Chapter 280 I Want Your Husband

Chapter 280 I Want Your Husband
Amelia's POV:
Seeing this message, I frowned. I'd received a similar anonymous text yesterday and had blocked that number. Clearly, whoever it was had switched to a new number to continue harassing me.
I stared at the screen, feeling a flicker of irritation. Luke had already explained everything to me, and I trusted him completely. This kind of pointless provocation wouldn't affect our relationship. Just as I was about to block this number too, another message came through:
[Let's meet.] Followed by an address.
I scoffed and muttered, "Ridiculous. They probably just want to tell me more nonsense to create problems between Luke and me."
I quickly took a screenshot and sent it to Luke. In less than a minute, he replied:
Luke: [Don't pay any attention to it. Someone's deliberately trying to cause trouble.]
While I was chatting with Luke, another long message came from that number:
"You're just a rich man's wife who doesn't understand anything. What can you possibly do for him? Do you even know what he's been working on lately? His company is under pressure right now, and if he married me, my family could solve his problems. You should step aside."
This text made me think it was that brown-haired woman from the bar last night. But Luke had said she was a friend and wouldn't do something like this. The whole situation felt messy and confusing.
I fired back a terse reply: "No." Then added a silly "blah blah blah" emoji
Despite my casual brush-off text, I couldn't help but frown. I'd received a similar anonymous text yesterday and had blocked that number. Clearly, whoever it was had switched to a new number to continue harassing me.
I had a feeling it was that brown-haired woman from the bar last night. But Luke had said she was just a friend and wouldn't do something like this. The whole situation felt messy and confusing.
I fired back a terse reply: [No.]
I wanted to ignore it, but curiosity gnawed at me. I paced around the living room, thinking about the address in the text. Despite Luke's warning to disregard the messages, something felt off.
"Going to take a quick look won't hurt," I muttered to myself. "With a bodyguard, it should be safe."
I called James, the bodyguard Luke had assigned to me. Known for his professionalism and caution, I figured having him along would keep me safe.
By 2 PM, we arrived at a coffee shop in a remote part of Ivywood City. I'd never been to this area before, and the surroundings looked eerily deserted.
James parked the SUV across from the coffee shop. Through the window, I observed the area was even more desolate than I'd expected—hardly any pedestrians, just a few cars scattered throughout the parking lot.
Seeing how isolated it was, I immediately regretted coming.
"James, I've changed my mind. Let's head back. This doesn't feel right," I said nervously.
James nodded and started the engine. "You've made the right decision, Mrs. Carter."
As the SUV began to turn around, I noticed two black cars suddenly spring to life in the rearview mirror, heading straight for us. They were moving unusually fast, clearly targeting us.
"James! Someone's following us!" I cried out.
James glanced at the mirror, his expression instantly turning serious. "Fasten your seatbelt, Mrs. Carter. We need to get out of here."
He floored the accelerator, and the SUV shot out of the parking lot with tires screeching. But the black cars stayed close behind, the gap narrowing.
Suddenly, one of the pursuing cars accelerated alongside us. A window rolled down, revealing the dark barrel of a gun pointed in our direction.
"Get down!" James shouted, yanking the steering wheel hard.
I ducked behind the seat as deafening gunshots rang out and glass shattered. James immediately returned fire, pulling a handgun from his jacket and shooting at our pursuers.
I remained silent, my heart pounding. Everything was happening too fast. All I could think was: What does Catherine want? I need to protect my baby.
Without warning, a third black car emerged from a side street, blocking our path. James tried to swerve, but it was too late. Our SUV crashed violently into the other vehicle, and the airbags deployed instantly.
The impact disoriented me. When I regained my senses, I found our SUV flipped on its side. James was trying to unbuckle his seatbelt while keeping watch on the situation outside.
"Mrs. Carter, are you hurt?" he asked anxiously.
"I'm okay," I shook my head, feeling dizzy but without obvious injuries.
"We need to get out of here fast." James finally freed himself from his seatbelt and helped with mine. "Can you move?"
I tested my limbs and fortunately seemed to have escaped with only minor scrapes.
Just as we prepared to exit the vehicle, several armed men surrounded us. James immediately positioned himself in front of me, his gun aimed at the nearest attacker.
"Drop the weapon or we'll shoot," a deep voice commanded.
James didn't move, his eyes scanning the environment for an escape route.
"James," I whispered, "don't risk it."
After a moment's hesitation, James lowered his weapon. Two men immediately subdued him while two others roughly pulled me from the car.
"Don't move, or we'll make this unpleasant," one masked man warned coldly.
I was shoved into a black car while James was thrown into another. The vehicles sped away from the crash site as police sirens wailed in the distance, too late to help us.
At Catherine's hideout, I was taken to a dimly lit room. When she walked in, I immediately recognized her as the brown-haired woman talking with Luke at the bar.
"What do you want?" I asked directly.
She didn't answer immediately, just walked slowly toward me.
"I want your husband, of course," she finally said with a flippant tone.
"But Luke said you weren't this kind of person," I frowned.
"What do men know?" she scoffed. "Don't you recognize a woman who knows how to play the game?"
"Luke isn't that kind of fool," I stated firmly.
Catherine rolled her eyes and ignored me.