Chapter 218 To Save or Not to Save?

Chapter 218 To Save or Not to Save?

Stanley slowly turned the gun toward Olivia, his finger resting on the trigger, his eyes devoid of any warmth.

"You and I have the worst relationship. I'll start with you."

Celeste and Molly, in the back seat, were too terrified to make a sound when they saw what was happening.

"The other two are at least family. I'll let them live a little longer—consider it my last act of mercy as a relative."

Stanley sneered coldly, slowly tightening his finger, ready to pull the trigger.

Molly squeezed her eyes shut, unable to bear watching what would happen next.

Olivia stared at the gun barrel pointed at her, her heart lurching, but she didn't flinch. She simply looked at Stanley with cold defiance.

Just as Stanley was about to pull the trigger, the sharp wail of police sirens echoed in the distance.

The sirens grew closer, and they could even hear the thunderous roar of a helicopter. A powerful searchlight beam cut through the darkness from above, illuminating the car and revealing everything inside with stark clarity.

"The police caught up!" Scarlett glanced in the rearview mirror, her voice tinged with panic.

Stanley's expression darkened as he quickly lowered the gun. He knew he couldn't kill Olivia now—keeping her as a hostage was the only thing preventing the police from taking decisive action.

"Forget about that! Just drive! Lose them!" Stanley shouted at Scarlett.

Scarlett didn't hesitate. She floored the gas pedal, and the car's speed increased instantly as they headed toward the mountain roads ahead.

The helicopter followed overhead, its searchlight locked onto the vehicle, while the police sirens grew ever closer.

The car raced along the winding mountain road, the narrow path hugging one side of the mountain with a sheer cliff dropping away on the other.

Scarlett gripped the steering wheel tightly, cold sweat beading on her forehead. She kept jerking the wheel left and right, trying to shake off the pursuing police, but didn't notice the sharp curve ahead.

"There's a sharp turn coming! Slow down!" Stanley saw what lay ahead and shouted.

Scarlett quickly hit the brakes, but the car showed no signs of slowing. Instead, momentum carried it toward the outer edge of the curve.

"The brakes! The brakes are gone!"

Scarlett screamed in terror, her face turning deathly pale. She fought with the steering wheel, trying desperately to control the car's direction.

But it was too late. The car shot off the road, crashed through the guardrail, and plummeted toward the abyss below.

Screams filled the car as it fell.

The police officers in the helicopter watched in stunned horror, helpless as the vehicle disappeared into the depths below. They immediately radioed ground units to begin searching at the bottom of the cliff.

At the top of the cliff, Matthew and Mason arrived at the scene after receiving word. The police informed them that the car had gone over the edge, and the condition of the passengers was unknown. Ground search teams had just been dispatched, but there was no feedback yet.

When Mason heard this, his body swayed. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.

"Father!" Matthew quickly caught Mason, shouting to nearby officers, "Call an ambulance! Now!"

After ensuring Mason was taken care of, Matthew walked to the edge of the cliff and stared into the bottomless valley below. The wind whipped his clothes and tousled his hair as a sharp pain pierced his heart, draining the color from his face.

"Darling, you have to be okay..." Matthew whispered to the valley below, his voice trembling. "I will find you. I swear I will."

Police officers nearby offered quiet words of comfort, saying they had called in additional personnel and would begin a comprehensive search immediately. But Matthew's anxiety didn't diminish in the slightest—every second that passed meant Olivia was in greater danger.

After what felt like an eternity, inside the car that had fallen down the cliff, Olivia slowly regained consciousness. Her entire body ached, especially her head, which throbbed with waves of pain. Her vision remained blurred for several moments before finally clearing.

When she fully came to her senses, she discovered the car was caught on a tree partway down the cliff face. Most of the vehicle hung suspended in midair—if the branches shifted even slightly, they would plunge completely into the abyss.

Through the open car door lay impenetrable darkness, and mountain wind rushed in, carrying bone-chilling cold.

Olivia instinctively gripped the seat beside her, her heart racing. She took several deep breaths, forcing herself to stay calm, and began assessing the situation inside the car.

Molly was nowhere to be seen in the back seat. Only scattered strands of hair and a broken hair clip remained where she had been sitting, whether thrown out during the fall or lost somewhere else, Olivia couldn't tell.

In the front seats, Stanley and Scarlett lay motionless, slumped over the steering wheel and dashboard. Blood had dried on their foreheads—whether they were dead or alive was unclear.

Just then, Olivia heard weak breathing. She turned to see Celeste lying on the other side of the back seat, eyes closed, chest rising and falling slightly. She was obviously still alive.

Celeste's forehead was gashed open, blood streaming down her cheek and soaking her collar. Her face was paper-white, and she appeared seriously injured.

Olivia looked at Celeste, then at the open car door.

From Olivia's position, the door was only a step away. If she carefully moved toward it and climbed down using the tree branches that had caught the car, she might have a chance to reach a rocky ledge on the mountainside.

But if she wanted to save Celeste, the situation would be completely different. Celeste was unconscious and couldn't move on her own. Olivia would have to lift her first, then slowly help her toward the door. During this process, any wrong move could cause the car to shift, and then not only would she fail to save Celeste, she would fall with her.

Olivia hesitated. She and Celeste had never gotten along. Celeste had always targeted her, and Molly had followed her mother's lead in bullying her. In this crucial moment, she could easily leave Celeste behind and escape on her own.

But watching Celeste's weak breathing, she felt a pang of reluctance. After all, Celeste was still a human life, and she was Matthew's mother. If Olivia abandoned her, what would Matthew think when he found out?

The car continued swaying gently in the mountain wind, and the branches supporting it creaked ominously, as if they might snap at any moment. Olivia knew she didn't have much time to deliberate—she had to make a decision quickly.

Her hands gripped the seat fabric so tightly her knuckles turned white. It felt like two voices were battling in her mind—one urging her to escape immediately, the other telling her to save Celeste.

Olivia looked up at the darkness outside, then down at the unconscious Celeste. Finally, she took a deep breath and began moving slowly. She decided to try saving Celeste first.

"Matthew, this is all for you. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't care whether she lived or died." Olivia murmured under her breath.

She carefully crawled toward Celeste, trying not to touch the car frame for fear of causing more movement. Each inch forward felt like her heart would leap from her throat. The mountain wind grew stronger, and the car's swaying became more pronounced. Just as Olivia's hand reached Celeste's arm, the car lurched violently.

The sound of branches breaking filled the air as the vehicle began sliding further down toward the depths of the cliff.