Chapter 189
I wrapped the syringe in tissue and placed it on the seat before turning to look at the disguised private investigator.
"You were pretty impressive yourself. Can't believe you weren't caught."
The PI looked mildly smug. "Well, naturally. I'm a veteran investigator—disguise is part of my professional toolkit."
He gestured to the person in the passenger seat. "I also owe my partner here. Without his help, things wouldn't have gone nearly as smoothly."
I offered a faint smile. "You both really came through. I'll settle the payment later tonight."
"But remember—there are things you can talk about, and things you can't."
"Goes without saying." The PI gave me a seasoned assurance.
To avoid being traced, we switched vehicles further down the road. After arriving safely at the airport, I settled the remaining balance.
The PI handed me an envelope. "Your tickets and documents are inside. Until we meet again."
"Thank you. Until next time."
After accepting it, I turned and entered the airport.
Though I knew Leopold's people couldn't possibly track me here so quickly, anxiety still gnawed at me. Clutching my bag, I made a beeline for the women's restroom.
When I emerged, my outfit had completely changed. The pale dress had been swapped for a brown trench coat paired with dark sunglasses. Even my long, loose hair was now tied up.
Finding a service counter, I purchased a new phone and SIM card, then took the opportunity to factory reset my old phone and discreetly leave it at the desk.
With that done, I didn't dare linger. I headed straight for the gate.
Fortunately, the crowd was light. I obtained my boarding pass without incident.
Once on the plane, the tension coiled in my chest eased slightly. But I still couldn't fully relax.
Out of caution, I'd chosen the flight with the highest passenger capacity and booked an economy seat. The surrounding noise was considerable.
Yet that chaos gave me a sense of security. The more people around, the easier to disappear.
The departure time was approaching. I took a deep breath, forcing down the anxious flutter in my heart.
Almost there. Once the plane took off, I'd be free...
"Attention, passengers. We've received an urgent directive requiring us to verify all boarding passes and identification. Please cooperate with our crew."
The announcement crackled through the speakers.
My heart plummeted.
A ticket and ID check right now—was this a coincidence or deliberate?
Soon, the inspection began.
I noticed the flight attendant carrying a tablet, deliberately angling the camera toward passengers' faces during checks, as if running some kind of comparison.
I immediately realized this wasn't a routine inspection. It was very likely targeted at me.
Cold sweat instantly beaded down my spine.
The thing I'd feared most was happening.
How could I possibly slip past this?
Panicking, I spotted the child next to me with crayons. A plan was formed.
Moments later, I'd just finished tying my scarf when the flight attendant reached me.
"Ma'am, please present your passport and boarding pass."
My heart skipped a beat. I forced myself to remain calm as I handed over my documents.
Before the attendant could take them, I fumbled—the papers tumbled to the floor.
"I'm so sorry. My grip slipped."
I quickly apologized, bending to retrieve them while secretly loosening the scarf.
The moment I straightened, the fabric slid from my face.
The flight attendant gasped. "Ma'am, your face..."
I frantically pulled the scarf back into place with both hands, leaving only my frightened eyes visible.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
The attendant shook her head quickly. "You didn't startle me, it's just... your face..."
I shrank back half a step, shoulders hunched, voice low. "I had an accident and fell. I was planning to wait until I healed before going out, but my family member is ill. I had no choice but to travel alone..."
The flight attendant's expression filled with sympathy.
After a moment, she mustered the courage to help me sit down. "Don't worry. If you need anything at all, please let us know."
I swallowed my guilt and thanked her profusely.
Only after she'd moved on did I settle back and thank the middle-aged woman beside me.
"Thank you for letting me borrow your crayon."
The woman waved dismissively with a knowing smile. "No need to thank me. Since you've made it out, leave all the unhappy things behind."
"You're still young. See more of the world, and you'll realize your future holds countless possibilities."
I froze for a moment, then responded sincerely, "You're right. The unhappy things should be forgotten."
I hoped Leopold would understand that, too.
Minutes later, the plane took off on schedule.
As the powerful thrust pressed against my back, I turned to look out the window. Silverlight City's landscape shrank smaller and smaller before my eyes, until clouds obscured it completely.
My suspended heart finally settled.
I was free...
The invisible shackles binding me dissolved. My entire being felt lighter.
To better evade danger, I changed flights during my layover, switching my destination from Gravenford Kingdom's capital airport to a neighboring city instead.
This place was steeped in history—the very city where my dreams had first taken flight.
Upon arrival, I took a rental car straight to my pre-booked hotel.
Gazing at the buildings rich with foreign charm, freedom finally felt real.
Only after entering my hotel room did I dare pull out my new phone and log into social media to check today's news from Silverlight City.
The top headline read: [Serious Car Accident Near North Silverlight City Expressway—Suspected Deliberate Attack Leaves Young Woman Missing]
I clicked immediately.
The accompanying images were horrifying. A mangled sedan, a decimated truck, and pools of blood everywhere.
This was the exact stretch of road where my accident occurred.
After reading that article, the page automatically jumped to the second headline:
[Percy Group CEO Allegedly Launches City-Wide Search by Land, Sea, and Air Over Private Matter]
According to multiple insiders within the Percy Group, starting at 5 PM yesterday, the typically composed CEO Leopold suddenly lost control. He spared no expense launching a full-scale search for a young woman. Some speculate this woman might be the same person who went missing in the car accident.
However, no evidence currently confirms this theory.
I didn't scroll further.
So far, everything was unfolding as expected.
That tense moment on the plane had indeed been Leopold's doing. Thank God he hadn't shown up in person—otherwise, I almost certainly would've been discovered.
Since fate itself was helping me, I needed to treasure this opportunity.
For now, I didn't want to contact anyone.
I showered and fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke again, it was already noon the next day.
After washing up, I prepared to contact my teacher, Victoria.
Before I could dial, my phone chimed with an unread email notification.
From Ethan.
[Cindy, have you arrived in Gravenford Kingdom? I don't know what happened that made you suddenly change plans, but please contact me as soon as you see this. I have something extremely urgent to tell you. You must reply.]