Chapter 81
It only made Alistair feel more protective towards her.
Yet, she was oblivious to the fact that, in this situation, her words only made her seem like a sore loser.
Most of the people here were competitive, admiring those who excelled themselves. They sought thrill. That was why they were here, after all.
What Miranda did brought them adrenaline rush. Naturally, they sided with Miranda. No matter what the circumstances were, Miranda had won.
If they couldn’t handle the heat, might as well quit the game to begin with. Losing and then making excuses? What was the point of gambling then?
“Isn’t that Ms. Hawk from the famous Hawke family with four doting brothers?”
“Oh yeah, I’ve heard about her. The one who’s the apple of her family’s eye, right?”
“Seriously, complaining about losing? Doesn’t she understand the concept of ‘you bet, you accept the outcome? Blaming the shooting skills, what kind of nonsense is that?”
“Sounds like she’s spoiled beyond belief.”
“Alistair, a top–notch lawyer, surely isn’t a sore loser, I suppose?”
Sebastian curled his lips upward slightly. “If you can’t handle losing, don’t play.”
His words resonated with the crowd gathered around. The young man beside him laughed and said, “Young lady, are you trying to stand up for your brother or just embarrassing him?”
This made the siblings‘ expressions shift.
Miranda pointed at Arabella. “You were the one who agreed first, so let’s start with you. Of course, you can also challenge me again, just like before, if you think you can up the stakes and win.”
Cocky! That was the kind of attitude a winner should have!
The crowd was buzzing with excitement. They were eager for another round! They wanted to see the lady boss’s shooting skills again!
Theo frowned. Winning? Who the hell could win against that?
Even if they upped the stakes, they couldn’t beat her!
Another round would just mean another loss. And who knew what kind of penalty she might impose next time!
He wasn’t usually a sore loser, but losing to Miranda left a bitter taste. Yet, Miranda’s recent performance had
shifted his view of her.
Arabella refused without a second thought. “No! Why should I let you humiliate me? Alistair.” she looked at her brother, feeling utterly wronged. “How can she do this? I did nothing wrong.”
Arabella, pampered and spoiled all her life, wasn’t used to such treatment. Especially not from Miranda.
Theo tried to reason with her. “Forget it, Bella.”
At this point, they were only embarrassing themselves for refusing to accept failure.
Arabella snapped. “Do you have any pride left?”
Miranda frowned. “My patience is wearing thin.”
She flexed her wrist. Perfect timing to test her strength after some recent adjustments.
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09.25
Chapter 81
Arabella glared at Miranda, her carefully maintained façade crumbling, her eyes filled with hysterical resentment. “I won’t.”
Before she could finish, Miranda’s hand was already around her throat.
Alistair exclaimed, “What are you doing? Let her go!”
Theo shouted, “Bella!”
Miranda merely frowned, her demeanor poised. “I told you, I don’t have much patience. Hurry up!”
With Miranda’s grip tightening, Arabella’s discomfort grew, and tears started streaming down her face.
“Alistair. Theo.” she could only cry for help now.
The onlookers fell silent, not daring to breathe too loudly. Even the staff members, who initially wanted to intervene, stopped in their tracks.
Hannah and Caius exchanged glances. They said nothing, but their expressions were resolute.
