Chapter 902

Chapter 902:
Gunfire rattled behind them, bullets pinging off the bulletproof body of the car. Without that armor, she knew she would be full of holes by now.
William’s face was set, his hands working the wheel as the SUV tore down the narrow, rutted road.
Stella gripped the armrest, pale and queasy.
“Hold tight, Stel.”
With a sharp swerve, William cut around a bend, gaining a sliver of distance.
He slammed a button on the dash.
Smoke gushed from the rear, swallowing the road in a thick haze. He veered onto an abandoned logging trail, killed the engine and lights, and let the SUV roll quietly into the underbrush—vanishing from sight.
The smoke worked. Their pursuers lost them in the vast, darkening forest, and soon the roar of engines faded into nothing.
Silence filled the SUV, broken only by their heavy breathing.
Stella trembled, still reeling. William finally released the wheel, turned, and pulled her into his arms, his hand gently patting her back.
His embrace was solid, warm, laced with the faint scent of gunpowder.
Pressed against his shoulder, she realized he was trembling too.
The near-death encounter left them rattled.
“It’s okay now… don’t be scared,” William murmured, his voice low and steady.
Stella listened to his heartbeat—strong, sure—and slowly her frayed nerves began to settle. Tears welled up without warning, soaking his shirt. She had thought she was ready for anything in her search for the truth.
But nothing had prepared her for this—mercenaries firing openly in Choria.
Your escape begins with gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs․𝓬𝗈m
She cried quietly in his arms, and he held her without a word, steady as ever. When her sobs finally eased, William loosened his hold, tilting her toward the faint moonlight filtering through the window to check her over.
“I’m okay…” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Only after confirming she was unharmed did he exhale, shoulders dropping in relief.
He pulled out his phone, fighting for a signal. After several tries, Luca’s voice finally broke through, taut with urgency.
“Mr. Briggs, are you alright? We’ve held most of them off, but there are too many. They’re professionals—we can’t hold out much longer.”
William’s face hardened. “Where are you? Send me your coordinates.”
Once he had the location, he immediately called another team, ordering them to move in and reinforce Luca’s position.
The enemy had come prepared, and William wasn’t sure if his backup team would be enough. After a tense pause, he turned to Stella. “Stel, I need to call Karson.”
At a time like this, every resource mattered. The Carter family’s reach could tip the scales.
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