Just as Leonard was about to get into the driver’s seat again, Suzy’s gaze shifted to Adam Bennet.
"Uncle—why don’t you ride in Adam’s car instead? I’ll drive yours over."
The mont she said it, both n turned to look at her.
Neither of them understood why, when she could simply take Leonard with her, she insisted on dragging Adam into it.
"Suzy?" Leonard frowned, confusion evident on his face.
Her instincts were screaming at her.
Under no circumstances could Leonard ride in this black car. She had already eliminated the drunk-driving variable. Next ca the car itself.
If she was going to avoid danger, she might as well eliminate every possible risk.
Without hesitation, she blurted out, "Uncle, I checked your horoscope today. You shouldn’t ride in black vehicles. White suits you better... and Adam’s car happens to be white. So you should go with him."
Leonard laughed helplessly. "You’re just making trouble for Adam."
"It’s fine. Adam was planning to co to our place tonight anyway, right?"
It was the only excuse she could co up with on the spot. She shot Adam a pleading look.
Please don’t ruin this.
Leonard looked at Adam. "You’re coming over?"
Adam glanced at Suzy, then at Leonard. That unreadable look made her heart sink.
Two seconds passed.
Then Adam reached out, draped an arm casually around Leonard’s shoulder, and said in his usual cool tone, "Yeah. Get in."
The tension in Suzy’s chest finally eased.
She looked at Adam gratefully. He, on the other hand, didn’t look back.
"When was this decided? Why didn’t I hear about it?" Leonard asked, surprised.
"Last minute," Adam replied flatly.
And just like that, Leonard was ushered into Adam’s car.
Suzy nearly teared up.
Good man, Adam. Thank you.
The three of them left the club together.
Suzy drove Leonard’s black car alone, while Leonard rode in Adam’s white vehicle behind her.
Her own car remained parked at the club for the ti being.
The club was located on the outskirts, surrounded by open land. It was late. The roads were nearly empty.
Suzy drove in front; Adam’s car followed at a steady distance.
Just ahead was a sharp turn. After that, a stretch of road would lead into the city proper.
Suzy always drove cautiously. Even with no cars around at night, she never sped. As she approached the curve, she pressed lightly on the brake... And felt nothing.
Her expression changed instantly.
She slamd the brake pedal all the way down, but the speed did not decrease.
If anything, the car seed to accelerate instead.
Her face drained of color.
In that split second, she understood the truth of her uncle’s death in her previous life.
It hadn’t been drunk driving. This car itself had been tampered with.
As for who had done it... She couldn’t be one hundred percent certain, but she had a guess.
There was no ti to think.
Her hands tightened around the steering wheel, fighting to stabilize the vehicle.
The threat of death sent goosebumps across her entire body. Cold sweat drenched her back. She had no choice but to take the curve at high speed.
The bend was deep, partially obscured by the hillside. She couldn’t see what lay ahead.
Halfway through the turn, the roar of a motorcycle engine erupted in the distance.
She cleared the curve, and a blinding beam of high light slamd into her eyes.
You’ve got to be kidding .
So reckless biker was tearing down the road in the middle of the night—not only failing to stay in his lane but veering directly into hers.
They were about to collide head-on.
Grinding her teeth, Suzy jerked the steering wheel sharply.
The car shot forward like an arrow released from a bow—swerving out of the lane and hurtling toward a massive tree ahead.
The trunk rushed closer and closer.
In that instant, ti seed to freeze. Her mind went blank. It felt as though Death itself had wrapped its arms around her.
So this—this was what her uncle had experienced in his final monts in that version of life.
At that exact second, her wristwatch vibrated with an alarm notification.
The ti displayed was the exact ti Leonard Kale had died in her previous life.
"Boom—!"
A thunderous crash split the night. The car slamd violently into the tree.
The million-dollar luxury vehicle twisted upon impact, tal crumpling as it overturned onto its side.
In the driver’s seat, Suzy had already lost consciousness.
At the very last mont, she had tried to retreat into her space—but even so, the violent collision had still affected her.
Her awareness blurred.
Darkness crept in, swallowing her whole.
...
Behind her, Adam and Leonard witnessed the entire crash unfold. Their car had not been far behind, moving at nearly the sa speed.
The deafening impact hit their ears like a sledgehamr striking straight at their hearts.
Adam saw it clearly—the black sedan losing control, veering without hesitation, and smashing headlong into the massive tree.
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. He slamd the brakes to the floor.
The tires shrieked against the asphalt.
The white car barely ca to a halt more than ten ters from the wreckage, the front bumper nearly scraping the roadside curb.
Even before the curve, Adam had sensed sothing was wrong.
The speed was unusual.
She was moving way too fast, and he knew that Suzy was not that reckless.
She was always steady behind the wheel—if anything, almost overly cautious. Leonard had even complained about her slow driving monts earlier.
And yet, just now, she had shown no sign of braking while entering the turn.
That was impossible.
Before Adam could fully process it, everything had already gone wrong.
For a split second, his mind went blank.
It was Leonard’s hoarse, shattered cry from the passenger seat that snapped him back.
"Su... Suzy?!!"
Leonard’s eyes were bloodshot, fixed on the wrecked black car. His voice cracked with despair.
He fumbled for the door handle, desperate to get out—only to realize he hadn’t unbuckled his seatbelt.
His hands shook violently as he clawed at it. After several frantic attempts, the belt finally ca loose.
The mont his feet hit the ground, he bolted toward the wreckage.
All color had drained from his face, leaving only a ghastly pallor and the raw terror of a man on the brink of collapse.
Suzy...
She was the only family he had left now.
She couldn’t be hurt.
She couldn’t.
Leonard stumbled more than once, nearly falling in his haste.
"Leonard! Calm down!" Adam barked sharply.
Compared to Leonard’s panic, Adam appeared almost frighteningly composed.
His expression was rigid as he pulled out his phone and dialed ergency services.
But if one looked closely, his pale fingertips were trembling uncontrollably.
After relaying the critical information, he ended the call and sprinted toward the mangled vehicle.
The closer he got, the stronger the acrid sll of burnt tal beca.
He quickly caught up to Leonard.
Together, they reached the black car—so twisted it was nearly unrecognizable.
The driver’s side was crushed inward, tal warped grotesquely. The windshield was shattered into a spiderweb pattern, sared with alarming streaks of blood.
"Suzy!!"
The driver’s door was too deford to open.
They ran around to the passenger side, yanking at the handle.
Through the fractured glass, they could see that the airbags had fully deployed.
Inside, a small figure was curled forward, restrained by the seatbelt, completely motionless.
Adam’s heart sank violently.
Beside him, Leonard’s composure shattered entirely.
"Suzy! Suzy!!"
His voice trembled beyond recognition. His face was drenched—whether with sweat or tears, even he didn’t know.
He clawed at the warped tal door with bare hands, slicing his skin against jagged edges without noticing.
"How could this happen... how could this happen... It’s my fault... yes... it’s my fault for insisting on this car... I’m the one who hurt her..."
His words tumbled incoherently, swallowed by guilt and overwhelming fear.
"Leonard Kale!" Adam snapped sharply. "This isn’t the ti for that. We need to get her out!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers