Chapter 314
Chapter 314:
By then, the sky had darkened, a deep navy blanket speckled with stars.
Time had flown by, the hours slipping away in the warmth of good food and great company.
The three of them departed, Yelena feeling thoroughly content.
The private kitchen had exceeded her expectations, delivering a meal and an experience that would linger in her memory.
As the car sped down the dimly lit road, a seven-seater van suddenly loomed in their rearview mirror, accelerating at an alarming rate.
Before anyone could react, the van rammed into them with a deafening bang, sending their car careening towards the guardrail.
The force of the impact reverberated through the vehicle, throwing its occupants violently against their seats.
They hadn’t been paying close attention to the van’s erratic movements, but Yelena’s sharp instincts kicked in just in time.
“Take cover!” she shouted, just before the car hit the rail. When the car finally ground to a halt, smoke rising from the hood, the occupants were shaken but conscious. The van’s passengers glanced briefly into the wreckage before speeding off.
Austin managed to sit up first, his composure surprisingly intact. “Is everyone okay p>
John groaned as he straightened up. “We’re fine,” he muttered, though his face was flushed with anger. He peered out the window at the retreating van and cursed.
“Damn it! Who the hell were those people p>
It didn’t take long for the reality of the situation to set in. The van had no license plate and was clearly in no condition to be driven—it was practically falling apart. Whoever was behind this had come prepared, fully intent on carrying out their plan.
Your escape begins with gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs․𝓬𝗈m
This wasn’t a random act.
It was clear that they were targeting someone in this car.
Austin’s gaze was like a glacier—cold, unyielding, and impossible to miss.
There was something about his demeanor, an icy tension that seemed to ripple outward, freezing the air between him and anyone daring to stand within ten feet. Deep down, Austin had already zeroed in on a likely culprit.
After all, who else had the audacity to pull a stunt like this?
Especially since that certain someone had been skulking around Eighfast lately. It was an opportunity too tempting to ignore to finish Austin once and for all. Kheley was a world away—far enough that no one could have reached here on a whim.
Austin’s mind churned. The timing couldn’t have been better to flush out his shadowy adversary. Why not play along, spring the trap, and see how the cards would fall? It wasn’t like anyone could walk away from this kind of mess squeaky clean. If they did, eyebrows would definitely be raised.
Austin’s silence lingered, heavy and deliberate, prompting John to break the stillness. “You’ve got that look,” he said, leaning in. “You know who’s behind this, don’t you p>
Yelena, ever sharp, had already pieced together her own theory. The bullseye wasn’t hard to spot—it was plastered squarely on Austin’s back.
After all, it had been his car that was targeted, and whoever orchestrated the ambush had clearly been tailing him for a while.
Today, striking in the suburbs made perfect sense; in the bustling city, pulling off something so bold would’ve been like trying to hide an elephant in a closet.
A man like Austin had no shortage of enemies. That much was obvious.
Yelena’s expression turned somber. “It’s got to be someone close to you,” she ventured, her tone cautious but firm.
Austin shot her a curious glance. “What makes you think so p>
“Call it a hunch,” Yelena replied coolly, her words laced with unspoken confidence.
She kept her cards close, not wanting to tip her hand without proof.
The truth, however, was plain as day in her mind. Only someone with inside knowledge could have pulled this off. An ordinary rival wouldn’t have gone to such extremes.
And then there was the van. The driver had desperation written all over him—a pawn ready to burn it all down for the right price.
Yelena’s thoughts drifted back to the Barton family’s murky history. When she first crossed paths with Austin, he’d been dodging a band of suited heavies.
Clearly, whoever was gunning for him back then wasn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet.
Austin’s survival up to now was nothing short of a miracle—his life seemed charmed, almost as if fate had wrapped him in its protective cloak.
“Yeah, it could be my uncle, Leonel,” Austin admitted, his voice low and deliberate, his piercing gaze fixed ahead. “But I’m not certain yet. That’s why I’m going to play along with their scheme and see how it unravels p>
John’s expression hardened instantly. He didn’t need a play-by-play to understand the gravity of Austin’s words. Leonel was no stranger to treachery.
The man had taken more shots at Austin than most enemies would dare, and this latest move fit his playbook perfectly.