CHAPTER 78: CHAPTER-78. (WE ARE BEING FOLLOWED).

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, the car jerked violently to the side.

"Ah!" I cried out, slamming into the door. Caroline grabbed onto my arm, gasping.

"Josh!" I shouted, panic rising.

From the front, Dave’s voice cut through like steel.

Calm, sharp, commanding. "Hold on to your seat. We are being followed."

The air inside the car shifted instantly, the fragile bubble of confession shattering. My heart pounded so hard it hurt.

I twisted in my seat, looking out the back window. Sure enough, two cars followed close, headlights glaring like predators’ eyes. Too steady and close.

Caroline’s nails dug into my arm. "Oh God... oh God, no..."

"Quiet," Dave said firmly. He leaned forward slightly, eyes locked on the mirror. "Josh, lose them."

The car sped up, tearing through the road. My pulse thudded in my ears, matching the roar of the engine.

Caroline had finally told the truth, but now, it seemed the people behind that truth were not done with us.

It felt as if we were not just hearing some contemporary thriller romance audiobook. We were living it.

Josh pressed his foot harder on the accelerator. The car roared as it sped forward, cutting through the road. The force pushed me back against the seat, my chest tight with every jerk and turn.

Josh tried to take a left, tires screeching, but the cars behind matched his every move. They were not ordinary drivers. They were trained. More like some skilled stalkers.

"Damn it!" Josh muttered under his breath, sweat rolling down his temple. "They are not letting go."

I clutched the seatbelt across my chest as the car shook with speed. The night outside became a blur, streetlights and shadows racing past. Every failed turn, every corner that did not shake them off, only made my chest heavier.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound filled the air. Dave’s phone lit up on the dashboard. The name on the screen made my stomach drop.

Nicole.

Dave’s calm face turned to stone. He answered the call, his voice low but steady. "Talk."

On the other side, Nicole’s voice came sharp and strained, filled with the sound of rushing wind and an engine roaring. "We’ve got company, too. Two cars on us."

My eyes widened. Grace’s muffled voice was faint in the background. My throat went dry. They were also being hunted.

Dave’s jaw clenched slightly. "Listen carefully. Keep moving. Don’t stop for any reason. Head toward point Sigma."

Nicole’s breathing was rough on the other side. "Sigma?"

"Yes." Dave’s voice stayed controlled, giving no space for doubt. "It’s a safe point. Morris’s security has already been alerted. They will intercept in thirty minutes. Until then, we keep them chasing, not catching."

"Understood." Nicole’s reply came fast and firm. Then the call ended.

For a moment, the only sound inside the car was the growl of the engine and the thud of my heartbeat.

I swallowed hard, forcing words past my dry lips. "Dave... who are these people? Why are they after us?"

Dave did not answer right away. His eyes were locked on the mirror, watching the cars that trailed us so closely. His face was calm, but the stillness in it was scarier than panic.

Finally, his voice came low, steady. "They don’t want us to make it to the truth. And now they have made it clear, and they will do anything to stop us."

Caroline whimpered beside me, clutching my arm tighter. Her breathing was fast and shallow. "We won’t make it. We won’t make it."

"Stop it," Dave snapped, sharp enough to silence her instantly. Then softer, firm again, "We will make it."

Josh jerked the wheel, taking another sharp turn. The car slid dangerously close to the edge of the road before steadying. I gasped, holding onto the seat in front of me.

But no matter what Josh did, the headlights behind us followed like shadows. Every time I dared to look back, my stomach twisted more. They were still there. Relentless.

"They’re professionals," Josh muttered, his hands gripping the wheel tighter. "Every move I make, they are ready for it."

Dave’s voice came again, calm but cold. "Then we stop thinking like prey."

"What do you mean?" I asked quickly, my voice trembling.

His gaze flicked to me, sharp and steady. "It means we don’t run in circles. We lead them where we want them. To Sigma."

Caroline shook her head violently, her hair flying. "No! They will kill us before we even get there!"

"Enough!" Dave’s voice cut through, firm and commanding. "Fear will not save you. Focus will."

I squeezed my hands together, my chest tight.

My mind kept flashing back to Caroline’s confession earlier, about the emails, the blackmail, the trap that night with Nicole. And now this. It felt like every truth she revealed pulled us deeper into their game.

Josh pushed the car faster, weaving through traffic, horns blaring as other vehicles swerved out of the way. My whole body shook with every sharp turn. Caroline was crying softly now, clutching the seatbelt across her chest.

I forced myself to breathe, to keep my eyes on Dave. His calmness was the only thing keeping me from breaking apart.

Finally, Josh muttered, "If we are heading to Sigma, I will need clear directions. These guys do not seem like they will back off."

Dave leaned slightly forward, his eyes flicking toward the map on his phone for only a second before locking back on the mirror. "Take the expressway ahead. It’s faster, with less traffic. They will try to cut us off, but it will give Morris’s men more room to intercept."

"Expressway it is," Josh said, jaw tight.

The car shot forward, my stomach flipping with the speed. The roar of the engine filled the air as the headlights behind us stayed just as close.

Every second felt stretched, every moment too sharp. And as the city lights thinned out and the road ahead widened, I realized something that made my chest clench even tighter.