Chapter 478
Chapter 478
The black car plunged into the water, and immediately the murky pond swallowed it whole, leaving no trace of the roof in sight. By the pond’s edge, the three men stood scattered, their gazes fixed on the nearly submerged vehicle, silently waiting.
The young man in the passenger seat was clearly pissed, kicking a stone on the ground with force.
The boss heard the noise and whipped his head around, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“That woman promised us a billion!” the young man spat out, nearly losing his mind at the thought, “Why the hell did we have to kill her? We’re only getting a measly million out of this! A million versus a billion, can’t you do the math?”
The boss’ hand shot out, grabbing the young man by the collar, “A billion? Do you look like someone who’d ever see that kind of money? Even if you did get your hands on it, you think you’d be living to spend it?”
Fuming and unable to retaliate, the young man’s anger bubbled over, and he suddenly threw a punch at the boss’ face.
The boss hit the ground, his mouth bleeding, and after spitting out a mouthful of blood, he got up and the two scuffled viciously.
The driver, torn himself, didn’t intervene, just silently watched the pond that had swallowed the car. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
Meanwhile, inside the car, Seraphina used the precious time before the cabin filled with water to desperately attempt an escape.
She first reached for the release button of the rear seat, folding it down and crawling into the trunk, trying to force open the lid to escape.
But no matter how hard she tried, the lock wouldn’t budge, the lid immovable.
Water began seeping into the trunk, and after what felt like an eternity, Seraphina gave up.
By the time she made it back into the cabin, the water had risen above the seats.
The December chill was biting, but Seraphina felt none of it.
Darkness enveloped her; she couldn’t see a thing, searching every nook and cranny of the car to no avail for something, anything, that could be of use.
The moment the icy water reached her chest, she couldn’t help but slam her fists against the locked doors and windows. She had never feared death, but now, she was terrified.
There was too much left undone, too many people she hadn’t loved. She couldn’t die here.
Yet, despite her exhaustive efforts, the doors and windows remained firmly shut.
As the water level rose, almost engulf her completely, Seraphina struggled for breath, her eyes involuntarily welling up with tears.
Life was fleeting, and if this was her end, all her grievances would fade to nothingness. But to leave without a word to those she loved— How would Leandro and Valerio face their futures?
The vast water upset her balance, forcing her to frantically grab at anything to stay afloat. Her hand found the driver’s seat, and with a sudden realization, she pulled with all her might, yanking out the headrest—exposing two cold metal rods.
Clutching the headrest, as the water engulfed her completely, she smashed it against the window with all her remaining strength!
Above the water, the two men were still fighting. The driver, having had enough, was about to break it up when he noticed an unusual ripple on the water’s surface.
He paused, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, and then he shouted, “Hold on! Something’s up!”
In the icy water, Seraphina’s consciousness was blurring, but as she finally pried open the window, a sliver of clarity returned. She clambered through and into the murky depths.
The filthy pond water stung her eyes, but she knew she couldn’t surface; to do so would mean being captured again. She swam blindly, hoping she was heading towards the distant shore.
Her struggle in the car had drained her strength, but she knew she had to tap into her deepest reserves to survive.
However, as she pushed through the water, a hand suddenly grabbed her ankle.
Seraphina broke the surface in a desperate attempt to escape, but after only a gasp of air, the hand yanked her back down!
She fought with her last ounce of energy but couldn’t shake the grip. It seemed they were determined to drown her in this pond.
Darkness crept into her mind, her thoughts fading, her body going limp. She stopped struggling, allowing herself to drift in the cold water, moving on to whatever lay beyond—
Suddenly, the grip on her ankle released.
Seraphina sensed freedom but had no strength to move.
Then, someone grabbed her, shooting up through the water’s surface.
The once quiet pond was now surrounded by multiple cars.
Some of them were grappling with the men on the shore, while others were dealing with the man in the water.
Leandro, looking steely and composed, cradled the unconscious Seraphina to the bank.
A towel was thrust into his hands, and he wrapped it around her without hesitation.
His face was ashen, whether from the cold or worry, as he pressed on Seraphina’s abdomen repeatedly.
After what seemed like an eternity, Seraphina violently coughed up water.
Leandro paused, then suddenly pulled her into his arms, his voice hoarse with urgency as he looked towards the path, “Where the hell is the ambulance?”
As if on cue, the ambulance appeared at the end of the road.
Leandro lifted Seraphina into his arms.
“Mr. Reynolds, let me take her…” a bodyguard said, moving to relieve him of Seraphina’s weight.
Leandro ignored him, holding Seraphina close as he strode towards the ambulance.
On the 66th floor of the Martin Group, in the chairman’s office, Simon sat calmly behind his desk, reviewing documents when the internal phone buzzed. “Mr. Martin, Miss Andrea is here.”
Simon’s gaze dimmed ever so slightly upon hearing this, but he managed to compose himself and said, “Let her in.”
The moment the office door swung open, Andrea walked in with a stiffness.
Simon didn’t look up, his attention seemingly tethered to the documents in his hand. It wasn’t until he flipped a page and noticed Andrea’s persistent silence that he finally raised his eyes to meet hers.
Andrea stood frozen at the doorway, her complexion pallid, her eyes locked on him with a haunting intensity.
“What’s the matter?” Simon inquired coolly, without a hint of warmth. “You never visit the office.”
It took Andrea a moment before she could muster the words, “I came to tell you that Sera just had an accident…”
“Is that so?” Simon returned his gaze to the paperwork, his voice devoid of concern. “Anything else?”
From a distance, Andrea studied him, his indifferent tone cutting through her. A pained smile flickered across her face before she spoke again.
“I came to tell you, Dad, your daughter just had an accident.”