To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 218

Mrs. Archer had never experienced anything like this before. Panic rising in her chest, she clutched at the dashboard and blurted out, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Elara stared straight ahead, jaw clenched tight. “Pray for us,” she said grimly.

Just then, a convoy of Range Rovers came tearing onto the highway from a nearby ramp. One car barreled forward and sideswiped the SUV that had been tailgating them, sending it spinning off the road.

The vehicles flanking them slammed on their brakes, forced into a standoff by the sudden change. In the chaos, Elara’s car managed to break free and speed ahead.

But as they approached the toll plaza, relief was short-lived. A uniformed attendant at the electronic gate motioned for them to pull over.

On the gravel shoulder beside the tollbooths, Elara barely had time to put the car in park before a cluster of bodyguards surrounded them, blocking any hope of escape.

In the side mirror, the reflection of Brian’s tall figure loomed closer, his stride purposeful.

“Ma’am, Mr. Vincent… he… he wants to see you,” one of the guards stammered.

Mrs. Archer wasn’t naive. She knew that if Brian took her, there was an eighty percent chance Elara would be left behind to face whatever came next. Heart pounding, she grabbed Elara’s arm in desperation.

Elara’s thin summer blouse was soaked through with sweat. She patted Mrs. Archer’s trembling hand, silently telling her to stay calm, then rolled down the window.

Brian leaned in, bracing one hand on the door frame. His gaze swept over the passenger seat before finally settling on Elara’s face.

“My love, it’s such a beautiful day—where are you off to with Mrs. Archer?” His tone was light, but his eyes were anything but.

Elara turned to meet his gaze head-on, her eyes icy and unflinching. “You can marry Ingrid if you like. Why must you use Mrs. Archer as a bargaining chip?”

Brian pressed his lips into a thin line and gripped the door handle. “Get out. We need to talk.”

But Elara remained seated, perfectly still, making it clear she had no intention of unlocking the doors or stepping outside.

Suddenly, more SUVs roared up from behind and fanned out in a semicircle, boxing them in. They were the same make and model as those that had chased them earlier.

A door swung open and a man stepped out—Ellis.

Seeing the standoff between the two brothers, Gareth rushed over, voice shaking. “Ellis, I asked you to help me find her, not kill her. Willow Archer is carrying your little brother or sister, for God’s sake!”

Ellis shrugged, utterly indifferent. “One Vincent heir is more than enough. Too many children just lead to trouble—case in point.”

Gareth was beside himself. “I turned my back on your brother. I put all my hopes on you. Why can’t you let Willow Archer’s child live? Raised under my guidance, he’d never be a threat to you.”

“Never?” Ellis let out a cold, brittle laugh. “You think you’re fit to be a father? The only reason I survived was pure luck—it had nothing to do with you!”

Gareth stumbled back a few steps, speechless.

A cold gleam flashed in Ellis’s eyes. “Since you’re here, let’s finish this. So what if the old man left a will? I’m the only true Vincent left. Everything should be mine.”

As his words rang out, a sharp crack split the air.

A steel pellet shot through the window—aimed straight at Elara in the driver’s seat.