Chapter 360
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
“The conditions are there, but it’ll take time. Even more so if the other side is this stubborn. And there’s no guarantee we’ll win.”
“If it doesn’t work… I’m prepared to become a widow.”
“…I’ll look for a lawyer who’s actually won an annulment case before. I’ll cover the costs, too, so don’t make any rash decisions.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Kathleen muttered that this was still easier than finding someone willing to defend a murderer, then added.
“Your father will suffer considerable losses, and that’s not something I can compensate for.”
If the Marquis and I separated, he might withdraw the investments he’d poured into Dr. Loveridge’s hospital. Would it collapse, then?
Kathleen seemed to think I might beg the Ackroyd family to invest in the hospital in the Marquis’s place.
“What he stands to lose is none of my concern.”
No, perhaps what Dr. Loveridge stood to lose was my concern after all. In truth, I hoped he would suffer losses so great they’d bring him to tears.
“He forgot you and left to return to where he belonged. Why are you clinging to someone who’s already gone?”
He had lied to me, said Killian had left me, and returned to his rightful place. He hid the fact that Killian had been framed and thrown into prison. The doctor, Grandmother, the Marquis, those three had done it together. To me, they were accomplices.
So if I abandoned the title of Marchioness and the hospital went bankrupt, it would be fitting revenge against a man who cherished that hospital more than his own child.
“Come to think of it, Dr. Loveridge has been quiet lately.”
For a while, he’d been sending letters to Kathleen, begging to see me, even showing up at the law office in person.
“Perhaps His Majesty has taken a turn for the worse again. Or maybe the hospital’s busy once more.”
“Hmm. Rupert’s been quiet too and that’s suspicious. There’s no way he doesn’t know Killian will be released soon—”
The car suddenly accelerated, jolting me back into my seat and cutting Kathleen off mid-sentence. From beyond the curtain, the driver apologized.
“My apologies. The car behind us is following too closely.”
“On a rural road like this, what could—”
Bang!
“Ah!”
Just as I tried to turn around, my body lurched forward. The car behind us had rammed into us. Slammed against the front seat, I locked eyes with a strange man in the other car’s driver’s seat.
He was smiling. It wasn’t an accident.
“Don’t stop! They were sent by the Marquis!”
We had to run.
Our car sped up, the horn blaring to warn the vehicle ahead. Would the guards in the lead car be able to stop them? We’d hired security in case the Marquis attacked. But I’d never imagined something this brutal, in the middle of the road.
Bang!
The pursuing car slammed into us again at terrifying speed.
Crunch.
The sound of tearing metal rang out as something broke loose from our car. At the same time, my head rang painfully. They weren’t just trying to wreck the car, they meant to crush the people inside it.
‘D-Don’t tell me… are they trying to kill us?’
Through my shaking vision, I caught sight of another car. At first, with the lace curtains blocking my view, I thought more of the Marquis’s men had joined in, and despair washed over me.
Crash!
But it was the escort vehicle that had been ahead of us. The car that had been accelerating to ram us again was struck from the side and shoved off the road. It flipped over, rendered unable to continue.
But my relief came too soon.
“There’s another one!”
From behind the escort car, which had stopped at an angle by the roadside, another black vehicle appeared. It sped past and charged straight toward us.
Our car tried to accelerate again, but it didn’t last long. The engine groaned as if straining, then sputtered with a dreadful rattling sound as our speed dropped—
Bang. The engine died completely.
The guards’ vehicle didn’t follow, perhaps something had gone wrong.
Screech. The pursuing car rolled to a stop directly in front of us, blocking the road. Doors flew open, and three burly men climbed out, striding toward us. One of them was holding a hunting rifle.
‘They really are trying to kill us…’
The sight drained all the color from my face.
“I’ll hold them off, run to where the guards are!”
The driver jumped out, opening his door to buy us time.
“We have to go, now.”
I flung open the door beside me and grabbed Kathleen, but she shoved me away.
“They’re here for you. Run.”
“But you could be targeted too!”
“Then at least close the door before you go.”
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.