Love On Ice: Don’t Leave Me, My Charming Liar

Chapter 180: More people emerged, and the men turned tail, shouting, "Quick, alert the boss!" Jackson and his men swiftly apprehended the would-be attackers. Above them, a firework burst against the night sky in a fleeting display of brilliance. Ethan's eyes swept from the fading sparks to Callie's face, then searched the darkness around them. "Did you come here alone? Where's Nyla?" Callie's fingers tightened in Ethan's clothes as dark thoughts swirled through her mind. If Nyla had been captured, she was as good as lost. And wasn't that what Callie had secretly wished for?

Despite her earlier agreement with Nyla, Callie had always harbored intentions of killing the woman. Nyla had no business being near Ethan-this was simply fate tidying up loose ends. "Nyla and I escaped together," Callie said softly, her voice wavering with feigned emotion. "But someone helped her-another man. I had no choice but to run on my own. Thank goodness you came to my rescue in time." Ethan's brow furrowed, doubt creeping into his expression. "She was rescued? By who?" Callie nodded earnestly. "I don't know. He came out of nowhere.

If not for him, neither of us would've gotten away." Her convincing tone left Ethan uneasy, but her words gave him little reason to disbelieve her. Just then, Jackson approached. "Mr. Brooks," he said grimly, "we've cleared the area, but there's no sign of Miss Green." The deserted factory stood empty, with severed ropes lying stark against the concrete floor. Ethan surveyed the space one final time before departing, finding nothing but shadows and silence. In the car, Callie twisted her hands together, caught between warring emotions.

Nyla's warnings haunted her thoughts, yet darker possibilities beckoned. If Nyla perished, the title of Mrs. Brooks would fall within her grasp. Gal no ve l s . com hosts your favorite stories The conflict gnawed at her insides, leaving her jittery. She barely noticed the car door open until Ethan slipped into the seat beside her. "Let's head to the hospital first," he stated evenly. Callie ducked her head, concealing a calculating smile behind her fingers. Even if Nyla had escaped capture, the dense woods she'd fled into held their own dangers.

The treacherous terrain and winter's bite made survival unlikely, especially without food or water. Their vehicle glided toward the city's welcoming glow, leaving darkness in their wake. Deep within those woods, Nyla rested against a towering tree, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. She sat on the cold ground, clutching her injured calf. Moments earlier, she'd stumbled in her frantic escape, tumbling down a steep slope. A sharp branch had sliced into her leg, and she could feel the warmth of blood seeping through her torn clothes.

The faint silver lining in her grim situation was the absence of voices. It seemed the men pursuing her had moved on-for now. . . .