40. "Regrets: Vivienne's Accident on the Scion Qing Airport Highway"

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"Boss!" The driver's panicked voice crackled over the phone. "Please send reinforcements! Someone's after Mistress. I can't hold them off for more than half an hour. Hurry!"

Olivia Windsor's heart raced as she listened to the urgency in his voice. "What's happening? Is Vivienne okay?" she demanded.

"I don't know, Boss," the driver replied. "But we're being chased, and there's a blockade of cars up ahead. I don't think we can get through."

Olivia cursed under her breath. "I'll send help right away. Just keep Vivienne safe."

The call ended, leaving Olivia to frantically make phone calls to assemble a team of reinforcements.

Meanwhile, the driver skillfully maneuvered through the highway, doing everything in his power to keep Vivienne safe from harm.

But their pursuers were relentless, and soon they found themselves trapped between the chasers behind them and the blockade of cars ahead. The driver's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to come up with a plan.

'What do we do?' he asked himself, sweat beading on his forehead. 'Those bastards are in front of us, and there's no way out.'

Just as he was about to devise a plan, a deafening sound pierced the air, causing his heart to skip a beat. He braced himself for the worst.

"Bang...Whoosh...!!"

The sharp sound of a gunshot echoed, and the driver's heart raced in terror. He couldn't bear to look at his mistress, fearing the worst.

"Screeeech...!!"

But the target of the bullets was not them. One of the car's wheels exploded, and the vehicle swerved out of control, careening towards the edge of the hill.

"Hold on tight, Mistress!" the driver shouted, his hands firmly gripping the steering wheel. With a masterful display of driving skills, he managed to steer the car away from the edge and regain control. But their relief was short-lived.

"Screech..! Broom... broooomn!!"

A car appeared out of nowhere, hurtling towards them at breakneck speed. Before they could react, it smashed into their car with a sickening thud, the sound of metal crushing metal.

"Nooo...Mistress....!" The driver's anguished cry echoed in Vivienne's ears, but it was too late.

"Booomn...Crash...Thud...!!"

The unthinkable had happened, and their car had been hit with a force that sent it hurtling off the highway, flipping over and over before coming to a stop.

"What...the...!!" Vivienne's head was spinning, and her vision was blurry as she struggled to regain consciousness.

As her mind cleared, Vivienne felt a sense of detachment, like she was watching her life flash before her eyes. Memories from her childhood flooded her mind, followed by the pain of being mistreated by her own family.

But despite the hardships, she had never given up on her dreams of becoming an independent, successful businesswoman.

Then, she remembered the day she met Lucien Sterling. His handsome face, his warm smile, and his shining eyes had captured her heart from the moment she saw him.

Despite their unconventional relationship as contracted husband and wife, she had grown to feel at home in the Sterling mansion, surrounded by the warmth and support of Lucien and his family.

But now, as she lay there, battered and bruised, it seemed like all of that was slipping away. She couldn't bear the thought of leaving behind the regrets and betraying Lucien's trust by not being honest with him.

Her heart ached with the realization that she might never get the chance to make things right.

Through the haze of pain and confusion, Vivienne managed a small smile as she remembered the love and support she had received from Lucien.

She knew that she could never repay him for everything he had done for her, but she was grateful for every moment they had shared together.

And as her consciousness slipped away, she held on to the hope that somehow, someway, they would be reunited, even if it was just in the afterlife.

'Ah! I want to see that warm smiling face one last time,' was the thought that Vivienne had before she lost consciousness.

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Sterling Mansion,

"Crash...!!"

The sound of shattering porcelain echoed through the hall as the coffee cup slipped from Lucien's trembling hand.

His heart raced as he felt a sudden ache in his chest, a feeling that was entirely foreign to him.

"Master, are you alright?" Simran rushed to his side, her concerned eyes fixed on him as she quickly swept up the broken pieces of the cup.

Lucien didn't respond, his attention wholly focused on the strange sensation that gripped his chest.

It was as if his heart had taken on a life of its own, beating rapidly and erratically, causing Lucien's breath to come in short gasps.

He couldn't understand why this was happening to him, and the feeling left him feeling helpless and vulnerable.

Simran noticed the change in his demeanor and placed a fresh cup of coffee in front of him, hoping to distract him from the strange sensation.

But Lucien's mind was consumed by the unfamiliar feeling, and he couldn't shake it off.

He sat there for a few moments, lost in thought, before finally regaining his composure.

Lucien realized that he was experiencing something he had never encountered before, and he couldn't ignore the significance of the moment.

As Lucien took a sip of his coffee, he couldn't shake off the growing sense of apprehension that lingered within him. Something didn't feel quite right, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Ring...Ring...!!"

Suddenly, his phone began to ring, jolting him out of his thoughts. With a hint of hesitation, he fished his phone out of his pocket, glancing at the caller ID.

Olivia Windsor.

Lucien's heart rate quickened as he answered the call, bracing himself for whatever news awaited him on the other end of the line.

The sound of Olivia's voice, usually poised and self-assured, was now cracking and stuttering.

"Hello, Boss. I am sorry...I am very sorry!!" Olivia's voice trembled with emotion, her words tumbling out in a flurry of apologies.

Lucien's confusion only grew with each passing moment. Why was Olivia apologizing? What could possibly have happened that would make her so distraught?

"I messed up, Boss. I'm so sorry. I know you trusted me to handle things, but I messed up. I don't know what to do." As he listened to her faltering explanation, Lucien couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creeping over him.

Something was definitely not right, and he had a sinking feeling that things were about to get much, much worse.

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