Save Myself from Desperation

As everyone’s attention was focused on the imminent arrival of Pullan, Joseph quickly pulled Ashley aside and whispered, “Did you meet Ava today? When?”

Ashley pondered for a moment and answered truthfully, “This morning.” That morning, while she was washing up and looking in the mirror, she had just seen her reflection in the mirror.

Jaden was immediately thrilled and exclaimed, “Honey, you know Ava, the Racing Legend? Can you introduce me? I’ve always wanted to meet Ava!”

“That’s not right,” Bryce said, stroking his chin and carefully thinking it over. His brows furrowed slightly. “Ashley, we’ve been together all day. You didn’t go out alone. When did you have time to meet Ava?”

Upon hearing this, Jaden thought, ‘Right, Ashley has been with us all day.” He then lowered his voice and asked Ashley, “Did you make up meeting Ava today just to contradict Ryan?” Ashley was momentarily puzzled and pondered, ‘Making it up?”

Jaden clenched his right fist and hit it into his left palm. “This is bad. Mr. Lawrence is about to arrive. He’s Ava’s friend. Won't your lie be exposed when he sees you?”

“Exposed?” Miranda also grew anxious. Seeing Pullan was about to arrive, she wondered, ‘What if he publicly accuses Ashley of lying?”

Joseph gritted his teeth, adopting a determined stance as if ready to defend Ashley at all costs. “Don’t worry, Ashley. Even if you were bluffing, it doesn’t matter. | support you unconditionally. You can bluff all you

want!” Ashley, witnessing all this, was speechless. Lester couldn't take it anymore and shook his head in resignation. “Enough, you're all overthinking it. Stop guessing.”

Although they were speaking in hushed tones, Ryan, who was observant of Ashley’s every move, still managed to overhear a few sentences.

He thought smugly, ‘So Ashley was just bluffing. She didn’t meet Ava

11:07

today. How humiliating for her! Wait until Mr. Lawrence arrives, and she'll be publicly exposed for lying!” Soon after, two security guards respectfully escorted an elegantly dressed older man toward them.

“Mr. Lawrence, right this way, please.”

Despite his age, Pullan exuded an air of extreme refinement. He was dressed in a vintage suit, his gray hair neatly combed back and topped with a black top hat, resembling a medieval noble.

He leaned on a silver cane in his right hand, followed by a line of bodyguards in black suits, clearly a man of significant status.

The racing fans on the scene immediately recognized him and thought. excitedly, “That really is Mr. Lawrence, the one who co- founded a racing team with Ava, the Racing Legend!”

Ryan approached Pullan excitedly. “Hello, Mr. Lawrence!” Pullan recognized Ryan, a well-known and skilled racer, and nodded. courteously. However, Pullan did not respond to Ryan’s greeting and continued. walking straight ahead.

Ryan was momentarily taken aback, then hurriedly followed him. “Since Ava retired two years ago, you disbanded the racing team and stopped. following racing. Your sudden appearance at the race today has surprised everyone.”

Alook of regret and nostalgia flashed in Pullan’s eyes after hearing about Ava’s retirement. Even after two years, Pullan still felt a deep sense of loss over Ava’s retirement.

Sensing Pullan’s sorrow, Ryan quickly seized the opportunity to stir the pot. “Since retiring, Ava has never updated his social accounts, and rumors say he died in a car accident. But just now, someone lied about having met Ava today...”

Pullan’s expression turned grim at these words, and he suddenly stopped walking. He then struck his cane heavily on the ground.

This was clearly a sign of his anger. 11:07 Ryan briefly paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his face, followed by at surge of guilty pleasure.

He thought, ‘Mr. Lawrence and Ava have a close relationship, and he hates it when people exploit Ava for their gain. Ashley lying about. meeting Ava today has clearly hit a nerve with Mr. Lawrence. No wonder he’s angry.

As Ryan reveled in this moment, Pullan finally looked straight at him. “Who told you Ava died in a car accident?” Ryan muttered, “Mr. Lawrence, that...”

Pullan struck his cane forcefully, his eyes blazing with fury, and he scolded, “Who gave you the audacity to curse Ava? Ava is very much alive!!”.

‘What? Ava isn’t dead?’ Ryan thought in shock.

He stood there, dumbfounded, as he was reprimanded in front of

everyone.

Hearing Pullan’s words, the surrounding race fans became restless and immediately rose from their seats.

“Mr. Lawrence, are you saying Ava is still alive? Please answer me, this is very important to me! Ava is my favorite racer!” “If Mr. Lawrence says so, it must be true! My beloved Ava, the Racing Legend, is still alive!”

“So, what Ashley said earlier was true?”

“Did she really just meet Ava today?”

Ryan frowned and looked at Ashley with a face full of shock, wondering. ‘Did she really meet Ava today? What is Ashley’s relationship with Ava then?”

The next moment, what startled Ryan even more was that, after scolding him, Pullan walked straight toward Ashley.

Once he arrived in front of Ashley, Pullan’s eyes were filled with excitement and longing.

Despite being older, Pullan stood before Ashley and respectfully removed his black top hat, nodding politely at her.

11:07

This gesture in etiquette signified profound respect.

Everyone was collectively shocked by this scene, thinking, “Mr. Lawrence, an elder of high stature, is showing such respect to the young Ashley?! What’s going on?!”

Pullan looked at Ashley, his eyes twinkling with tears as if he had longed for this moment. “Av...”

He stopped halfway through the name, remembering Ashley didn’t want to reveal herself as Ava, and quickly corrected himself. “Ashley, you've finally returned to the racing track.”

Ashley chuckled and smiled brightly, “Not really, | just came to watch a race today.”

“| see...” Pullan replied, pondered for a moment, and said, “Even though you don’t plan to return to racing, it’s a pity, but I’m very happy to see you today. | came straight here as soon as | heard you were here.”

The racing fans listening to their conversation could clearly tell the two were very familiar with each other.

They pondered, ‘Returning to the racing track? Does Ashley race, too? And Mr. Lawrence came here as soon as he heard Ashley was here? He values her that much?”

A few bold individuals couldn’t resist asking, “Mr. Lawrence, what is your relationship with Ashley?” Pullan elegantly put his hat back on. “Ashley and | are very good friends.” Another person said, “Ashley said earlier that she had met Ava today. Ist that true?”

“If Ashley said she saw him, then she definitely did,” Pullan responded. Since he knew Ashley was Ava, he was sure that she would see herself every day.

This was an explosive news for the race fans.

Previously, someone claimed to have seen Ava die in a car crash, even sharing a photo on a forum. The person in the photo resembled Ava.Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

Since Ava’s retirement, Pullan, closely associated with Ava, had stopped following racing news and couldn’t debunk the rumors in time.

As a result, the rumor gained traction and was believed to be true.

Today, they finally received confirmation that Ava, the Racing Legend, had not died in a tragic accident.

Moreover, Ashley had seen Ava today.

Everyone then returned to the question, wondering, ‘What is Ashley’s relationship with Ava? Are they also good friends?” At this moment, Ryan stared at Ashley, and looked bewildered.

He mused, ‘Ashley has changed a lot since leaving the Ramos family, doing many unexpected things, like being the mysterious composer Ash and the talented designer Attelia. Now, Mr. Lawrence, who co-founded a racing team with Ava, is showing such respect to Ashley. Mr. Lawrence even said he thought Ashley had finally returned to racing. Could it be....

Aseemingly absurd thought then suddenly popped into Ryan’s mind, ‘Could it be that Ashley is Ava, the Racing Legend?!”