Chapter 176

"Why do you think I'd tell the truth?" The assistant asked flatly. "I'm with Rachel Collins, remember?" "I told you already—I don't read people wrong. You’ve got a good heart, seriously. I believe you'll do the right thing," Ava Nelson said, calm as ever. The assistant suddenly choked up, eyes welling with tears. After all she'd done to frame Maria, Ava still called her kind. That word alone made her feel utterly undeserving. Ava pulled a tissue from her bag and gently pressed on, "I know working for Rachel is suffocating. But listen, if you tell the truth now, you’ll never have to go back to her. We can leave right away." The assistant blinked in surprise, lifting her head to look at Ava. Her eyes flickered—with hope? Fear? Maybe both. Ava had hit a nerve. The truth was, she'd been crumbling inside for a while now, drowning in all that pressure. Just then, Ava's phone buzzed—it was Maria. A little alarmed, she picked up cautiously. "Put me on speaker. I need to talk to Dina." Maria’s