The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 130

Elio’s always chasing trouble, Lucie thought, her nerves strung tight. He just can’t help being the hero, and now look—things are way out of control.

Curly’s gun caught the light as he and the bald guy spread out, moving in from both sides. Elio pressed his back to a tree, barely breathing, waiting for the right moment to strike.

“Come out! I know you’re there! If you don’t show yourself, I’ll start shooting!” Curly yelled, then fired two silenced shots straight into the bushes.

The muffled pops barely made a sound, but the bullets shredded leaves as they passed. Elio’s eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the knife in his hand. These two weren’t amateurs like the last guys—they knew what they were doing.

“I said come out! I see you!” Curly shouted again.

“Curly, you think it’s the cops?” Baldy whispered.

“Probably. Don’t let your guard down.”

Baldy’s face twisted with rage. “Steven that bastard! He actually called the cops. For twenty million, he’d rather lose his own kid.”

“Forget it. Grab the boy and let’s move!” Curly snapped.

No more arguing. Baldy spun and rushed back to the tent. He barged in, practically snarling, “Your dad won’t pay a cent for you, you little brat, so you can go to hell!” He scooped Cody up, ready to run—and if he couldn’t get away, he’d finish things right there.

Cody kicked and screamed, legs flailing. “Let me go! You’re hurting me! Help! Daddy! Daddy!”

Lucie heard his cries and peeked around the corner. The bald guy had Cody and was making a break for it, while the other two, guns raised, were closing in on Elio’s hiding spot.

No way. She couldn’t let them get away. If they escaped with Cody now, who knew if they’d ever find him again? He wasn’t her biological son, but she’d carried him for nine months and given birth to him—she couldn’t watch him get hurt.

Heart pounding, Lucie moved quietly, clutching her pepper spray, inching closer to the bald man.

“Stop! Put my son down!” she yelled.

The bald man spun around, startled.

Lucie didn’t hesitate; she sprayed right into his eyes.

“Argh!” he yelled, squeezing his eyes shut and firing blindly at Lucie.

“Lucie, watch out!” Elio shouted.

A shot rang out. But Lucie’s reflexes kicked in, and she dove to the side, rolling across the dirt to dodge the bullet.

Blinded and in pain, the bald man shot wildly three more times, missing every shot.

Then, out of nowhere, a knife whistled through the air, thrown with force from over ten meters away, and hit the bald man straight in the throat.

He gasped, clutching his neck, while Cody slipped from his grasp and hit the ground with a heavy thud.

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