Chapter 704
The streetlights stretched into blurred streaks, as if the night itself were racing alongside them.
Lydia gripped her seat, her fingers whitening under the strain. Her breathing turned uneven. Every turn felt too sharp, every burst of speed throwing her body mercilessly against the seat. Her stomach lurched with each acceleration, while her mind fought to stay clear amid the rising chaos.
“Daniel, this is too dangerous,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm, though it wavered despite her effort.
“It’s more dangerous if we stop, ma’am,” Daniel replied without hesitation.
The car behind them surged forward again. The screech of tires cut sharply through the air as it forced its way into their lane, too close, almost brushing against them once more. Now its shape was unmistakable, large, dark, and aggressive, like something that had finally stopped pretending.
Naomi squeezed her eyes shut, her head dropping as her body curled inward, as if she could shield herself from something she couldn’t even see. “I don’t want to die here…” Her voice broke, barely more than a desperate whisper.
Lydia reached for her immediately, clasping her hand tightly, warm but firm. “Look at me,” she said, her tone shifting, stronger now, steadier despite everything. “We’re going to be okay.”
Naomi shook her head, her breaths coming in broken fragments, her shoulders trembling. “They won’t stop… they really won’t
stop…”
“Daniel won’t let them,” Lydia cut in, even though a flicker of doubt stirred deep inside her, something she couldn’t fully ignore. Still, she didn’t let it show.
Daniel glanced briefly at the rearview mirror, his eyes calculating in an instant, measuring distance, speed, and possibilities. In that split second, he made his decision. He jerked the wheel, steering them sharply into a narrower road, one that was almost
empty.
“Hold on tight,” he repeated, his voice firmer this time.
The car swerved hard. The tires shrieked, rubber scraping harshly against the asphalt. Their bodies were thrown sideways again. Naomi let out a choked sob she couldn’t hold back, while Lydia clenched her teeth, bracing herself against the wave of tension that surged from her chest to the tips of her fingers.
The buildings on either side loomed too close, forming a narrow corridor that seemed to squeeze the air from their lungs and quicken every heartbeat.
A few seconds stretched into something that felt like minutes.
Then, suddenly, the headlights behind them vanished.
No more blinding glare. No more shadow clinging to their back. But the silence that followed didn’t bring relief. If anything, it felt heavier, more suffocating.
Daniel didn’t slow down right away. He kept driving for several more blocks, making sure the car was no longer following. Only when he was certain did he finally let out a long breath and ease his foot off the gas.
“We’ve lost them,” he said.
The atmosphere inside the car fell into a sudden, heavy quiet.
Naomi was still shaking, her hand still clutched tightly around Lydia’s. “They… they were really chasing us.”
“Yes, I know,” Lydia replied, forcing calm into her voice. She reached up to smooth Naomi’s disheveled hair, her focus shifting entirely to the girl beside her, trembling with fear, her face pale, her eyes darting around without focus.
“But we’re safe now. Daniel will take us home.”
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Chapter 704
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“Of course, ma’am,” Daniel replied at once. “We’ll be there soon.”
Lydia let out a long breath, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. Her thoughts raced, turning over the same question again and again. This wasn’t a coincidence. Someone had been following them, targeting them. But… why?
“Daniel,” Lydia called softly, though it immediately drew his full attention.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Who were they?” she asked, her voice quiet but edged with sharp insistence.
Daniel fell silent for a few seconds before answering. “I can’t be certain yet, ma’am.”
Lydia studied him through the windshield, her eyes narrowing slightly. “But you know this isn’t just some random incident, don’t you?”
He gave a small nod. “Yes.”
Naomi swallowed, her voice barely audible. “Does this… have something to do with me?”