106-110

*Chapter 106: Happy Birthday*

The next day was Eve's birthday.

In the afternoon, on Atlantic Street, high-rise apartment.

Luca arrived at Ed's house with a gift.

Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~

He rang the doorbell twice. A slender, elderly Black man opened the door. He was wearing a jacket and metal-framed glasses, giving him a scholarly appearance.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Dominic!"

This elderly man was Ed’s father, Sam Dominic, a retired lawyer.

"Good afternoon, Luca. Please come in!"

"Thank you!"

Luca followed Old Sam into the house.

"Brother Luca!"

Little Eve stood up from the sofa. It was her birthday today, and she had her hair in two fluffy pigtails, wearing a white dress with red polka dots. Her big blue eyes blinked as she looked up and down at him, as if searching for something.

"Eve, is your dad home? I have some important work to discuss with him."

Luca asked seriously, with his hands behind his back.

"Brother Luca, did you only come to talk about work today?"

Eve wrinkled her brow like a little bug.

"Of course, why else?"

Luca asked, puzzled.

"Hmm~"

Little Eve pouted, and her tiny face, no bigger than a palm, was filled with disappointment.

"Haha, of course not! It's Eve’s tenth birthday today. How could I forget?"

Luca couldn’t bear to tease the little girl any longer and took out the gift he had prepared: a half-meter tall yellow kangaroo plush toy.

"Wow~! Thank you, Brother Luca!"

The little girl’s eyes lit up as she jumped and hugged the plush toy. She even grabbed his arm and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Haha, thank you, Eve! But this is actually a birthday gift from Sister Miranda. Miranda couldn’t make it back, so she asked me to bring this big kangaroo to Princess Eve. It’s a special product from her hometown."

Luca smiled.

"Thank you, Sister Miranda!"

Eve smiled sweetly, then looked up with her sparkling eyes and asked, "Brother Luca, where’s your birthday gift?"

"Find it yourself!"

Luca patted the plush toy with a smile.

"Is it inside?"

Eve quickly put the plush on the sofa and searched all over. Finally, she found a big pouch under the kangaroo’s neck. With a gentle pull, five, six, seven, or eight gift boxes tumbled out.

"Wow, wow~!"

Eve was ecstatic. "Brother Luca, how come there are so many gifts?"

"Haha, this one’s from Sister Kate."

Luca picked up a big gift box.

"Thank you, Sister Kate! When will Sister Kate come back? I miss her... and I miss Mom too."

Eve, holding her gift, lowered her head, her face showing unmistakable sadness.

Luca sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder to comfort her. "Mom will come back once she finishes her work in Paris. Eve, guess who this gift is from?"

He picked up a red gift box and asked.

"Is it from you, Brother Luca?"

Eve looked at the gift box from all angles and even shook it, her curiosity growing.

"No, this one’s from Aunt Gina. Aunt Gina says thank you for sending so many toys to Yaya. When Yaya gets them, she’ll be so happy."

"I wish Yaya could come to New York too! When she does, I’ll finally be a big sister!"

The little girl giggled.

"Yaya will definitely come."

Luca ruffled her hair, then pointed to the other gift boxes, naming them one by one.

"This one’s from Sister Lima. This one’s from Sister Britney. This one’s from Sister Fanny. And—"

"Wow, wow~! Brother Luca, how do I have so many sisters?"

Luca thought for a moment. "Isn’t it nice to have more sisters?"

"Of course! The more sisters, the more gifts! Haha~ I’m so happy!"

The little girl hugged all her gifts, laughing in delight. After a while, she blinked her shining eyes and asked, "Brother Luca, are all these sisters your girlfriends?"

"Of course not."

Luca tapped the tip of her nose. "They’re all my friends, and your friends too, not girlfriends. My girlfriend is only Sister Lima."

"Really?"

The little girl tilted her head, thinking. "But... but the news says you’re dating both Sister Lima and Sister Britney, and that you secretly went out with Sister Britney while Sister Lima wasn’t home."

Luca’s mouth twitched. "Entertainment news is mostly fake. They make stuff up to fool people. You can’t believe it."

"Really?"

"Yes, yes."

Seeing that the little girl was still curious, he quickly tapped the pile of gifts. "Hurry up and open your presents! See if you like them!"

"Okay!"

Her excitement for opening presents overcame her curiosity. The little girl started unwrapping the gifts one by one, letting out happy squeals as she went through them. Soon, there was a pile of gifts, and Eve couldn’t have been more thrilled.

"Luca, you’re here!"

Ed walked out of the dining room, wearing an apron.

"Ed, you’re not planning on cooking, are you?"

Luca asked in surprise.

"Why not?"

Ed glanced at him.

"I’m worried about food poisoning."

Luca bluntly replied.

"Haha~ You! Your cooking skills aren’t much better than mine."

Ed shook his head. "Most of the guests today are kids, so I ordered takeout: pizza, cake, and fruit. I was just heating it up."

"That sounds much better!"

"Brother Luca, Brother Luca!"

The little girl, having finished unwrapping her gifts, was flushed with happiness. She pointed at the pile of gifts and asked curiously, "Brother Luca, with so many presents, which one is from you?"

Luca smiled. "Haha, my gift isn’t here."

"Where is it?"

"Ta-da! The gift is here!"

Luca laughed, unzipped his jacket, took off his hoodie and sweatpants, revealing a plush bear costume underneath. All he had to do was put on the hat, and he’d look just like a stuffed bear.

"Wow~! Brother Luca, is this gift for me? It’s amazing! But it’s so big, how can I wear it?"

Eve scratched her face, a little troubled.

"Don’t worry, this one’s for you."

Luca pulled out a smaller plush bear costume.

"Yay~!"

Eve clapped her hands excitedly and ran to her bedroom with the plush bear suit.

After a while, a little brown bear came running out of the bedroom, hopping around the living room.

"Grandpa, Dad, Brother Luca, do I look good?"

"Haha, Eve, you look adorable!"

Old Sam laughed heartily, his eyes filled with affection.

"Haha, Brother Luca, let’s dance! Let’s do the little bear dance!"

"Okay! I don’t know how, you’ll have to teach me."

"Hehe, sure!"

The little girl pulled him along, bouncing around the living room, doing the cute little bear dance.

Ed glanced at them, his mouth twitching slightly. Two bears, one big and one small—it almost felt like they were the real family here.

Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~

The doorbell rang, and when Ed opened the door, he saw his old rival Andrew Fegan and his youngest son standing there.

"We’re here to celebrate Eve’s birthday."

Andrew said bluntly.

"Haha, welcome, welcome!"

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 107: Miranda is Missing*

"Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday, dear Eve,

Happy birthday to you."

Around 4 PM, Princess Eve's birthday party officially began. There were more than twenty guests; aside from a few adults, the rest were Eve’s friends and classmates.

Everyone sang the birthday song together, cut the cake, and played games, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

After cutting the cake, the little ones played indoors while the adults were on the balcony, drinking and chatting.

Ed’s balcony overlooked Sunset Park, with a vast green area of elm, willow, and red pine trees. Spring had arrived, and the greenery was in full bloom, providing a pleasant view.

Holding their wine glasses, the group savored red wine, gazed at the distant Sunset Park, and enjoyed the light warm breeze—utterly relaxing.

"Luca, have you ever thought about changing agents?" Andrew leaned against the railing, raising his glass slightly.

Luca raised an eyebrow. "Not at the moment."

"If you ever want a better agent, feel free to contact me."

"Hey, Andrew, isn’t it inappropriate to poach my client right in front of me?" Ed said, displeased.

"Why not?" Andrew Fagan frowned. "Ed, you know that among the agents who started at the same time as us, your business skills are the worst."

"Bullshit!"

Ed, his face darkened, replied, "I’ve managed Heidi Klum and Courteney Cox. One became a supermodel, the other a star. Now Luca is a supermodel too. How many supermodels have you represented?"

"Hmph, they became supermodels because they had the talent. What does that have to do with you? You just got lucky. Yes, you’ve always had damn good luck."

"Luck is a part of skill, isn’t it?"

Ed grinned, his white teeth gleaming in the sunlight.

Andrew snorted, "Luca, you should know that in the fashion and entertainment industries, luck alone won’t get you far. So, take my advice—ditch this guy and find a better agent, like me."

Luca smiled slightly, raising his glass. "Andrew, thanks for the advice, but I get along well with Ed for now, so I’m not planning to switch agents."

"Andrew, see that?"

Ed smiled smugly.

"What a shame, another talent will be wasted in Ed’s hands," Andrew sighed before taking his glass and moving to bother three other guests.

Ed shook his head and stared at the distant park, pondering for a moment before suddenly asking, "Luca, have you ever thought about switching agents?"

"Are you testing me?"

Luca looked at him curiously.

"I’m serious."

Ed swirled his glass. "Andrew may be annoying, but he’s right. My business skills are pretty average, especially in the entertainment industry. I’m still a rookie. If you want better development in entertainment, you might consider switching to a larger agency, like CAA, ICM, or WME. They’d surely welcome you."

"That’s not necessary. I don’t have big ambitions in the entertainment world,"

Luca said lightly, raising his wine glass and glancing at the sun in the west. "I just want to become a bigger star than Leonardo."

Bigger than Leonardo?

Ed raised his eyebrow. "Isn’t that a pretty big ambition?"

"Of course, but compared to becoming president, the world’s richest man, UN secretary-general, or the king of Hollywood, my ambition is nothing, right?"

"Yeah, Luca, I have a friend who’s a psychologist. Want me to set up an appointment for you?"

"Haha, no thanks. You go ahead."

Luca smiled slightly, but suddenly, his phone rang. He picked it up and after a few words, his expression changed.

"You were in a car accident? Are you hurt?"

"Luca, what’s going on?"

Ed’s face turned pale.

After a moment, Luca hung up the phone and sighed softly.

"I need to go to Bordeaux, France."

"What happened?"

(End of the chapter.)

*Chapter 108: Rescuing Miranda*

Two hours earlier.

At night, under the high-hanging full moon, Bordeaux’s Commande Winery was brightly lit.

The estate was adorned with colored lights, the fragrance of fine wine filled the air, and everywhere in and outside the hall were well-dressed elites and fashionable city beauties.

Kate was one of them.

Tonight, she was invited to attend a fashion party. Her outfit was designed by the famous designer Alice Todd— a knitted jacket with white patterns paired with slim trousers, complemented by precious jewelry on her fair neck and wrists.

Even with many supermodels and celebrities present, she was still one of the most striking beauties.

“Ms. Kelly, I’m a fan of your work. Twilight was fantastic! I believe it will become a classic!”

A balding man approached her.

“Thank you, Mr. Sudeley, for your appreciation!”

Kate replied politely with a smile.

“Ms. Kelly, how long will you be staying in Bordeaux?”

The bald man asked again.

“Tomorrow, I’ll be hosting a book signing at the city library.”

Kate responded after a brief thought.

“Wow, that’s wonderful! Ms. Kelly, tomorrow I’m hosting a wine party at my home as well. I wonder if you’d honor us with your presence?”

“Haha, Sudeley, are you trying to invite Kate too?”

At this moment, a man in a high-end suit approached. He was about thirty years old, tall, handsome, and had a charming smile.

“Charlie, is there something wrong with me inviting Ms. Kelly?”

The young man’s name was Charlie Eric, the CEO of Monoprix chain stores, wealthy and young.

He smiled faintly, standing next to Kate, saying, “Too bad, Sudeley, I’ve already invited Kate to a yacht party at Biscay Bay.”

“Oh, really?”

The man looked at Kate.

“Is that right, Kate?”

Charlie raised his wine glass with a charming smile.

“Sorry, I have other plans tomorrow. Excuse me!”

Kate nodded politely and walked away.

“Damn it!”

After Kate left, Charlie furrowed his brows in frustration.

“Haha, Charlie, I told you it wouldn’t work. Kate has been in Europe for half a month and hasn’t gone on a single date with any man.”

The bald man smirked teasingly.

“Ah, I didn’t expect her to reject me so bluntly.”

Charlie sighed helplessly, watching Kate’s distant figure as he downed his drink.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect it either.”

The bald man shook his head and then suddenly laughed, “I wonder who will pluck this thorny rose?”

“Yes, who will be the lucky one?”

“Hey, Kate!”

Kate stepped outside for some fresh air when suddenly a scrawny man approached her.

In his twenties, his face was covered with freckles that looked like permanent mosquito stains, and his nose was broken and caved in, giving him an odd appearance.

“Kate, how about a drink?”

He said with a wide grin, holding two glasses of red wine. “This is the finest wine from the winery, Commande ‘82.”

“Sorry, I don’t drink.”

Kate didn’t bother with him and turned to leave.

She knew him— Raoul Balmain, son of Givenchy’s board member Hubert Balmain, a notorious playboy with a terrible reputation in the circle.

“Kate, wait, let’s talk about the endorsement deal!”

The broken-nosed guy chased after her with his short legs, holding the wine.

“I’m not interested.”

Kate shot him a cold glance and continued walking away, gesturing to the side of the venue.

Gina, dressed in a black suit, strutted over confidently.

“Damn it!”

The ugly guy gritted his teeth and walked away dejectedly.

“Hey, Kate, was that Raoul just now?”

Lima approached, holding a glass of wine.

“Just some filth, no need to talk about him!”

Kate sneered, glancing at the figure walking away before smiling and saying, “Was that famous star Guillaume Canet?”

“Yes! He invited me to his party.”

“Did you accept?”

“Of course, I’m single now, so why not?”

Lima said casually.

“Haha, Lima, are you still mad about the rumors?”

Kate hugged her shoulders, smiling helplessly.

A few days ago, rumors about Luca and Britney had spread to France. News outlets said that after filming the music video, they disappeared together, even mentioning how they got into the same car and vanished into the rainy night. The insinuations were highly suggestive, almost saying they had slept together.

Lima was furious when she saw the news and hadn’t answered Luca’s calls since. She had even publicly declared herself single.

“Lima, don’t be mad. Remember last time? The news claimed they were fooling around in a car and on a rooftop, and it turned out to be fake. This time it’s definitely fake news too.”

“But the news said they disappeared together after filming the video. They must’ve slept together!”

Lima said angrily.

Kate shook her head. “Don’t think that way, Lima. Luca has changed a lot. He’s been serious while dating you. Other than meeting Britney a few times, he hasn’t had any other female friends. And this time?

They filmed a music video together for a few days. The paparazzi need to make money somehow, and if they don’t find some story, what else will they report? But if they really went on a date, how come there isn’t a single photo?”

Lima stared at her wine glass in silence.

“Lima, we’re all in this industry. Rumors are inevitable. What if one day the papers report you having a fling with some celebrity?”

“I won’t let that happen.”

Lima said confidently.

“Don’t be so sure. Who in this industry doesn’t have a scandal?”

Kate smiled faintly.

Lima shrugged and glanced around. “Hey, where’s Miranda?”

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 109: A Post-Event Smoke*

It was past 9 p.m. when the party at the Commanderie Winery ended. Guests were gradually leaving, and the lively venue became increasingly quiet.

"Nina, have you found her yet?"

Kate and Lima, with their long legs striding quickly, returned to the hall.

"No!" Nina shook her head. "I just called Eve, but when I turned around, Miranda was gone. She’s not answering her phone either."

"Could she have gone on a date?" Lima asked, frowning. The winery party was essentially a matchmaking event. Besides the invited models, the guests were wealthy people—wine merchants, bankers, politicians, even movie stars. After drinking, it wasn’t uncommon for someone to hook up for a one-night stand.

"No, I wouldn’t mind if she went on a date. If she had plans for the night, she just needed to let me know so I could adjust her schedule. But she didn’t say anything, and her phone’s off. Something must’ve happened," Nina said anxiously, feeling a bit guilty. Miranda was new to the fashion scene and unfamiliar with many of the unspoken rules. If something bad happened, Nina, as her manager, would be responsible.

"Nina, don’t worry. Let’s keep looking. Lima, message your people at the company. There are so many familiar faces here; I can’t believe anyone could sneak Miranda away unnoticed."

"Okay!"

The three agreed and immediately began making calls and sending messages.

"Hey, Michelle! Have you seen Miranda? You know, the girl with the round face and dimples? Thanks!"

"Bonjour, Marie! Did you see Miranda, the one with the dimples? Okay, thank you!"

Kate made several calls but got no news. She looked at Lima helplessly.

Lima shook her head. "A lot of people have their phones off. Should we call the police?"

"It’s useless. There are too many embarrassing incidents at parties like this. The French don’t care, and their response time is notoriously slow." Kate shrugged, saying nothing more.

"Nina, how about you?" Kate asked as she saw Nina come downstairs.

Nina sighed. "The estate’s butler said not all the guests tonight were invited. There were some strangers. Now that the event’s over, we can’t contact them."

"Is that all we can do?"

The three were feeling deflated. None of them had connections in France, so there wasn’t much they could do in a situation like this.

*Ding Dong.*

As they were heading outside, dejected, Kate's phone chimed with a message.

"Huh, it’s from Bündchen," Kate said, opening the message with a curious expression. "Nina, Bündchen said she saw Miranda, drunk, being helped into a silver-gray Maserati Quattroporte. It just left the parking lot, but its destination is unknown."

"Really? Why would Bündchen tell you that?" Lima asked, frowning.

"Let’s not worry about that now. We should catch up with them first," Kate said, walking quickly. "If Miranda got in willingly, we’ll apologize. If she was forced—"

"She didn’t get in willingly. Miranda wasn’t drunk tonight," Nina interjected, frowning.

"Then we really need to catch up!"

At the parking lot, Kate shouted, "Gina, drive as fast as you can eastbound. If you see the Maserati Quattroporte, follow it immediately!"

"Okay, Kate, but I don’t recognize a Maserati Quattroporte," Gina hesitated.

"I’ll go with you!" Nina and her assistant quickly jumped into the car.

"Alright, you head east, Lima and I will go west. Let’s move!"

*Vroom!*

Gina, driving Kate’s temporary car, sped out of the estate.

"Lima, let’s go!" Kate shouted as she followed in Lima’s car.

Under the moonlight, the two cars sped off in opposite directions, kicking up dust along the roads of the Bordeaux estate, leaving slower cars behind.

"Kate, slow down!" Lima shouted, holding onto the car’s handle as they bounced along the rough road.

"I can’t slow down! Miranda’s definitely been drugged. Damn men, using such despicable methods. When I catch him, I’ll kick his head off!" Kate shouted, revving the engine. Her delicate face flushed with excitement, like a warrior ready for battle.

"Kate, you need to stay calm," Lima shouted over the noise. "Why would Bündchen tell you this? What if she’s lying? What if it’s a trap? The people at this party are powerful, and anyone driving a Maserati Quattroporte must be someone important. If we offend them, the consequences could be severe."

"I know, I know, but what can we do?" Kate shouted over the roaring engine. "Luca always said, if you want something, you have to act immediately, while there’s still time. I want to find Miranda, so I’m going to do it—while I still can. If something happens to Miranda, Nina will feel guilty for the rest of her life."

"Alright, alright!" Lima smiled wryly. Kate’s reckless behavior reminded her of Luca, who once risked his life to save someone. Both siblings were equally wild.

She pulled out her phone and called Bündchen.

"Hey, Bündchen, did you really see Miranda get in the car? This is serious. I hope you’re not playing games."

"Hoho, Lima, am I that kind of person? I just can’t stand that b*tch Kate. But yeah, I really saw Miranda being helped into a car."

Under the moonlight, Bündchen sipped red wine, her long legs crossed, smiling faintly in her moving car.

*Vroom!*

Just then, a Ferrari sped past her window. "Wow, was that your car? Are you really going to rescue Miranda? Haha, how thrilling! Kate’s still as impulsive as ever.

"Haha, one thing I forgot to mention—the person who helped Miranda into the car was Raul Balmey. Do you really dare to take her from him?"

"Kate, Bündchen said it was Raul, that short, sleazy guy from the party," Lima relayed, covering the phone.

"Who cares? Even if it were the president of France, I’m stopping that car," Kate growled, then grabbed the phone and shouted, "Bündchen, you better not be lying to me, or I’ll make sure Luca sleeps with you."

*Pfft!*

Bündchen spat out her wine, blushing furiously. "Fine, I’ll be waiting!" she muttered through gritted teeth before hanging up.

Kate paused, staring at the phone in disbelief. "She actually said she’d wait? Could it be that she likes Luca too? Haha, Lima, looks like you’ve got competition!"

Lima rolled her eyes, grabbing the phone. "You’re way too impulsive. I was going to ask her which road Raul took, but forget it. Let’s ask someone else."

"Alright."

*Ring, ring!*

Kate’s phone rang again.

"Kate, we found the car! We tried to pull it over, but it wouldn’t stop. It even rammed into us! What should we do?"

Gina shouted over the phone.

"Force it off the road, we’re almost there."

*Bang!*

Before Kate could finish her sentence, a gunshot rang out through the phone.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 110: The Police Arrive*

"Why was there gunfire?"

Kate screeched the car to a halt.

"Gina, are you all okay? Be careful, don’t get too close."

There was no response from the other end of the phone. After a moment, Gina finally replied, "Kate, we're all fine. It's just that the glass on the right side of the car was shattered."

"Gina, be careful. Whether you catch up to them or not, prioritize your safety."

"Understood!"

Bang! Bang!

Two more gunshots echoed through the phone.

"We need to get there and provide support."

Kate gripped the steering wheel tightly, spinning the car around on the narrow road. The tires screeched as they rubbed against the pavement.

"Lima, maybe you should get out and wait?"

Kate was getting ready for some high-speed driving.

"No need. You think I’m a coward like Luca? Step on it!"

Lima pumped her fist and shouted, "GOGOGO," as if she was playing a video game.

"GOOOOO!"

Under the moonlight, the silver Ferrari sped eastward on the vineyard road like a streak of light.

After more than ten minutes, they finally spotted Gina's Porsche and the Maserati Quattroporte ahead on the section leading to the A10 highway.

The Maserati was speeding ahead, with Gina's car close behind, only about ten meters apart.

"Nina, are you guys okay?"

Kate called to check.

"We're fine, but we're about to hit the highway. Raul is driving a sports car. Once we get on the highway, we won’t be able to keep up."

Nina sounded worried.

"Is there any way to contact Raul and try to talk him down?"

Kate frowned as she asked.

"No use, his phone is off."

"So what do we do now?"

Kate glanced at the highway ahead. There were quite a few cars on the road. Once they got on the highway, they would likely lose them.

Raul Balme was a notorious playboy and pervert. If they didn't rescue Miranda soon, who knew what would happen?

"Nina, pass the phone to Gina. How about we force his car to stop together? My car is fast; I'll go ahead and interfere. Gunfire? I’ll be careful."

Kate hung up the phone and said to Lima, "It's about to get real. Buckle up and keep your head down."

"OK!"

Lima gave a thumbs-up. "Kate, you be careful too."

"Don't worry, I got out of Rio alive."

Kate snorted coldly, her lips curving into a smirk as she floored the gas pedal.

Vroom!

The Ferrari quickly overtook the two cars, taking the lead.

Bang!

The opponent fired again, shattering the rear window.

"Lima, get down!"

Kate shouted, pulling Lima down with her.

The car slowed down and was hit heavily from behind, screeching as it veered to the side.

"Hahaha, come on, chase me!"

On the Maserati, a man with a face full of freckles waved his fist and shouted.

"Bastard! If I had a gun, I'd shoot him dead!"

Kate was furious. If this were Rio in Brazil, she would have already shot that jerk to pieces. How dare he act so arrogantly?

She revved the engine hard, pushing the car to its maximum speed. When the two cars were side by side, she immediately swung the front of her car and crashed into them hard.

Bang! The Maserati twisted and turned, almost flipping over.

"Hmph, you wouldn't know how tough us Brazilian women are until we show you," Kate said smugly, raising her chin.

"FUCK! Damn woman, I'm going to kill you!"

Suddenly, a man covered in blood stuck his upper body out of the car window, holding a double-barreled shotgun.

"Lima, watch out!"

Kate shouted, pushing Lima down. They both ducked their heads.

Bang!

The windshield shattered into pieces.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The man fired three more shots.

"Bastard!"

Kate quickly swerved the car, screeching to a stop.

"Hahaha, stupid woman, trying to race me? You're not even close!"

The freckled guy leaned out of the car window, his bloody face grinning hideously under the moonlight.

Vroom~

Suddenly, a truck came rushing down from the highway. The driver of the Maserati quickly turned the steering wheel, narrowly avoiding the truck.

But as he turned, something was thrown out of the car with a swoosh.

"Nooooooo!"

A shrill scream echoed through the air.

Thud!

A heavy object fell to the ground on the highway.

Screech!

The truck, the Maserati, and the Porsche that had just caught up all screeched to a stop.

The air suddenly became very quiet, even the sound of dust and moonlight falling could be heard.

"Kate, Lima, are you alright?"

In the chaotic crash scene, Nina got out of the car and shouted loudly.

"We’re fine, just nearly got shot. That was intense."

Kate and Lima got out of the car together.

"Kate, I’m sorry, I didn’t coordinate well just now."

Gina ran over, apologizing.

"Gina, your car is slower. No need to blame yourself. Go check if Miranda is still in the car."

"Okay!"

Gina followed Nina to the Maserati.

"Miranda's in the car, she’s safe!"

After a while, Gina shouted from afar.

"Whew~"

Lima let out a long breath.

"Kate, my legs are a bit weak."

"Me too. When the bullet flew past the top of my head, my hair stood on end. What a jerk!"

Kate sat on the hood, taking a few deep breaths.

"Want a cigarette?"

Kate took out a pack of lady’s cigarettes from the car window.

"You smoke?!"

"Used to."

Kate lit two thin cigarettes with a match. She took a puff and handed the other to Lima.

"I quit to set a good example for Luca."

Kate blew a puff of smoke at the moon. The air was filled with a hint of mint, a refreshing scent amidst the gasoline smell on the road.

"You’re a good sister."

"Of course I am."

Kate curved her lips and glanced at her. "You smoke too?"

"You call this smoking?"

Lima said with a bit of disdain, "It’s sweet and fragrant, like chewing gum. In Salvador, both men and women smoke cigars. I took a puff when I was little and felt dizzy for ten minutes. I don’t smoke now. It’s no fun!"

"Better not to smoke. Luca doesn’t like women who smoke."

"Is that so?"

Lima snorted softly, "Since you said that, I’ll smoke right in front of him. Let’s see what he’ll say."

"Haha, he won’t say anything. He’ll just carry you into the bedroom and spank you."

"He dares!"

"You can try."

Lima smiled slightly. Looking at the chaotic road, she suddenly laughed. "Kate, if Luca knows we got into a car crash, do you think he’ll rush over?"

"Definitely."

Kate laughed, "His two dearest people are here. Do you think he wouldn’t come? Want to give him a call to scare him?"

"...Forget it. We’ll be back soon."

Lima shook her head.

Kate thought for a moment and took out her phone. "Luca, Lima and I got into a car accident in Bordeaux. Bullets flew over our heads, but we’re fine. You don’t have to come."

"He said he’ll come tomorrow!"

(End of this chapter)