After the divorce, he begged

Meanwhile, Richard placed a call. “Mr. Hanson, everything’s taken care of. It’ll play out exactly how you want. Just wondering about that thing you promised before…”

“Rest assured,” Marcus replied, his tone lofty and dismissive–making it clear he looked down on Richard. “You get

it done, and everything I promised will be yours.”

Richard grinned. “Trust me, it’s as good as done.”

Marcus went on, “But if the plan gets exposed…”

Richard caught the meaning instantly.

He responded immediately, his tone overly respectful, “I’ll take full responsibility, Mr. Hanson. No one will know you had any part in this. Whoever asks, that’s the answer they’ll get from me.”

“That’s what I want to hear,” Marcus said carelessly, and then he ended the call without another word.

Rebecca and Jessica were clueless about what had happened. After locking up the villa, they got in the car, ready to pick Samuel up from school.

Just as Rebecca started the engine, she got a call from Jeffrey. She picked up right away, “What’s up?”

“Samuel’s stuff for the summer camp is still at Rebecca’s Manor. Should I bring it over, or do you want to take him to the manor?” Jeffrey’s voice was low and steady as he eyed the pile of Samuel’s belongings before him.

Rebecca was about to say he should bring it over when Jessica spoke up.

“Rebecca,” Jessica called out.

Rebecca glanced over, “Yeah?”

“I think something’s wrong with the car,” Jessica said, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “I just hit the brakes, and nothing happened.”

“Put it on speaker,” Jeffrey’s calm voice came through the phone.

Rebecca quickly switched to speaker and cranked the volume all the way up.

Jeffrey didn’t waste a second. “Pump the brake pedal a few times and see if there’s any response.”

Jessica kept a firm grip on the wheel, tried the pedal a few times, and then said, “No response.”

“Turn on your hazard lights and honk the horn,” Jeffrey said, his voice steady amid the sounds of him moving in the background.

He thought of the car that Jessica usually drove and said, “Keep the electronic handbrake engaged. Don’t let go, just wait for the car to slow to a stop.”

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what he said, but nothing happened–the car didn’t slow down

already doing over

get Rebecca’s current location as he started his

forced herself to stay calm

now?” Jeffrey pressed,

a traffic light in about 6 miles, but the

Either use the roadside barriers to

an emergency escape lane about 12

drawing in a shaky

your eyes on the road,” Jeffrey said, his knuckles pale as worry left

randomly have brake issues like this–something’s definitely off. None of the cars she’s owned have

everything while racing toward them, following the real- time location Riley

the road. Checking the rearview mirror, she caught sight of a massive truck looming behind them. “Jessica,”

a nervous glance in the mirror, her grip tightening on the wheel as

a beat, Jessica flicked on her turn signal and swerved into the next lane, trying

tight with worry as she watched the truck mirror their

wrong with this guy?” Jessica muttered, quickly switching lanes again. At this

two and two together. “First, the brakes fail, and

say. She thought,

went any faster, there’d be no

Chapter 139

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lane closer by?” Jessica asked urgently into the phone. Rebecca

showing up in the lane right next to them. “I’ve already got someone dealing with

“Got it!” Jessica said.

plate and instantly merged in behind him,

a little calmer as

of them realized that Jeffrey had quietly become the guy they could count on–the one who made them feel safe. No matter how much he’d pissed them off before, in a crisis like this, they just couldn’t help relying

the

pulled over by the roadside and

within moments, the car finally came to a safe, steady

away–relief washed over them as their hearts settled

going to make it…”

door swung open and Jeffrey appeared–on the outside, he looked steady, but Rebecca could see the