Chapter 41
“Esther seemed so sure Carlos was there for her,” a voice echoed.
I’ve heard Esther’s really tight with Mr. Duncan’s sister. Closeness has its advantages, and if you had to choose between Esther and Lenore, any guy would go for Esther, right?” another commented.
A cacophony of voices filled the room as everyone chimed in with their opinions.
Esther felt the weight of every comment like a slap. The stares were like pins pricking her skin. But she knew she couldn’t back down now.
Carlos, his hair messy in a laid–back way, blocked Lenore’s path. His voice was cold and direct as he asked, “You’re Lenore, right?”
Lenore had been thinking of confronting Carlos, and here he was, coming to her. With a confident gait, she approached them, a cold smile on her lips as she looked them straight in the eye. “Yes, that was me,” she affirmed.
She was a beauty with an edge, a blend of untamed spirit and defiance that seemed almost otherworldly. There was something about her that made everyone want to test her limits.
Carlos‘ eyes showed a glint of hunger as he moistened his lips, his voice turning cold. “You were with the cop who hassled my car and messed with my crew the other night, right?”
Lenore gave a small nod, her gaze unwavering. “Bingo,” she replied, her tone even.
Her candid response caught Carlos and Ivan off guard, leaving them speechless for a moment.
With her hands in her pockets and a self–assured stance, Lenore held Carlos’s gaze, her eyes slightly narrowed. “Now I have a question for you,” she said. “Did you try to get the cops to take Ken off the force?”
Carlos recovered, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it with a smirk. “You should have played by the rules. You’ve got guts, coming after my car and my people. I’ll give you that.”
Carlos ruled Jinslenburg with an iron fist, but today, something unexpected happened. He was known for his heavy hand, especially with the
womenfolk.
He was laying into Lenore, “I’m gonna show you—” when out of nowhere, a kick came flying in.
A black shoe hit him square in the chest, and Carlos went down hard.
The move was so fast that nobody saw it coming, not even Carlos.
The onlookers by the school gates were struck dumb, their gasps hanging in the air as they stared, shocked, like they’d witnessed something impossible.
Ivan was the first to find his voice, his face a mask of astonishment. “You’ve got to be kidding me—”
But he didn’t get to finish. A kick caught him mid–sentence, sending him tumbling to the ground next to Carlos.
“Mr. Duncan, Mr. Quinn!” Esther, her shock wearing off, sprinted over to the two men. She knelt beside Carlos, her hands outstretched, her voice quivering with worry. “Mr. Duncan, are you alright?”
Esther’s eyes bulged as she gaped at Lenore, her voice quivering with shock. “Lenore, are you out of your mind?” she blurted out.
With a nonchalant shrug, Lenore replied, her tone flat, “Just teaching a lesson that was needed.”
“Damn it…” Carlos grimaced, clutching his chest and coughing. His face pale, he looked at Lenore in disbelief. “You dared to hit me!” he rasped.
Lenore left her hands in her pockets, nonchalantly shifting her weight. Her gaze on Carlos was icy and condescending. “You bet I did,” she stated, her voice laced with disdain.
Esther’s face paled, her eyes wide with alarm. “Lenore!” she exclaimed. “Do you have any idea who he is? You’re going to get the Smedleys into serious trouble!*
Lenore scoffed, her laughter cold. “The Smedleys? What do I care about them?” she shot back.
Esther stood there, momentarily speechless, taken aback by Lenore’s callous attitude. She nervously bit her lip, shooting a worried look at Carlos,
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Chapter 41
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attempting to smooth things over. “Mr. Duncan, I’m sorry. Lenore can be quite erratic. Please-”
Carlos was blunt and to the point. “Beat it!” he barked, pulling Esther roughly aside, causing her to fall hard onto the concrete with a thud.
Sitting there on the ground, Esther looked at Carlos, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Mr. Duncan,” she stammered, “I was just checking if you were all right…
But Carlos was cold, brushing off her words. “Your concern isn’t wanted,” he shot back, standing up and not even bothering to glance her way.
The bystanders were glued to the scene, their gazes fixed on Esther.
Esther was mortified, her previous enthusiasm around Carlos now a source of deep embarrassment. She longed to vanish, her cheeks burning with the desire to escape this humiliation.
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