Chapter 38
"Jasper, place a bet for me as well. I'm betting on myself," Evelina said confidently.
She smiled gratefully at Jasper for his support, which only added to the tension Idris was feeling.
The more united Jasper and Evelina appeared, the more intimidated Idris became. He knew better than to mess with someone backed by the Russell family.
"Let's check the firearms, Evelina," Caleb suggested with a hint of annoyance, noticing Jasper's subtle flirtation, as he led her towards the shooting area.
The shooting range was effectively isolated from the spectators by dual layers of robust tempered glass.
Upon entering,Evelina noticed Florrie's excited waves from the viewing area. Her spirits lifted, and she responded by forming a heart shape with her arms above her head, directed at Florrie.
Though Florrie couldn't clearly see the gesture,Jasper, seated next to her, would undoubtedly describe it. Florrie mirrored the gesture with delight, sending a heart back to Evelina.
"Ms. Marsh, you really know how to work the game,getting close to Mr. Russell like that."
Idris stood off to the side, watching Evelina with the Russell family, jealousy eating away at him. His tone turned bitter as he asked, "Don't tell me you've already become his woman?"
Caleb reacted fiercely. "Mind your language! It's Jasper who's pursuing her, not the other way around.Evelina hasn't consented to anything yet."
"That's good to hear," Idris responded with a smirk,still hopeful about being Evelina's first choice.
He was still aiming to be the first man to win Evelina's favor, given that Jasper hadn't yet succeeded.
From the stands, Jasper watched the scene unfold with folded arms. Then he turned to face lan with a half-smile.
lan, sensing something was amiss, touched his own face anxiously. "Is there something wrong with my face,Mr.Russell?"
Jasper responded with a dismissive chuckle, "Seems like you're ready to leave this place. Perhaps a trip abroad would suit you?"
A shiver ran down lan's spine as he quickly replied,"Mr. Russell, I'm on top of the task you assigned! We still have an hour before the deadline you set. I assure you,that individual will no longer be a problem very soon." lan stood to make a crucial phone call,accelerating the efforts back in Ireah.
Jasper had explicitly given lan three days to resolve a serious issue or face relocation abroad. lan knew better than to neglect such a significantresponsibility
Meanwhile, at the shooting range, the four competitors finished checking their firearms and took a few practice shots to prepare for the upcoming challenge.
The competitors were assigned randomly for each matchup.
The first one pitted Evelina directly against ldris.
"Ms. Marsh, have you checked the odds they're giving outside? It seems Mr. Russell is your only supporter.It's been a long time since your last big win." Idris angered Evelina. "And with your recent time as a nanny,I doubt you've kept up with your shooting. Why not concede now? You're just in this for your parents,right? Lose gracefully, and I'll still help you find them -if you agree to be my girlfriend." Evelina's response was swift- a sharp, defining gunshot that interrupted Idris.
She glanced at him with clear disdain as he hastily retaliated with a shot of his own.
Up in the stands, Florrie couldn't contain her excitement, asking Jasper, "Has Evelina won?"
The announcer soon made the call. "Ms. Marsh scores a perfect ten, Mr. Cortez, nine."
Florrie's excitement peaked, and she tried to jump up,but Jasper gently urged her to sit back down. "Stay put,there are still two rounds to go."
Florrie,ever the cheerleader,beamed with confidence."Evelina's going to sweep the rest too!" she said,already proud of her champion.
As Evelina lined up her second shot, Idris unexpectedly let off his round early.
This unexpected move caused Evelina's hand to tremble, resulting in an eight-ring hit, while Idris matched his previous score of nine.
Now even, the tension rose as they readied for the final,crucial shot.
"Go Evelina! You're the best!" Florrie's voice rang out as she stood to cheer.
The encouragement strengthened Evelina, who paused to draw a couple of deep breaths, dispelling her prior shot's disappointment.
Catching Jasper's eye through the glass, she found him smiling encouragingly, a silent nod reigniting her resolve.
She lifted her gun and locked her sights right on the target's center.
Idris, smug from his earlier deceit, boasted once more before the final round. "Ms. Marsh, just so you know,because I fancy you-forget about Mr. Russell. He's engaged to Aurora Marsh, the Marsh family heiress."
Boom!Boom!
Their shots rang out in quick succession.