Chapter 199

The Mercedes S600 tore down the street, Elio gripping the wheel tight and pushing the speed to its limits.

"You really think you can outrun me?" June shouted, slamming her foot on the gas. Her Ferrari responded with a roar that echoed down the block. "Let's see if your Mercedes can keep up with my Ferrari!"

He darted ahead, she chased right after. No way was she letting him out of her sight.

Just as she was closing in, Elio slammed the brakes, yanked the handbrake, and twisted the steering wheel. Tires screeched as he pulled off a perfect drift, the car spinning around in one smooth move. Then he hit the accelerator, flying off in the opposite direction.

"Bye now, sucker!" he called out, voice fading as he sped away.

June was so mad she could scream. "Elio, you jerk! You think you can shake me that easy? Not a chance!"

She tried to whip her car around but she'd already shot past the crosswalk. No choice but to speed ahead to the next intersection before she could turn around.

***

Outside the restaurant, Lucie stepped out to the curb and raised her hand for a cab. She'd just reached the edge of the sidewalk when an old, beat-up van crept up beside her. The hairs on her arms stood on end. Something felt off, and she was instantly on guard.

Forget this. I'm going back inside. I'll call Ruby to pick me up, she thought.

But just as she turned to leave, she caught movement from the corner of her eye -the van's window sliding down. A metal tube poked out.

"Oh my god-" She ducked instinctively as something shot out with a soft hiss. A white blur zipped toward her, but she threw up her purse just in time.

Thud.

The object smacked into her Hermès Birkin bag, hitting so hard it left a gash in the leather. She glanced down and saw a syringe sticking out.

Another hiss. Another syringe flew her way.

"Help! Somebody help me!" Lucie shrieked, bolting back toward the restaurant.

Two shots missed. The van's driver must have panicked because the van peeled away, tires squealing.

A security guard rushed over as Lucie stumbled up the steps, breathless. "Ma'am, are you okay? What happened?"

Her heart was pounding so hard it hurt. "Someone just tried to shoot me with something!"

The guard eyed the syringe in her purse. "What is that?"

"Don't touch it! Please, just call the police. Now."

"Yes, ma'am. Come inside, please."

Lucie scanned the street, still jittery, then hurried back into the restaurant with the guard.

"I'm calling the police right now," he assured her.

"Thank you," she managed, voice shaky.

***

Police arrived within minutes, lights flashing.

"What's going on? Who called this in?" one officer asked.

"I did," the guard said quickly. "This lady was just attacked-someone tried to shoot her with something."

The officers exchanged a look and moved in to examine the scene. One syringe was still lodged in Lucie's purse, another sat on the ground nearby, both with a few drops of clear liquid inside.

"What is this stuff?" an officer muttered.

"We'll have to get it to the lab, fast. As soon as we know what it is, we'll let you know," another officer said.

"Alright," Lucie replied, trying to sound calm.

"Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

She shook her head. "No. I'm okay. It didn't touch me."

"Alright. We'll just need you to make a statement."

The police took her inside and got her story, then headed off to check security footage and put out an alert for the van. But the van had fake plates, and after a few blocks, it was abandoned. Whoever was behind this had vanished.

About an hour later, Lucie finished her statement and the police gave her a ride home, just to be safe.

***

Back at her apartment, Lucie's

nerves were shot. Her hands were still shaking as she replayed everything in her mind. That syringe could have been filled with

anything deadly virus even

anying a deadl rus

even-Filv

The thought made her stomach turn.

This wasn't random. Someone's been watching her. Someone wanted to hurt her,

badly.

But who? She'd traveled to

Westbrook plenty of times for work,

but she always kept a low profile, never made enemies and never got

neverg

into drama. If this had been a

mugging or a kidnapping for

ransom, it would have made sense. But this? This was personal. Someone wanted her gone.

Who would hate me enough to pull something like this?

She went over every possibility in her mind, but nobody came to mind. No one she'd wronged that badly.

Could it be Steven?

She considered it, but it just didn't fit. Sure, they were divorced, but he'd always

seemed to have some lingering feelings for her.

If not Steven, then someone close to him.

Bria.

Just thinking her name sent a chill

down Lucie's back. She'd only met

Bria twice, but both times left her uneasy. There was something about the way Bria looked at her cold, intense, almost dangerous. One look, and you just knew she was trouble.

"Yeah, it has to be her. She can't stand that I was with Steven. She's jealous

enough to want me out of the picture for good.

"Even after moving all the way to Westbrook, I still can't escape her. And that car

accident a while back-maybe that wasn't an accident at all."

She'd always thought Steven was behind it, but he'd given her a generous settlement. Clearly, money wasn't an issue for him.