Chapter 370: Chapter 370

It was the same night and in the same place. However, the different people gathered in that garden in the back of the Thornston estate all had different perspectives and emotions going through them, and the one thing that they would eventually come to have in common at some point in that same night was the feeling of helplessness. This was more so with Ava.

The words replayed in Ava’s head as if it was on repeat. This was the first time that Shelby used that tone with her. Ava had been prepared for anything with her friend, but that ’brush off’ demeanor.

’Is it so bad that I am with Rocky?’ Ava could not understand.

Ava took one hesitant step and then another, looking at Shelby’s retreating back. She could not shake off the notion that Shelby was distraught.

Ava also did not have the time to make up her mind for any actions till Shelby, Ian, and Currey disappeared from her view.

It did not even occur to Ava that something else might be up as Shelby had headed out of the estate and not back to the festivities.

It was against all etiquette for the host to leave mid-banquet without so much as ’a goodbye’ to the birthday celebrants and their guests.

Just to the side, Terry was still very stumped by the sight of her father still kneeling. Her shock was so great that she seemed to have frozen in disbelief. Her minion thought it wise to distance herself and unconsciously took a few steps back. The girl wished that she could leave the scene and forget what had happened then. However, she had associated with Terry and the likes of her so much that she knew that leaving would be her doom.

’Funny how, I’ll be doomed either way.... Leaving or staying will equate to the same end. I might as well....’ Her thoughts lingered as she took in the heavy tension that had settled in the night air as the most powerful man she had ever envisioned, as tall as could be, with a presence that made her want to lay down flat in his presence as a way of humbling herself, Ian Thornston, disappeared from their sight.

She never thought she would live to breathe around a being like Ian. In fact, with Ian, the minion also thought that the Principal was a mere human being, contrary to her thoughts before coming to Thornston’s estate.

The garden had slowly darkened more, but a few garden lanterns lighted the paths and cast a glow. In another time and space, she would have admired this garden for its night vibe, but she nor anyone there was in the mood of that.

The thing was that Ian’s absence did not diminish the heavy atmosphere in any way. The girl took another step back and then finally settled her eyes on the Principal, after Ian had disappeared entirely.

The man who commanded the most respect in the medical school that he had long thought of as his, was still kneeling on the stone path with no care of who saw him, desperation coating his whole being.

The Principal felt a deep, icy dread seep into his bones, especially as Ian had not so much as given any indication that he had heard him. It was as though his world had cracked wide open, leaving him exposed and vulnerable.

’Where had it gone wrong? It was the perfect plan!’

His lips quivered as he tried to call out and beg for one final opportunity, yet his voice betrayed him. Terry, still standing by on the side, finally moved, shaking her head to shake off the absurdities raging through her mind. She had a score to settle, and her father was acting as a foolish one!

She folded her arms, wincing at the action.

’Damn! That cougar throws a mean punch!’ Terry thought, oblivious to the storm raging in her father’s mind.

"Why are you so grovelling, Father?!!!!!" she hissed and screamed under her breath, her tone dripping with contempt. She itched to go yank her father off his knees.

"It’s not as if Ian’s some god! He’s only taking over the Thornston’s Industries.... If he’s angry, let him be angry. Who cares? Besides, why should he care what happened to his brother-in-law? He-"

Terry’s words made no sense, even to her friend, who had come from the poorer part of town. Terry flipped her hair defiantly as though her actions that evening were a given and should have been accepted. It was as though her words just and needed to be heard by the relevant ears.

The Principal had still been lost in his world, trying to make sense of what had happened and also to try and check what his options were.... All until his daughter’s words seeped into his consciousness.

’What happened to Terry? She had never been that naïve?’

He turned to her, still kneeling but his face, pale and taut with fear. ... fear of what was to come because the Ian that this man knew was not one to let anything go. He, the Principal had been warned once about Rocky. Also, he clearly remembered Ian’s last words to his assistant about him.

In as much as he itched to scream at his daughter, who was behaving as if she had been hit too hard in the head, his heart was still pained when the light blood by her nose reminded him that his daughter had indeed been punched in the face.

"You don’t understand, Terry," he rasped, his voice hoarse. "You have no idea what you’ve .... what I’ve .... I mean, what we’ve just done... what we’ve just lost."

"Lost? Don’t exaggerate!" Terry scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"We never even got to implement our plan - "

Terry added, forgetting that their audience was still there,

"He can’t destroy us over something so trivial."

The Principal stared at his only daughter, horrified by her naivety,

’I have failed as a father if my daughter thinks this way!’

His hands trembling as the Principal rose shakily to his feet.

"You have no clue who that man is, do you? He holds everything—everything!—in the palm of his hand. One word from him, and we’re ruined!"

"I only want Rocky; why should I care for some irrelevant person’s power?" She muttered to herself, but all relevant ears heard what they were supposed to hear in the quiet garden. Terry’s father moved like the wind and grabbed her wrist, gripping it so tightly that she flinched.

"You think this is about pride?!! About honour? You think your stupid love or lust has any role here? No, Terry!!. This is about survival!!!! You’ve just dragged us into a storm you cannot comprehend.... And I blame myself for allowing it to happen!" Terry was very headstrong and had not understood that it was neither the place nor time for any such actions from here.

Before she could argue further, two things happened.

The shrill ringing of a phone permeated the air, and he let Terry’s hand go to answer the call. Even before he had said hello, his heart sunk, he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, face getting paler. He dropped his hands helplessly.

"I’m done! It’s over!" He whispered, face crumbling....

"E-verything is gone...."

"What do you mean by that, Dad!!!"

"I am no more the Principal, starting from now...."

"Haha... what do you mean by that, Dad.... Are you trying to be funny? Who ca-"

"You don’t mean it...."

Terry bent and picked up the phone that her father had just dropped and opened it quickly to see the ’official’ email for the school board.

"How is that possible? When did the board sit? Within minutes? How-"

Her shock was so great yet again that panic flickered across Terry’s face, her earlier bravado and pompousness dissolving into uncertainty. "But... but he can’t just—"

"Oh, he can," His father said bitterly, cutting her off.

"He can, and he has. The reasons that have been stated are well within the management’s by-laws, too. I gave myself away, so I have no counter for this. Chairman Ian controls the board, the investors ....’

Then he added under his breath, ..... "and .... the very ground beneath our feet."

Terry stepped back, her breath hitching as the gravity of the situation dawned on her. The garden around them seemed to shrink, the once foliage now looming like silent witnesses to their ruin.

It was then that she remembered that other people were in the garden with them, she turned furiously, her anger directed at Ava.

Her father slumped back onto the ground, his head in his hands.

"I shouldn’t have gone along with the plan! I am old enough to know better! I shou- I shoul- Ahhhh!!!!," he started tearing at his hair. "I SHOULD HAVE known better. Now, everything..... it’s all gone.....!"

Terry rushed at Ava, whose back had been to them as she had been focused on where Shelby had disappeared. Ava was numb and had not heard any of the words spoken nor the distress exhibited by both father and daughter.

The murderous intent was so much. Terry was blinded by fury.... All directed at one person!

"IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!!!"

Terry screamed and rushed at Ava, a silvery glint of a small blade glinted in the little light.

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