Falling For My Accidental CEO Husband
Chapter 216: Betrayal

Chapter 216: Betrayal

Slap!

The sharp sound of Ava’s hand connecting with Serena’s cheek echoed down the quiet corridor. Sidney lunged forward to intervene, but it was already too late. Ava’s face was contorted with rage as she screamed, her voice shaking with fury.

"How could you do this?!" she demanded, her chest heaving with every breath. "After everything, I agreed to help you! I trusted you to keep your promise! But what did you do? The moment we stepped off the airplane, you had him shot! Wouldn’t it have been better for him to run away! In fact, now that I think about it, he must have guessed that you were after his life and that is why he was running away! And you! You used me by claiming that he was betraying us to get him to come down!"

Her words hung in the air, heavy with accusation. Ava’s anger was raw, her emotions spilling over in a torrent she could no longer control. Already she’d been in an agony over her father’s state. He was a man she’d always looked upto! He was her hero! And yet, she’d been the one to bring him down. She’d stood there in front of a judge first and then hundreds of people claiming that her father was not mentally stable.

And then, when he’d been forced to follow her outside, the moment he’d stepped off the plane, he’d been shot by a sniper! She glared at Serena! Why was this woman even born! To ruin her life?

But Serena didn’t flinch even as Ava continued to glare at her.. Instead, she stood there, her gaze unwavering. Then, before Ava could react, Serena’s hand shot out, returning the slap with equal force.

Slap!

The second crack of hand against flesh seemed even louder than the first one. Ava staggered slightly, stunned more by Serena’s reaction than the sting on her cheek. Serena’s voice was calm but cutting, her words carrying an edge of controlled fury. Dam* it! She’d given this woman so many chances and yet she always insisted on taking action before using her brain! "You didn’t help me, Ava," she spat, "Don’t you think of pretending you did this to help me. Try to pacify that guilt by blaming me! If he’d escaped, you would have suffered too. This wasn’t just my fight—it was yours as well. And killing someone? That’s not my style."

Serena took a step closer, her voice dropping into something colder, almost venomous. "Do you honestly think I would want your father dead? No, Ava. I would prefer it if he lived a long, miserable life. The kind of life where he’d sit alone, abandoned, in the solitude he craved so much. In prison, where he truly belongs. I am not to blame in this attempt on his life and frankly, neither are you."

Finally, Ava seemed to stagger back at Serena’s words. Sidney walked forward and quickly caught her, where she crumbled in his arms. He sent a look to Serena who had not just given a reality check to Ava but also absolved her of guilt towards her father that she was currently feeling

But... if it had not been Serena then who did this. She seemed to have the same question though; he realized as their eyes met.

Serena sighed and after sending a meaningful look to Sidney, muttered," I am going to leave now. I’ve had a long night and an even longer day, thanks to your father. Once there is news about him, you can let me know. Or not. The police are going to be waiting for him anyway and they’ll let me know."

It was only after Serena had left that Sidney finally was able to coax Ava to sit in a corner and calm her down.

"Who could have done this, Sidney? Who wanted to hurt him? Is this even my dad? All these years, he’s been a complacent man. He’s never entered into arguments or even raised voice much! Why?"

Serena sighed deeply, her expression a mix of exhaustion and frustration. She’d barely slept all night and then been running around since this morning. After casting a meaningful look at Sidney, she muttered, "I’m leaving now. I’ve had a long night and an even longer day, thanks to your father. If there’s any news about him, you can let me know. Or not. Either way, the police are already waiting for him, and they’ll inform me when something happens."

Without waiting for a response, Serena turned on her heel and left the place, intent on finiding out who it was behind the attacks. Could it be Corrick? After all, she’d warned him about Matthew’s escape.

Sidney stood there for a moment, his eyes following Serena until she was out of sight even as he held Ava in his arms. He let out a shaky breath before turning his attention back to Ava, who was still trembling slightly. Gently, he coaxed her to sit down in the corner.

Who could have done this, Sidney? Who would want to hurt him? I don’t understand. Is this even my dad we’re talking about?"

She paused, her brows furrowing as confusion and disbelief flickered across her face. "All these years, he’s been so... complacent. He never argued, never raised his voice, not even when he was upset. He was always so submissive. Why would someone target him now? What could he have done to deserve this?"

"And now, suddenly—overnight—I find out he was planning to run away with everything?" She shook her head, her fingers gripping the edge of her chair tightly. "He was going to abandon his children—just leave us behind so he could go live somewhere alone? How does that even make sense? And that he has been planning this for a long time?"

Her breaths came quicker, "And on top of that," she continued, "he’s being accused of murdering Grandma... and Serena’s father? It’s too much. It’s all too much. How am I supposed to believe this? How am I supposed to accept that my dad—the man who barely ever raised his voice, who avoided conflict like the plague—could do something like this?"