Tangled Temptations

Ravenna froze in shock. Her meticulously made-up eyes were bloodshot as she stared at Dwight.

Impossible... How could Dwight be here? According to the plan, he was supposed to be injured and out of the race.

Ravenna was on the verge of madness as she turned to Tiara. "What the hell is going on? Ask around, why is Dwight here competing?"

Tiara's face turned ashen. With trembling hands, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the club owner's number. "Boss, didn't you tell me Dwight was out of the race? ... Yes, he's here! Boss... you bastard!"

Tiara hurled her phone away.

Ravenna, without a second thought, slapped Tiara across the face. "Bitch! You set me up."

"Why would I set myself up, too?" Tiara's delicate face now bore the mark of five fingers. Touching her face resentfully, she said, "We both got played. But it's not over yet; it's not the worst-case scenario. As long as Jacob wins, we win. Ms. Ravenna, didn't you sleep with him? Call him. Tell him to find a way to leave Dwight in the dust, by any means necessary."

Ravenna half believed, and half doubted her. Tiara had no credibility left in Ravenna's eyes, but there was no denying that Jacob was her only hope now.

Ravenna grabbed her phone and called Jacob. He answered lazily, "What's up?"

Ravenna's voice shook. "Why is Dwight here?"

"Isn't it normal for him to compete?"

Ravenna was at a loss. Without thinking of anything else, she pleaded, "I've put four hundred million into this race, nearly everything I own. Jacob... for the sake of what we had, you have to win today, no matter what."

Jacob was casually chewing gum. "Let's see how it goes," he replied nonchalantly.

Let's see how it would go... It was four hundred million!

As Ravenna continued, Jacob grew impatient. "Had a wild night with a dame. My legs are like jelly. Might not run so well."

Ravenna screamed in anger, "Jacob, you jerk!"

"Didn't you know that already?"

Jacob hung up, and when Ravenna tried again, his phone was off. She muttered

in despair, "It's over. Everything's over."

Tiara put on an act. "He wouldn't do it?"

Ravenna's eyes were red with rage. "He's just a womanizer. Where's Eloise? I need to find her. If I lose money, so does she."

Tiara smirked coldly.

Ravenna stormed out to find Eloise, but the entrance to her VIP suite was guarded by four bouncers who wouldn't let her in. "Mr. Horigan said no disturbances."

Ravenna caused a scene. Perhaps alerted by the commotion, Harvey emerged from inside and frowned upon seeing Ravenna.

"Mr. Horigan, I need to see Eloise," Ravenna implored, grasping at straws.

Harvey had his hands in his pockets. Looking at the woman before him, he knew of her wickedness better than anyone. She had indirectly caused Max's death, played vicious tricks on Eloise, and even killed an electrician in a fit of passion. Ravenna was despicable.

Harvey concealed his disgust and said indifferently, "Eloise is pregnant and needs rest." He then turned to go inside.

Ravenna grabbed at his sleeve, begging. "I heard Eloise bet on Jacob, too, but now he might not win. I want to discuss it with her. After all, she's put in two hundred million, hasn't she?"

Harvey shook off her hand. He smiled faintly, "Two hundred million is just pocket change to her, nothing serious."

Ravenna's face froze.

Harvey had already opened the door and entered.

On the racetrack, the drivers were now in position. Dwight's fans were thunderous with applause, chanting his name.

Dwight waved nonchalantly and blew a kiss to his wife, Blake, in the stands, who blushed at the gesture.

At the sound of the starting gun, the cars surged forward like arrows released from their bows. The air was filled with the tension of taut strings, vibrating with the thrill of speed.noveldrama

Lap after lap, Dwight maintained a solid lead, with Jacob trailing by about 100 meters.

Ravenna still clung to hope. She yearned for Jacob to have some feelings for her, to make a daring move for her sake. But as the laps increased, Jacob stayed in second place without making a sprint.

On the final lap, Dwight crossed the finish line first. He got out of his car coolly, removed his helmet, and embraced Blake, who ran to him, sealing it with a deep kiss.

He whispered to Blake, "That was my last professional race. From now on, we can focus on starting a family, and you won't have to worry anymore."

Tears welled up in Blake's eyes. Dwight's heart was also full. He had met Blake in his wild years, and even after marrying her, he couldn't give up racing, participating in a few races every year.

Blake never complained, but when it came to kids, she always said, "In a few years." He knew she was giving him time, allowing him his freedom. He loved racing, but he loved Blake more.

While the lovers embraced on the trackside, Ravenna slumped in a chair back in the suite.

She was ruined!

Four billion... gone...

Ravenna was seething with resentment, not knowing where to direct her fury, feeling betrayed by everyone. She sat there dazed, muttering incoherently.

Tiara was too scared to touch her. "Ms. Ravenna."

Ravenna suddenly glared at her. "Who screwed me over? Was it you, or Eloise, or

Jacob?" She reached out to grab Tiara.

Tiara ran for her life, screaming for help.

The bouncers caught her, and then they told Ravenna, "Ms. Ravenna, Ms. Laurent would like a word."

Ravenna was a mess, but she still cared about appearances and straightened her emerald fur coat.

Eloise's suite was different from the others. It was more like a cozy and elegantly decorated hotel room. Eloise lounged on the loveseat, her delicate fingers wrapped around a necklace that sparkled with an expensive sheen. Ravenna's eyes instantly recognized it -the very one she had gifted Eloise herself.

The truth was now painfully clear: it had been Eloise all along who had betrayed her.

"Why?" Ravenna's eyes brimmed with tears, her voice quivering with emotion. "I was genuine with you, but you plotted against me. What do you gain from this? You lost a fortune too-two hundred million."

Eloise's gaze remained fixed on the dazzling necklace, apparently unbothered by Ravenna's anguished inquiry. Instead, she mused, "This necklace is stunning, isn't it? Beautiful things always provoke envy and desire. Ravenna, haven't you tired of the chase after all these years?"

Ravenna lifted her chin defiantly. "It's not over yet. Just you wait, Eloise!" With a slight smile, Eloise spoke with an eerie calm, "Ravenna, do you really think you stand a chance now? I've orchestrated everything from the very beginning, from Tiara to Jacob. Even Mr. Velona's involvement was part of my plan. If you hadn't been so blindly obsessed with marrying into the Velona family, you might not have walked right into the trap."

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Not only did I invest two hundred million in Jacob, but Harvey and I also put down a whopping two billion on Dwight."

In other words, they had virtually cornered the market.

Ravenna was seething with rage. Eloise was despicable!

Just then, the lounge door swung open, and Jacob strolled in. Ravenna fixed her gaze on his youthful, handsome face, her body trembling uncontrollably. She couldn't believe it; she couldn't accept that this man, who had sex with her, had been deceiving her all along. He had never really courted her. It had been her own doing, offering everything up to him on a silver platter. Eloise's voice was soft. "Ravenna, doesn't Jacob remind you of someone?" Ravenna froze. Eloise was talking about Max.

With a smirk, Eloise continued, "The less attention you receive, the more desperate you become to capture it. Ravenna, you've actually been defeated by yourself. You can't accept that Max died by your hand. You don't love Jacob; you subconsciously want to use him as a replacement for Max."

"I'm not!" Ravenna yelled, her composure shattered.

She blurted out, "I didn't harm him. He took that drug, and then he went after you. Who's to blame? Can you really blame me? His death was caused by his feelings for you, Eloise. The real guilt lies with you."

Eloise merely smiled faintly.

At that moment, two women burst into the room-Max's mother and sister. Aliza had heard everything Ravenna had said. Her aging face turned a deep shade of purple with rage as she lunged at Ravenna, hands clawing for her throat.

"You bitch! You gave Max that drug, and you let him drive without saying a word. Bitch, you have such a cruel heart."

Aliza was fierce with maternal fury. Even with her youth, Ravenna couldn't break free.

As Aliza choked her, she cried out, "Olga, smash this wench's mouth so your brother in heaven can hear."

With tears streaming down her face, Olga stepped forward and slapped Ravenna hard across the face. She struck with such force that Ravenna's face swelled like

a balloon, and Olga's sharp nails dug into her flesh. Ravenna's beauty was marred. She screamed, "Jacob, won't you help me?"

But Jacob only sneered, "Why should I help you? Who are you to me?"

Ravenna was stunned into silence. She looked at Aliza, Olga, Tiara, Eloise, Natalia... and Harvey. They all looked back at her with disdain, as if she were a contagion.

Yes, she was a contagion. All beautiful things were poisonous.

Ravenna caught a glimpse of her disfigured face in the mirror and became disoriented. For a moment, she seemed to forget the pain, caressing her swollen cheek and murmuring, "It's over."

Eloise tossed the necklace at her. "Ravenna, this is all you have left." Ravenna picked up the necklace, donning it with a bizarre sense of joy. She

began to dance, talking to herself, "You're all right. I did everything. Max didn't love me, and he deserved to die. He was crushed by a car-isn't that what he asked for? He slept with me and then thought of you, Eloise. Even when you were married, he still pined for you. Doesn't he deserve it?"

"And why are you still alive, Eloise? I bribed the electrician; I had him tamper with your car...

"Pity, though. Eloise has such luck. That trinket from Max saved her life, and then there's Jeffrey, that fool who also adores her. Max... even in death, you help her.

How can I not hate?"

The room fell silent.

Ravenna's smile was twisted. "But this time, I really wanted to be friends with you, Eloise. Why not give me a chance?"

Eloise placed a recording pen on the coffee table, her face expressionless. "It's over, Ravenna. You have no more chances."

Ravenna stared at the recording pen with a calm she hadn't felt in a long time.

Life and death didn't seem so important anymore.

Because she had lost.

She was penniless, humiliated, and in more pain than death could ever bring.

She laughed, a sound more painful than weeping. "I loved Max the most," she repeated over and over.

The door opened, and uniformed men entered. They took Ravenna and the

recording pen. She would be charged with murder, and with her multitude of crimes, she faced certain death.

Ravenna stumbled out the door, but at the threshold, she turned back. She asked Eloise softly, "One last question. The orphanage director told me my daughter was adopted by a couple of foreign archaeologists. Is that true?"

Eloise sat in the shadows, the light behind her obscuring her face from Ravenna's view. After a moment, Eloise replied, "It's true. They are good people."

Ravenna smiled, tears merging with her luxurious fur coat-probably for the last

time.

In the now serene lounge, the Velona family expressed their gratitude and supported each other as they left. The bodyguards discreetly exited, followed by everyone else. The room was left in peace.

Eloise felt an overwhelming sense of weariness as she leaned into Harvey's shoulder, murmuring softly, "Harvey, I thought revenge would bring satisfaction, but it just weighs heavy on my heart."

He let her lean on him, comforting her presence with his. Gently, he stroked her

hair with a tenderness that spoke volumes. "Even if it's heavy, it's something we had to do, right? Eloise, you're smart and brave... I am proud."

A wave of warmth enveloped Eloise. She wrapped her arms around his waist and whispered, "You're the brave one, climbing up that snowy hillside."

As she spoke, she nuzzled her head into his chest. "Harvey, I've never said it, but

you don't know how grateful I am."

She's grateful for his courage, for venturing into dreams to reclaim the past, and

for recovering lost memories." She's grateful for giving them another chance to

love.

Harvey kissed her forehead, silently soothing her.

In the midst of this tender moment, the lounge door burst open, and someone

stumbled in unexpectedly.

Veronica caught sight of them in an embrace, paused, and then blurted out, "Has Ravenna really been caught?"

Eloise gently pushed away from Harvey. Despite being married, she still felt a hint

of shyness.

Harvey shot a glance at Riley, who had followed Veronica in, and grabbed a glass

of water. "Riley, get a handle on your wife, would ya? What if Eloise and I had

been... busy? She could've seen everything."

Riley scratched his nose. Busy... in the VIP box at a Formula 1 race? Harvey sure

had a wild streak.

Veronica was beside herself with urgency. "Come on, spill it. Is that woman

caught?" Eloise smiled softly. She spoke gently, "Yes, she's been caught. She committed grave sins, and it looks like her days are numbered."

Veronica stood frozen for a moment, her eyes brimming with unspoken emotions.

"Isn't it good news, though? She got what she deserved and can't hurt us anymore," Eloise reassured her.

With a vigorous nod, Veronica agreed.

Eloise was about to speak again when her phone rang. She glanced at the caller

ID-it was Jacob's father calling...