That night, Claire huddled in front of the couch, her mind racing. She thought, “Now, he is a celebrated general and a presidential candidate, ruthless and powerful. To escape his watchful eyes, I have to come up with a foolproof plan, something that would catch him completely off guard. As long as I could get out of Kingstown, everything would be easier.”
High-speed trains, planes, buses—none were options. The moment she bought a ticket and boarded, Frederick would know. It seemed there was only one way: take a private car and drive out of Kingstown’s reach. But she had no money, and Kingstown was so vast that it would take a full six-hour drive to leave. How could she make it?
In the end, Claire placed all her hopes on Elizabeth. The Prescott family’s car, with a full tank of gas, could get her out of Kingstown without a hitch.
Chapter 6: Kill Her
But first, she needed to keep Frederick in the dark. Claire planned everything, but when she sent Frederick a message, her hand shook uncontrollably.
[Frederick, I know you hate me, and I know I can’t escape! Since that’s the case, after loving you for so many years, it’s not so bad to be your Mrs. Hawthorne.]
Frederick received the message, glanced at it, and was convinced Claire was just acting, trying to gain his sympathy. He tossed his phone aside without replying.
Over the next few days, Claire played her part well, acting like she was happily preparing for the wedding. Frederick didn’t seem suspicious.
A few days later, believing Frederick had let down his guard, Claire returned to the Prescott Manor and asked Elizabeth for a car. She specifically chose one with a full tank and drove off that night without hesitation, heading north toward Queenstown. Among the states surrounding Kingstown, Queenstown had always been at odds with Frederick, making it her best option.
Along the way, she passed through each checkpoint with great caution. Luckily, the drive went smoothly, and after five hours, she reached the edge of Kingstown, just 31 miles from Queenstown.
Chapter 6: Kill Her
Just as she was about to reach Queenstown, suddenly, a stretch limo crashed into her car from behind with a loud bang. Dazed from the collision, she was forced to stop. She saw a man step out of the limo, his tall figure looming like a devil in the dark night, blocking the last bit of light from her car’s headlights.
“Dear Claire Prescott, where do you think you’re going? Hmm?”
The man was none other than Frederick’s older brother, Arthur! Claire’s face turned pale as she stared at Arthur, completely drained of any strength to resist. Arthur bound her and took her back to the Halfmoon Manor. “My dear brother, guess where I found her?”
“I’m puzzled too. How did you run into Arthur?”
Frederick responded calmly with a smile, but his gaze on Claire was filled with murderous intent. Claire kept her head down, her legs trembling, cold sweat soaking her entire body.
“I heard you two are planning to get married and have a wedding. So why was Claire driving alone at the border of Kingstown and Queenstown in the middle of the night?”
Arthur sat with his legs crossed, stroking his cuff, eager to see how his brother would handle this.
Chapter 6: Kill Her
The mention of the Kingstown–Queenstown border made Frederick suddenly turn his sharp gaze toward Claire, his eyes cold and piercing.
“Oh, is that so? Well, thank you for bringing her back.”
Arthur grabbed Claire’s neck with one hand, his other hand resting on the gun at his chest. “Frederick, since I brought her back, don’t you think you owe me a favor? I heard you took over the Kingstown Security Department. How about…”
“Claire, don’t think that just because you were once the Prescott family’s heiress, you can act with impunity. If you cross Arthur, I won’t hesitate to punish you!”
But before Arthur could finish, Frederick pulled out a silver handgun and pointed it directly at Claire’s head. The icy cold barrel pressed against her forehead, and at that instant, Claire’s heart nearly stopped. When she looked up at Frederick, all she saw was the merciless determination in his eyes.
At that moment, only one thought filled Claire’s mind. She thought, “Frederick truly hated me. He would rather kill me than be threatened by Arthur.”
Arthur watched coldly from the side, holding Claire while sitting on the couch, as steady as a rock. He wanted to see if Frederick was just acting or if he really had it in him to kill Claire. Frederick’s eyes darkened as he pulled the trigger.