Chapter 389 The Car Saved Their Lives
The moment the other car slammed into them, Zev unbuckled his seatbelt and threw himself over Kelly, shielding her with his entire body.
“Zev!” Kelly was dizzy from the impact, her head spinning. She looked up at him, his arms tightly wrapped around her. “Your car… It’s really something
Thankfully, the SUV Zev had bought her was solid. The hit was clearly intentional, yet not even the windows cracked.
“I had it custom–made with bulletproof glass,” Zev muttered through clenched teeth, wincing from the pain.
He hadn’t been supposed to get hurt–but when he lunged to protect Kelly, he slammed his lower back into the steering wheel hard.
“Don’t get out of the car.” Kelly grabbed his arm to stop him when she saw him reaching for the door, panic rising in her chest.
Luckily, they were right in the heart of downtown. The driver couldn’t flee, not with the intersection just ahead and traffic cops stationed nearby. Sirens were already wailing in the distance.
“It’s okay. Don’t be scared,” Zev said, his voice low and expression grim as he stepped out.
He needed intel–and fast–before the cops arrived.
The driver who’d crashed into them was still sitting in his car, paralyzed with fear, too afraid to even open the door.
Clearly not a pro. Not someone used to this kind of thing.
Zev kicked the car door hard. “Out. Now.”
The man inside trembled violently, refusing to move.
Zev yanked off his tie, wrapped it around his hand, and with one well–aimed punch, shattered the already cracked driver’s window.
“Who sent you?” Zev growled, his voice dangerously quiet.
“I don’t know! I swear, I don’t know anything.” The man dropped to the ground, shaking and pleading, hands up.
Zev was ready to punch the truth out of him.
But too many people had already gathered; phones pointed in their direction and recorded.
Kelly ran over, trying to calm him down, worried they would make headlines. “There are people everywhere,” she whispered, pulling him back.
Zev crouched down in front of the terrified man and threatened darkly, “I know your face now. The cops are almost here. You think I can’t find your family? You might not care about y
‘ife, but if I wanted your loved ones to disappear, it’d be really easy.”
The man’s eyes widened in terror. “I–I just owed money. Some guy said he’d pay off my gambling debt if I did this. Please, leave my family out of it. They don’t deserve this.”
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Chapter 389 The Car Saved Their Lives
Zev narrowed his eyes. “Who is he?”
“I don’t know his name! He found me; he came to me. But I–I was a little cautious. I secretly took a picture of him.” The man scrambled back to his car, dug through his glove box, and handed over his phone, fingers shaking.
Zev stared at the photo. His expression darkened.
That face was familiar. He’d recognize it even if it were burned to ashes..
It was Don. Just with a new face–thanks to plastic surgery.
Charles had been right. Don looked nothing like he used to. But during the months after Sylvester died, Zev had studied every video and every photo of Don on repeat. He’d memorized every gesture, every glance- burned them into his brain.
By then, the traffic cops had arrived. They secured the scene and took witness statements–everyone agreed the driver had gone the wrong way and sped up just before crashing into Zev’s SUV.
The cops looked over the vehicle with admiration. “This thing’s a beast. Didn’t even scratch the windows. You had it customized?”
Zev nodded with a smile, signed a few forms, left his contact info, and drove off with Kelly.
“Are you okay?” he asked her softly once they were back in the car.
Kelly shook her head. Not out of fear, but out of concern for him. “You don’t look good. That guy… the one who sent him. You know him, don’t you?”
Zev drew his brows together and explained, “Don. He was one of the mercenaries involved in my father’s kidnapping. Now he works with Assad–Lucas’s brother.”
Kelly froze. A chill ran down her spine. “He was targeting you? But this is Seaville. You’re not even in the military anymore. You’re no threat to Assad. Why did he come after you?”
Why poke a sleeping bear?
“Think about it,” Zev said, his eyes locked on Kelly. “How does a terrorist from Oasisvale whitewash his image and build a business in Seaville? Without powerful allies here, he’d still be hiding out in the desert.”
Kelly analyzed, “Don works for Assad, and Assad’s able to operate in Seaville thanks to connections with the Lynches. And if that’s true, then whoever’s backing Beau is the same person backing Assad.”
Zev gave a small nod. His wife really was brilliant.
“But why would that person go after you?” Kelly frowned. “You’re the CEO of Lockhart Group. You’re protected and high–profile. Going after you is far too risky. Unless-” Her eyes widened. Unless the attack wasn’t meant for Zev but for her.
Zev’s breath hitched, overwhelmed with a pang of fear. “You’re the target.”
He remembered what Shawn had said.
He was responsible, and he had inadvertently placed Kelly in a challenging situation.
He’d played the fool too well. So well that they’d changed their target. Kelly was in danger.
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Chapter 389 The Car Saved Their Lives
Kelly nodded; everything clicked now. “It makes sense. But I’m not easy to take down. I’ve survived Oasisvale twice. I’m not exactly a pushover.”
Zev reached over and gripped her hand tightly in guilt. “I’m so sorry, darling”
“Don’t say that. Don’t be silly. We’re in this together, remember?” She said, smiling gently.
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Zev’s eyes darkened again, and he decided to reach out to his cousin. “Shawn knows something. He has to. He’s the key.”
Kelly squeezed his hand. “Then let me talk to him. Who knows… maybe he could even be an ally”
Shawn wasn’t exactly known for playing fair–but he was clear about what he wanted: success.
And whoever was pulling the strings behind Assad would never let Shawn rise above them. That meant there was already a conflict of interest.
And where there’s conflict, there’s opportunity–for alliance.
