Chapter 275 Injured
Caleb glared at him and pointed at Bella and Anna. "Bella stays here as collateral."
Colin lowered his hood, his eyes sharp and focused on Caleb.
Sterling kept his cool. "You serious?"
Caleb's voice was raspy. He yelled, "Anna and I are getting married. It's not crazy for her best friend to stay and help with the wedding, right? If they stay with me, I'll believe you plan to let us go. Otherwise, we all die here."
Anna was in shock, barely processing their words.
Bella couldn't grasp how things had spiraled out of control. The rain soaked her clothes, sending a chill through her bones.
Tobias thought the plan might work. He turned to Derek and said, "Derek, take this girl and keep her as a hostage. It might be our ticket out."
Derek was puzzled and glanced at Anna. He had noticed her beauty earlier, a kind of beauty he hadn't seen in real life or online.
Without much thought, Derek instinctively dragged Anna toward the pavilion.
In the rainy night, Caleb and Colin shouted together, "Stop!"
But Anna, like a puppet, showed no fear.
Bella, worried about Anna, called out in a trembling voice, "Anna, Anna, are you okay?"
Anna was overwhelmed by the shock. She couldn't believe that Caleb, who had proposed to her so lovingly yesterday, was now pointing a gun at her best friend, threatening them.
She couldn't imagine how much Caleb had hidden from her. Anna felt numb, scared, and her heart was in her throat. She had so many unanswered questions.
Hearing Bella's call, Anna tried to struggle. Derek pressed the knife harder against her neck.
"Let her go, you bastard! If you touch her, I'll kill you right now," Caleb shouted, pointing the gun at Derek.
Sterling took the opportunity to signal Colin, who immediately loaded his gun and shot Caleb's hand.
The gunshot echoed through the rainy forest, startling the birds. Caleb's wrist hurt, and he instinctively let go of Bella.
Derek, seeing Caleb's injured wrist, dragged Anna into the pavilion.
The scene became chaotic. Colin wanted to save Anna, and Sterling wanted to save Bella. Their positions made it impossible to rescue their intended targets, so they exchanged a glance.
Colin quickly pulled Bella, and Sterling's black umbrella struck Derek's hand. Sterling moved swiftly, grabbing Anna's waist.
Sterling kicked Derek in the stomach, causing him to stumble back. Sterling quickly retreated with Anna, while Colin did the same with Bella.
When Sterling and Colin stood back-to-back, they swiftly pushed the women toward each other.
Sterling caught Bella, and Colin caught Anna. It all happened in a heartbeat.
Caleb reacted fast, picking up his gun and firing at Sterling and Colin.
But Colin was quicker, shielding Anna and taking the bullet in his shoulder.
The rain mixed with blood from Colin's shoulder.
The gunshot's loud noise shocked everyone. Colin grunted but held onto Anna tightly.
Sterling saw Caleb hit Colin and became furious, signaling the bodyguards to stop Caleb.
"Colin," Anna cried out, "are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Colin reassured her, holding her with one arm.
Rain mixed with blood flowed from Colin's shoulder as others restrained Caleb.
Sterling kicked the gun from Caleb's hand. No one noticed Tobias, who quietly picked up the discarded gun.
Trembling, Tobias aimed the gun, but Bella reacted faster, pushing Sterling aside. Sterling turned to see Tobias holding the gun, aimed at Bella.
Before anyone could react, Sterling instinctively shielded Bella. The expected pain didn't come. Everyone turned to see Tobias pulling the trigger, but no bullets fired.
The gun was empty. Everyone sighed in relief as Sterling ordered Tobias to be restrained.
"Colin, are you okay? I'll call an ambulance," Anna said.
Colin shook his head, holding Anna's hand. "No need, we have help outside."
Sterling said, "You should leave now."
Anna pushed Colin toward the bodyguards. "Take Colin first."
Anna's determination surprised Colin. Caleb, kneeling in the rain, looked defeated.
Anna walked decisively to Caleb. "Now, can you tell me why?"
Caleb pleaded, "Anna, ask Sterling to let me go. I won't come back, I promise."
Anna screamed, "I want to know what's going on!"
Anna's desperate cries echoed in the rain, her eyes filled with sadness. "Even now, you won't tell me?"
Bella couldn't stand seeing Anna like this. She stepped forward and said, "Caleb, if you won't talk, I'll tell her. Anna, he approached you with ulterior motives. The Powell family's bankruptcy was his doing. He conspired with their servants to steal your father's gemstones, causing the Powell family's downfall."
"He sold those gemstones abroad, using the money to build his fortune. He's been lying to you, Anna. Everything he did was to get revenge on the Windsor family. He was involved in drug trafficking, dragging the Windsor family into the abyss."
Anna was numb, looking at Caleb. "Is what Bella said true?"
Caleb glared at Bella with hatred.
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