and carefully put on her equestrian helmet.
Niamh over there didn't take it seriously.
"I'm good at horseback riding. I don't need a helmet."
Her face shape was on the larger side, and wearing an equestrian helmet would make her face look even bigger.
She cared about her appearance and was confident in her riding skills. Besides, her focus today wasn't on the horse race at all, so she refused to wear a helmet.
The staff member was in a difficult position.
At this moment, Amelia spoke up loudly: "Ms. Armstrong, are you really not wearing a helmet? If something happens during the race, I'll get dragged into it too."
Niamh frowned and looked at Amelia on the horse.
Amelia's face was even smaller, only palm-sized, so she looked good even wearing a helmet.
Niamh became even more determined not to wear a helmet.
"I told you, I'm very good at horseback riding. I won't get hurt, and I don't need a helmet. Besides, I'm the one who invited you to race. If something really happens to me, it has nothing to do with you."
Many people present heard these words.
Amelia stopped trying to persuade her.
She just wanted Niamh to say this.
"Then let's get ready to start!"
The staff member, unable to convince her, had to give up and had the two of them line up their horses side by side.
A gunshot rang out, and both simultaneously cracked their whips.
The two horses raised their front hooves high, and the next second, both charged forward with all their might.
In the first lap, Amelia ran along the outer track as usual.
She was getting used to this horse.
Niamh also seemed to be getting used to her horse, and their speeds were about the same.
However, in the second lap, Amelia started running on the inner track.
In a race between two people, whoever finishes the first three laps wins.
The inner track had obstacles, but the distance was shorter, allowing for faster completion of three laps.
She practically skimmed past the fence.
Soon, she reached the first obstacle combination.
It was a water ditch, followed by a wooden fence over 3 feet high.
Amelia didn't hesitate and led the white horse over the water ditch.
Then came the difficult part, that wooden fence over 3 feet high.
Amelia seemed to become one with the white horse. The white horse's front hooves leaped high, drawing a beautiful arc in the air before landing steadily.
The horse's movements were clean and swift, and extremely fast.
Even the men present who were skilled at horse racing might not dare to run at such speed over the obstacle combination.
There were shouts all around.
Applause also came from the stands.
Amelia reached the second obstacle combination, three consecutive wooden fences.
But she led the white horse over all of them, quickly leaving Niamh, who was running on the outer track, half a lap behind.
Niamh immediately became anxious.
The shouts from the crowd made her jealous heart grow wildly.
She even forgot her original purpose and started running on the inner track too.
Because if she continued on the outer track, she couldn't catch up with Amelia's speed at all.
But just as she led the black horse past the water ditch and came to that wooden fence over 3 feet high, the black horse suddenly let out a neigh. Its two front hooves rose high, but it didn't jump over the fence. Instead, it charged frantically toward the fence inside.
"No! No! Stop!"
Niamh's eyes were filled with terror as she desperately pulled the reins tight.
But the black horse had already lost control, and she couldn't make it stop at all!
Suddenly, everything spun around. Niamh's body was thrown off and fell heavily to the ground.
Being airborne and then falling—in reality, it was just an instant, but Niamh felt like time had stopped.
She remembered what Amelia had said: "Ms. Armstrong, do you really like being used?"
But her brain didn't have time to think more. Intense pain engulfed her.
She felt like her limbs no longer belonged to her. The back of her head felt warm, with a lot of blood flowing.
But strangely, she didn't feel pain, just her whole body starting to feel cold.
Her whole body began to shake, and white foam came out of her mouth.
"Quick! Quick, save her!"
The staff member was the first to rush over.
Amelia, riding her horse, was among the first to arrive after the staff.
She glanced at Niamh.
Niamh wasn't wearing a helmet, so her head had suffered a serious impact injury.
The blood flowing out was very dark.
This wasn't a good sign.
The only fortunate thing was that she was still somewhat conscious, just unable to move or speak.
A staff member took out a tool to measure Niamh's blood pressure.
The accident happened suddenly, and emergency equipment was still on its way.
Amelia knelt down beside Niamh and gently held her hand.
"Ms. Armstrong, how are you?"
Niamh looked at her, unable to say anything.
But her eyes were full of confusion and anger.
Why?
Why was Amelia fine?
Why was she the one who got hurt?
She had arranged everything!
But at this moment, Amelia raised her hand. Between her fingers was a needle.
Niamh's eyes suddenly widened.
What was going on?
This needle should have been on that white horse!
Her eyes nearly split with rage as she tried to grab Amelia's collar.
But Amelia stood up at this moment.
Niamh grabbed at empty air.
Amelia, as if she hadn't seen her movement or expression, said to the staff: "That horse needs to be controlled, or it'll hurt other people."
"But we need to give Ms. Armstrong first aid first..."
Because the racecourse hadn't opened yet, they were short-staffed.
This work wasn't like a restaurant—not just anyone could do it. You needed professional knowledge.
Amelia said, "I'll go!"
"Can you do it? What if you get hurt..."
"You just saw my riding skills."
Indeed, her riding was very good.
The staff member didn't hesitate anymore and nodded: "Okay, be careful!"
Someone was already injured, so they needed to minimize losses and prevent more people from getting hurt.
The staff member gave her a grateful look. Amelia nodded slightly, then pulled the reins, mounted the horse, and went after the black horse.
Shortly after Amelia left, the guests all ran over.
Floyd also rushed over from the stands.
Seeing Niamh bleeding more and more, he cried out in anguish.
"How could this happen! Everything was fine, how could this happen!"
Niamh opened her mouth. She really wanted to say she had been set up by Amelia.
But she couldn't say anything.
Although she had stopped foaming at the mouth, whenever she opened her mouth, she vomited blood.
She slowly felt her body temperature draining away. This feeling filled her with extreme fear.
Soon, the ambulance arrived. After the medical staff examined her, they looked troubled.
"Where's the family?"
Floyd quickly said: "I'm family! I'm her father!"
The doctor said, "Sending her to the hospital probably won't help. Intracranial bleeding, multiple damaged organs in the chest cavity... You should take her back and spend her last moments with her."
"What are you saying! My daughter is fine, how can she not make it? You have to treat her!"
Floyd was furious and started arguing with the doctor.
Samuel arrived a step later. He asked Yosef.
"Where's Amelia?"
"She went to chase the horse. That horse is running wild, afraid it might hurt other innocent people."
"How could you let her go chase it alone!"
Samuel frowned, turned around and took the horse from Janet's hand, and chased after Amelia.
Janet watched Samuel's back, then suddenly said to Floyd: "Mr. Armstrong, I'm sorry about what happened to Ms. Armstrong. If Ms. Armstrong hadn't raced with Ms. Richardson, this wouldn't have happened."
Floyd's expression changed.
He remembered that last time it was also because of Amelia that Samuel targeted the Armstrong family.
It cost him ten percent of his shares here.
Originally, he had been the largest shareholder here.
He was about to speak when he heard Yosef chuckle lightly and ask Janet, "Ms. Rojas, you need to explain the whole story clearly. It was clearly Ms. Armstrong who insisted on racing with Ms. Richardson. If you don't explain clearly, Mr. Armstrong will misunderstand."
Janet's expression stiffened.
She was about to continue speaking when she heard Yosef speak again: "And before the race started, Ms. Armstrong refused to wear a helmet. Ms. Richardson repeatedly tried to persuade her. Everyone here heard this with their own ears."
People around them spoke up in agreement.
"Yes, Niamh refused to wear a helmet. Ms. Richardson and the staff both tried to persuade her, but she still wouldn't listen."
"Ms. Armstrong also said that if she accidentally got hurt, it would have nothing to do with Ms. Richardson."
Janet's expression became even more stiff.
What Yosef said was all true.
She was about to continue when Marlon's gaze swept over her. She immediately shut her mouth and stopped talking.
All the words Floyd was going to say to blame Amelia were swallowed back down.
There were so many people present. Not everyone could be Yosef's people, but everyone nodded, which meant what Yosef said was indeed true.
Floyd had to swallow all the words he hadn't said.
He went back to arguing with the medical staff.
"Hospitals are places to treat and save people. You haven't even started treatment, and you're already saying it won't work. Are you even doctors?"
The doctor was helpless and knew these people all had prestigious identities.
So even though the doctor knew Niamh definitely couldn't be saved at the hospital, it was just a pointless effort, wasting medical resources.
And that Niamh would just suffer more before dying.
But the doctor still agreed, lifted the stretcher, and took Niamh away.
Floyd got into the ambulance with them.
In the last moment before Niamh was lifted onto the stretcher, she saw the five-star hotel at Royal Stirling Racecourse.
She remembered again what Amelia had said: Ms. Armstrong, do you really like being used?
She suddenly became agitated.
But as her emotions surged, more and more blood came out of her mouth...