Chapter 152
The frantic footsteps rushed into the underground parking garage like a tidal wave.
From her hiding spot, Maeve watched the security detail pour out of the stairwell.
Voices echoed through the concrete space.
“Zoe, have you seen Mrs. Fairchild p>
Zoe replied in a soft, innocent tone.
“No, I haven’t. Did Maeve get into another argument with Frederick p>
Maeve didn’t bother listening to the rest of the exchange. Frowning slightly, she peered around the corner.
Why was Zoe alone?
Where was Tristan?
She hadn’t thrown the pebble anywhere near their exact position.
If Tristan had heard the noise from that distance, predicted the situation, and separated from Zoe before the guards arrived, it meant he possessed sharp instincts and an uncanny awareness of his surroundings.
She needed to get out of there. Being caught hiding would only put her at a severe disadvantage.
Maeve furrowed her brows, pulled back her gaze, and turned to leave. But as she pivoted, she spotted a tall silhouette standing a short distance away.
It was Tristan!
He was stepping lightly, his sharp gaze sweeping the shadows. He was actively hunting for whoever had made the noise.
He really had heard it.
Alarm bells shrieked in Maeve’s head. Holding her breath, she dropped to her hands and knees and quickly crawled under a high-clearance SUV parked nearby.
She clamped a hand over her mouth. Through the narrow gap beneath the chassis, she watched Tristan’s polished leather shoes stalk closer to the vehicle. She shrank further back into the greasy darkness.
Her mind kept flashing terrifying images of Tristan dropping to his knees and locking eyes with her through the gap. The sheer panic made her heart pound wildly against her ribs.
Fortunately, the footsteps soon moved away. Moments later, the roar of an engine echoed through the garage, and a car sped toward the exit.
He was gone.
Maeve didn’t dare waste another second. She scrambled out from under the SUV and jogged quickly away from the scene.
At the same time, Tristan’s car reached the garage exit.
He caught a fleeting glimpse of a figure darting through his rearview mirror. He narrowed his eyes, steadying his breathing.
Petite. Slender. Definitely a woman.
He didn’t know if his mind was playing tricks on him, but the silhouette looked remarkably similar to the person who had fied after spotting him and Zoe at the hospital a few days ago.
Tristan tapped his fingers rhythmically against the steering wheel. Suddenly remembering something, he glanced at Zoe in the passenger seat.
“That good-luck charm that was dropped at the hospital last time. You picked it up, right? Whose was it p>
Zoe answered truthfully.
“Maeve’s p>
Tristan’s eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. A sinister darkness clouded his gaze as he drew out the syllables.
“Maeve… Sinclair p>
The unmistakable displeasure in his voice brought a vicious, satisfied gleam to Zoe’s eyes.
She rested a hand delicately on her flat stomach and asked softly, “Maeve has always had it out for me. If she did something to hurt our baby… what would you do p>
This was Tristan’s first child. Even if the baby couldn’t be officially recognized by the Kingsleys, it meant everything to him.
He had already made his plans. Once Zoe gave birth, he would pave the way for the child to take over the Fairchild empire. When the time came, the combined resources of the Kingsley and Fairchild families would elevate his own status to untouchable heights.
It was safe to say he had monumental expectations for this unborn child.
Hearing Zoe’s question, his expression turned predatory, and he let out a harsh scoff.
“If she dares touch a hair on our child’s head, I’ll end her p>
A faint smile touched Zoe’s lips, though her tone remained solemn.
“Don’t worry. No matter what happens, I will protect our baby p>
Sitting in the back of a taxi, Maeve gently ran her thumb over her phone screen.
The more she analyzed it, the more convinced she became that Tristan and Zoe’s relationship was dangerous.
With the Fairchild and Kingsley families tangled up in this mess p>
It was like a massive knot of yarn that couldn’t be untangled. Beneath the calm surface, lethal undercurrents were already raging.
She wanted absolutely nothing to do with this treacherous power play She also knew that as long as she remained tied to the Fairchild Zoe’s schemes and targeting would never stop.
She had to finalize the divorce with Frederick and sever ties with his family immediately, or she would inevitably be dragged into the crossfire.