Chapter 69

MAFIA POV

I exhaled slowly, trying to regain my composure. This had to work. It had to.

The expressway remained very quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze. I kept my eyes on the road, scanning for any sign of Richard’s car.

"Still nothing," Alisha muttered, her voice laced with frustration.

I ignored her, pulling out my phone instead. Max had promised to keep me updated on Richard’s movements, but I hadn’t heard from him.

I dialed his number, pressing the phone to my ear. He picked up on the second ring.

"Nadia," he said, his voice groggy. "What’s going on?"

"I’m still here," I said, glancing at the road again. "Still waiting for Richard. I haven’t seen a car that looks like his yet."

There was a pause on the other end. "You sure he’s taking that route?"

"Yes," I said, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice. "I’m sure. But it’s taking longer than I expected."

"Just hang tight," Max said. "He’ll show up. I already gave one of my men your number so he could get you updated once Richard is out of his mansion."

"Yeah," I murmured. "I hope so."

I ended the call and slipped the phone back into my pocket.

"What did Max say?" Alisha asked.

"Same thing I’ve been saying," I replied. "We wait."

Alisha groaned again but didn’t argue. Carl shifted in his spot, muttering something under his breath.

The minutes stretched into what felt like hours. The expectations were almost unbearable.

My phone buzzed again, and I snatched it up, my heart still pounding from the earlier shock.

"Hello?" I answered quickly, my voice tight.

"Nadia, I'm the guy Max sent to give you information about Richard's whereabouts." came the voice of one of my spies. He sounded out of breath.

"Richard just left his mansion. He’s heading your way, taking the exact route you planned for."

"Are you sure?" I asked, my grip tightening on the phone.

"Positive," the voice replied. "I saw him myself. Black car, same plates. He’s about ten minutes out."

"Got it. Thank you." I ended the call and spun around to face Alisha and Carl.

"He’s coming," I announced.

Carl straightened up, his face hardening. "Finally."

Alisha looked up from her seat, her nerves clearly visible. "What now?"

"Now," I said, taking a deep breath, "we stick to the plan. Carl, get the truck ready. Alisha, stay in the car. Make it look like you’re just another driver caught up in the mess."

"What about you?" Alisha asked, her voice shaky.

"I’ve got to set up extra cameras," I said, grabbing the bag of equipment I’d stashed earlier.

" Another cameras?" Carl raised an eyebrow.

"We need evidence," I explained. "If Richard tries to deny what happens here, we’ll have footage to back us up."

Without waiting for more questions, I darted toward the edge of the expressway. The trees loomed tall and dense, their branches showing long shadows in the morning light.

I quickly selected a few strategic spots, climbing just high enough to secure the small cameras onto the trunks. Each one was angled to capture the road and the action about to unfold.

Sweat trickled down my back as I worked, my hands trembling slightly from the adrenaline. This had to be perfect. There was no room for error.

Once the last camera was in place, I hurried back to my hiding spot behind a cluster of bushes near the edge of the road.

From here, I had a clear view of the setup, the cut tree branch tied to the rope, the rock anchor, and the red car parked innocently by the side of the road.

"Is everything ready?" Carl’s voice crackled through the small walkie-talkie I carried.

"Ready," I whispered back.

Alisha chimed in next. "Nadia, I’m nervous. What if something goes wrong?"

"Stick to the plan," I said firmly. "Just trust me."

The sound of an approaching car reached my ears, faint but growing louder. My pulse quickened. This was it.

I kept my eyes on the road, my heart kept beating fast every time I thought I saw headlights in the distance.

And then, finally, I saw it.

A sleek black car appeared at the top of the hill, its headlights cutting through the early morning haze. My breath caught in my throat.

"Is that him?" Alisha asked, sitting up straighter.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I grabbed the rope, my hands trembling with adrenaline.

"Nadia?" Carl’s voice was tense now, his gaze fixed on the approaching car.

"It’s him," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

The car drew closer, the sound of its engine growing louder.

"Get ready," I said, gripping the rope tightly.

Alisha and Carl nodded, their expressions now serious.

The car was almost upon us now, its sleek body glinting in the morning light.

I peeked out from my hiding spot, my eyes locking onto the sleek black car cresting the hill of the expressway. Richard.

"Here he comes," I said into the walkie-talkie.

The car sped closer, its engine purring smoothly. I gripped the rope tightly, my palms damp with sweat. Timing was everything.

As the car neared the tree, I pulled the rope with all my strength. The branch groaned, then snapped free, crashing onto the road directly in Richard’s path.

His car swerved violently as he tried to avoid the obstacle, but the branch had already shattered his windshield, obstructing his view. His vehicle veered sharply to the right, slamming into Alisha’s parked car.

The impact sent Alisha’s car spinning, its tires screeching as it skidded toward the edge of the hill.

"Alisha, common! Jump out of the car." I whispered urgently as I watched Alisha's car moving down the expressway hill as I watched in horror as her car teetered dangerously close to the slope.

At the last moment, it stopped. Alisha shoved the door open and stumbled out, clutching a small container of red liquid.