The Villianess's Redemption (HYUNJIN ff) ✓

26. You can't escape your fate

Chapter 26:You can't escape your fate
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Y/N POV

Eliza… a suspect?

My mind couldn’t process the shock. How could this have happened?

“Jasmine, what do you mean?” I demanded, my voice quivering. “What exactly happened at the auction? How did Eliza become a suspect?”

Jasmine’s expression was a mixture of concern and urgency as she stepped closer, her eyes wide with anxiety. “Isabella, it was chaos. The auction was going smoothly until the bidding started on the final item—a rare antique vase. It was the most anticipated item of the day, rumored to have a priceless history. But just as the bids were getting heated, something terrible happened.”

I blinked, trying to keep up. “What happened?”

Jasmine took a deep breath. “As soon as the highest bid was called out, there was a loud crash. The vase shattered into pieces. At first, everyone thought it was just an accident, but then someone noticed a strange powdery substance mixed with the shards. The room filled with panic when it became clear that the substance was a dangerous irritant. A few people nearby started coughing uncontrollably, and one person even fainted. It was terrifying.”

My stomach churned. “But… how does this involve Eliza?”

Jasmine hesitated, biting her lip before continuing. “Eliza was seen standing near the vase just before the incident. She had been admiring it closely, maybe even touching it. When the vase broke and the powder was discovered, some people started pointing fingers. They claimed she might have tampered with it. The fact that she looked so distant and distracted didn’t help. Rumors spread quickly, and before anyone knew it, Eliza was at the center of the blame.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Eliza would never do something like that! She wouldn’t hurt anyone!”

Jasmine was quite for sometime then spoke up.“The people were very
scared at that moment so maybe, they needed someone to blame. Eliza was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and her behavior before the incident made her an easy target.”

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Eliza, my dear friend, being accused of something so terrible—how could this have happened? My mind flashed back to the original plot, where Isabella had been caught red-handed after tampering with an item at a similar event. I had thought that by avoiding the auction, I could prevent such a disaster. But fate had a cruel way of ensuring that events unfolded regardless of my intentions.

“What happened next?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Jasmine sighed, her shoulders slumping. “The authorities were called in right away. They started questioning everyone, but Eliza was the prime suspect. She didn’t know what to say—she looked so lost, Isabella.”

My heart ached at the thought of Eliza standing there, defenseless and alone, with everyone’s eyes on her, suspecting her of something she didn’t do. The guilt weighed heavily on me. I should have been there. Maybe if I had gone, I could have stopped this, could have protected her.

“Is she… is she okay?” I asked, dreading the answer.

“They took her in for further questioning and told the rest of us to leave. So I came here as quick as possible to inform you about it.” Jasmine said quietly.

My mind was a whirlwind of emotions—guilt, fear, anger. I had avoided the auction, thinking that by doing so, I could change the course of events. But now, everything seemed to be spiraling out of control, just as it had in the original story.