NEW MEMORIES

Annoyance coiled tightly inside Ava that she barely contained, but instead of expressing it, she lowered her eyes and began to fidget, twitching her fingers slightly, just enough to look as if she was scared.

She'd learned this act well, courtesy of Sasha. Sasha always acted like the victim in the past, turning her family's fury and suspicion from herself to her with some fake tears and words like she was trying to take her place. It was only fitting, Ava thought, that she should finally put that trick into use herself.

"Look at Sasha, father," Matilda continued. "She had been with us for twenty years but has never done something so despicable. Why can't she be more like her?!" Matilda complained.

William's heart wavered as he glanced between Ava, his granddaughter, who now looked so small and subdued, and furious Matilda, who looked at Ava grudgingly, if he wasn't mistaken.

When Ava's eyes moved to her mother occasionally as she looked down, he saw the raw hurt that settled in them, and the tears that began to gather too. After being away from her family and growing up in the outskirts of the city, she was now surrounded by people who should've shielded her, protected her from hurting, but how could they all be ready to tear her down over one mistake? This thought annoyed him.

William's gaze shifted to Gaulin, and his jaw tightened. He wasn't one to argue with women because of his deeply ingrained beliefs, but as he studied his son's face, the disappointment on it was almost palpable. How could Gaulin stand there and allow his family turn on his own daughter like a pack of wolves?

"And what exactly did she do to ruin the Whitlock's name?" William's cold voice stunned everybody.

Ava's head was still bowed, but behind her lowered gaze, she slightly smiled with satisfaction as she watched her grandfather's face grow darker from the corners of her eyes

She knew her grandfather well enough. The old man was a fair man, and Sasha always gaslighted him with this in the past. Now, it was her turn. She wasn't going to gaslight him, but if she was going to go head on with the rest of her family, she needed someone who had their respect. Who better can she ask for other than her grandfather, the head of the family?

Gaulin opened his mouth with uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "Father, she- she embarrassed the family in public. At WA GRAND, she caused a scene under the influence of drugs, and-"

William frowned at the mention of drugs. He couldn't explain this but he could already tell from looking at Ava that she couldn't be an addict. He interrupted, "Did you try to get an explanation from her?" The room fell silent at the old man's question. "She's your daughter, Gaulin," he said coldly. "When did you decide she was some stranger you could beat down?"

Ava finally lifted her head, letting a single tear fall from her eyes, and her lips trembled as she turned to William. "Grandfather, I-" she whispered almost inaudibly, like she was about to cry. "I tried to explain to them but nobody wanted to listen. I only grabbed father's hand because... Because I was scared. I didn't know what else to do."

William's eyes softened as he turned to her. "Did you hear that?" He growled, looking witherly over his family in turns.

Ava barely held back her grin as she stared at the fuming faces of her family members, especially Sasha who looked like she was about to explode from the anger.

Gripping the opportunity to finally explain herself, she raised the envelope for everyone to see. "I have proof, Grandfather, that I've done nothing wrong," she said with a soft voice. From the envelope, she carefully pulled out the flash drive and the two small viles.

She was a little confused as she noticed the second vile that contained a plaster, stained with traces of the drug. She didn't remember seeing it in Maximus's car, but the thought slipped away as quickly as it came.

She held up the samples for everyone to see before her gaze locked on William's. "See this, Grandfather? I'd cut my hand at the party, and a staff member offered me a plaster to cover it. I had no idea it was laced with this - concaine," she said with a wavering voice.

She paused before she lifted the drive. Her gaze shifted between her grandfather and Sasha, and she took her time to enjoy the panic that brewed on her face. "And this," she added, "contains footage from the hotel, showing how a staff member led me to one of the floors and left me there." She placed the items back into the envelope.

Ava actually hadn't reviewed the footage. She hadn't had time to. But she decided to trust Maximus. Plus, the look on Sasha's face that was drained of color, Matilda's that twisted in confusion, and Gaulin's like he'd been slapped, gave her the satisfaction she needed.

"Grandfather," Ava continued, allowing another tear rolled down her cheek. "I've never thought of dragging the family's name into mud, let alone doing it. I also never knew that someone was certainly out to get me," her eyes briefly went to Sasha, making her more nervous than she already was, "But I thought I'd be safe with my family at a huge party I've never attended before..." she let her voice trail off, pretending to hold her tears. "It's inconceivable to even think something like this could happen..." Ava trailed off again, bending her head like she was in tears.

William frowned. "You mean to say," his voice was colder this time, "that my granddaughter was drugged and abandoned, and none of you had the decency to investigate?"

Ava saw Gaulin's shoulder slump, and his eyes dropped in shame. Her brothers' smug expressions faltered, and were replaced with uncertainty, while Matilda's face reddened in embarrassment.

"Gaulin," William continued, "your daughter was set up, targeted. But all you all did was turn your backs at her, and blame her mindlessly for ruining the family's name?!"

"We were not aware of this, Father," Matilda defended. "We can't be blamed for disciplining the child when we thought she was at fault. That will make us bad parents."

Ava let more tears drop from her eyes, catching Sasha's furious glare. "But mother, I tried to explain but you didn't let me. Instead, you hit me," Ava said quietly.

When William scrowled at Matilda, she eyed Ava, but Ava smiled admist her tears.

This was only the beginning, Ava thought. She was going to erase all her bad memories and replace them with new ones from this life.

She smiled even more as her grandfather's words hit the room once more.

"Make sure that news dies before sunset today, Gaulin, and sue everyone involved in my granddaughter's slander. That is an order."

.

As everybody angrily dispatched, Sasha hurriedly stepped outside. She paced restlessly as she dialed a number, waiting for the person at the other end to pick up. When the man did, she yelled, "Why aren't you picking up, you scumbag?!"

The man was surprised by the young Miss's tone, but he calmed himself. "You said you were never going to contact me again. I was skeptical about the call."

"Well, we have a problem," Sasha spoke huskily. "The footage from the hotel was found by Ava. I don't know how, but my grandfather has ordered to get everyone involved sued."

The man was startled by the revelation.

"Don't get caught," Sasha said sternly. "But if you eventually do, don't get me involved! Or I'll make sure you regret it your whole life!" Sasha threatened before hanging up, without even giving the man an opportunity to explain himself.