Filed to story: The Heiress Rises From Ashes Book PDF Free
The crowd was electric. It wasn’t just Isabella. Alex had a legion of fans.
People were on their feet, screaming and waving Orwall flags.
Alex’s image lit up the massive electronic screens around the venue. Moments later, the updated race rankings flashed across them, sending the crowd into an even bigger frenzy.
In just minutes, Alex had secured first place in the ninth group without breaking a sweat. If he won the finals, he’d be the day’s champion.
As soon as the race ended, a wave of people rushed to place bets on Alex. His popularity was at an all-time high. Even Isabella added to her wager.
After crossing the finish line, Alex took a victory lap around the arena. Then, without warning, he snatched a megaphone from a staff member and shouted, “Idiots! Idiots!” He then began flipping off the crowd.
The atmosphere shifted in an instant. The cheers from before dissolved into a restless murmur. People pointed at Alex, their faces twisted in outrage. How dare he insult his fans from Belden?
This was outrageous!
“Night, come out!” Alex taunted, ignoring the growing hostility toward him. “Night, come out! Don’t be a coward!”
Staff members sprinted alongside his horse to intervene. “Mr. Espinoza, please mind your words!”
But Alex didn’t care. He shoved off their warnings and even swung his riding crop at them. The staff members had no choice but to back away.
“Get out of Belden!”
“Leave!”
“You’re not welcome here!”
The crowd’s admiration toward Alex soured into outrage.
Shouts erupted from the stands as some people were unable to hold back their fury.
But Alex acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing. He kept flipping them off, and his voice boomed through the megaphone. “Night, come out! What’s wrong? Scared?”
Two years ago, in Valport, Night had been the only rider to ever defeat him. Alex never accepted that loss. He had been itching for a rematch ever since.
But after that race, Night had disappeared without a trace.
All Alex knew was that Night was from Belden. He didn’t know Night’s real name or anything else about her. So he did the only thing he could-keep competing, keep winning, and keep calling Night out. He hoped that one day he would encounter Night again.
“Let’s compete again and settle this once and for all!” Alex shouted and flipped off the crowd again. His bad attitude was repulsive.
Brenna merely watched what was happening with steely determination.
The next race was about to begin. Contestants’ profiles flashed across the massive screens. Then, suddenly, Alex froze.
There in the tenth group was Night.
Alex’s expression shifted in an instant. The cocky bravado vanished, replaced by an eerie calm. Without another word, he turned his horse and rode off, saving his energy for the finals.
“Night, you’d better win this round. Otherwise, you’re not worth my time,” Alex muttered.
Brenna swung onto her horse with practiced ease and positioned herself at the starting line alongside the other nine riders.
Isabella, on the other hand, fumbled onto her saddle. Her clumsy mounting drew laughter from the stands.
Face burning in embarrassment, she turned to Jordy and murmured, “Jordy, people are laughing at me.”
Jordy was embarrassed, too. He felt a pang of regret. Letting Isabella compete suddenly didn’t seem like such a good idea now.
A voice from the stands cut through the air. “If you can’t ride, get off!” Isabella heard it loud and clear. She didn’t have the energy to focus on Brenna now.
She had seen Brenna mount earlier-smooth, confident, and effortless.
Brenna clearly knew how to ride a horse.
Isabella’s legs started to shake, and her grip on the reins faltered.
Just then, the starting gun fired. Nine horses surged forward like arrows, thundering down the track. However, Isabella’s horse didn’t move.
“Come on…” Isabella’s face burned as she yanked at the reins. “Move, please…”
Laughter exploded from the stands. “Just give up!” someone jeered.
Isabella’s ears rang with mocking laughter as anxiety gripped her. No matter how much she tugged at the reins, the horse refused to move. Panic crept in-had someone tampered with the horse? Otherwise, why wouldn’t it move?
From the stands, Alex erupted into laughter, his arrogance on full display. He whistled and shouted, “What a joke! Is this really the best Belden has to offer? How did they let someone so stupid join the competition?”
His voice echoed loudly across the arena through the megaphone. Shame burned through Isabella. The more flustered she became, the more stubborn the horse was, refusing to move forward.
Alex continued his taunts, riling up the spectators. Their frustration boiled over, and soon, a chant erupted, demanding Isabella get off the horse. “Get off! Get off! Get off…”
Isabella longed to exit the arena, but fear kept her frozen. Stuck in the middle of the field, she had no idea how to dismount.
The shouting escalated, and Alex, emboldened, took his insults further, jeering at both Isabella and the crowd, “You people from Belden are all idiots!”
A bottle soared through the air, crashing near Isabella. Then another. And another. The sudden barrage startled Isabella’s horse, which reared up, kicking its front legs wildly. With a sharp cry, Isabella lost her grip and fell hard onto the ground.