Chapter 4 - The Studio Ambush
I slammed my foot heavily on the brakes, pulling the car onto the gravel shoulder of the busy highway.
My heart hammered violently against my ribs as Elena’s terrifying warning echoed in my ears.
I frantically asked her how Luke could possibly know about the hospital visit so quickly.
Elena swore she hadn't told him a single word about my highly confidential appointment.
She revealed that the hospital's private server had been forcefully accessed by an external IP address.
Someone highly skilled within Luke’s vast criminal network had actively monitored my medical records.
He definitely knew I was at the clinic, but he might not know exactly why I was there yet.
Elena begged me to hide immediately and hung up before her brother could track her cellular signal.
I sat alone in the idling car, staring at my trembling hands gripping the steering wheel.
My design studio was my ultimate sanctuary, the only place in Chicago that truly belonged entirely to me.
If Luke's men were already there, they were treating me like a serious flight risk, or worse, a dangerous traitor.
I threw my car into drive and took the nearest exit, heading toward the gritty industrial district instead of downtown.
I desperately needed cash, untraceable and fast.
I parked in a dark, narrow alley behind a run-down strip mall and pulled out my emergency burner phone.
Before I could dial my private bank manager, a sleek black sedan aggressively blocked the entrance to the alley.
Two large men in tailored suits stepped out, their hands resting casually near the hidden holsters under their jackets.
They weren't just low-level street thugs; they were Luke’s elite personal fixers.
I quickly locked the car doors and threw the engine into reverse, praying the tires would catch on the wet pavement.
The fixer on the left raised a silenced pistol and shot out my front tire with terrifying, calm precision.
The car violently lurched to a sudden halt, completely immobilized in the dark alley.
They walked slowly toward my driver's window, their faces completely void of any human emotion.
I frantically dialed Maya’s direct number, hoping my lawyer could send the local police.
Maya answered on the very first ring, but her voice was completely devoid of its usual warmth.
I screamed that Luke’s men had me trapped in an alley and I needed immediate, desperate help.
Maya was dead silent for three agonizingly long seconds.
Then, she calmly told me that Luke had personally offered her a senior partnership at his corporate firm.
May you like
She coldly informed me that she had completely withdrawn my divorce petition an hour ago.
Before she disconnected the line, she advised me to unlock the car doors and be a good, obedient wife.
