Chapter 281 Designated Driver
Sterling shifted, finding the position uncomfortable, and lifted Bella to straddle his lap.
Bella, feeling uneasy with the sudden pressure beneath her, instinctively tried to get up, but Sterling held her waist firmly, keeping her in place.
"You wanted this, and now you're trying to bail?" Sterling's voice had a threatening edge.
Before Bella could respond, he silenced her with another kiss, not wanting to hear anything else from her. He just wanted her quiet.
Sterling carried her from the bathroom to the bed in the bedroom. Bella eventually fell asleep from exhaustion, paying a heavy price for their night out at the bar.
As Sterling looked at her sleeping face, he became more alert. He pulled the blanket over Bella, covering the red marks on her body, feeling a surge of complex emotions. He knew Caleb had a backup plan and would likely target Bella.
That's why he was so tense tonight, genuinely afraid Caleb would harm her.
Caleb was now an unpredictable factor, like a venomous snake lurking in the grass, ready to strike at any moment.
So, he had to cherish and protect Bella even more, ensuring she wouldn't get hurt again.
The night of the storm in Oakridge had left Sterling with a psychological scar; he couldn't let anyone harm Bella again.
The neon lights of Zero Degree Bar flickered in the night. Anna sat alone at the bar until midnight, her glass emptied countless times.
She didn't let herself drink to the point of forgetting all her troubles because reality didn't allow such indulgence. With no one to rely on, she had to stay somewhat sober to ensure her safety.
With a bit of remaining rationality, Anna grabbed her bag and staggered out of the bar. She leaned against a large tree by the roadside, waiting for a taxi.
Out of boredom, she checked her phone and found several unread messages.
Colin had sent: [Had enough to drink?]
Followed by another: [Guess not. Don't be stubborn alone. Call me, and I'll take you home.]
Bella had sent: [Are you home?]
Bella again: [I'm home. Message me when you get back.]
But there was no message from him.
Since the incident, Caleb hadn't contacted her once.
Bella said he had run away, but where was he now?
He had promised to explain everything once he got out, but now there was no news. Anna didn't know what she was hoping for.
Or maybe she wanted Caleb to tell her the truth from that night. She had been too impulsive and angry then, and now she realized there were many details she hadn't had time to ask about.
Anna didn't reply to their messages. She just wanted to get home quickly and have a good night's sleep.
Just then, a gray sedan slowly approached and stopped in front of her.
The window rolled down, and a man's head popped out with a slightly lewd smile. "Hey, need a ride? I'll take you home."
Anna glanced at him, feeling a wave of nausea. She suppressed her discomfort and waved him off coldly, "Not interested. Move along."
The man's face darkened, and he cursed under his breath as he rolled up the window and drove away.
Anna was no stranger to men who waited outside bars for drunk women. She knew their intentions all too well.
Her phone suddenly rang, Colin's name flashing on the screen. Feeling irritated, Anna hung up immediately. She wasn't in the mood to deal with anything right now.
However, two minutes later, she heard footsteps behind her, making her tense up.
She turned around instinctively and saw Colin's deep eyes. Feeling guilty, she quickly put her phone back in her bag and stammered, "Uh... no battery."
Colin raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying her excuse. "No battery, huh? Then it should be off or unreachable. How could it just cut off mid-call? Do you think I'm a three-year-old?"
Anna stayed silent, staring at her toes, feeling extremely embarrassed. If she could find a hole to crawl into, she would do it right now.
Colin didn't press the issue of her hanging up. Instead, he suddenly smiled, "Alright, I'll take you home."
Seeing him take out his car keys, Anna quickly reminded him, "You drank. You can't drive, and you should be at the hospital."
Colin looked at her leisurely, "How do you know I drank? This little injury is nothing to me."
Anna's eyes darted around, never landing on his face. After all, she had tasted the alcohol on his breath herself.
She mustered the courage to say, "You're really reckless, coming to a place like this to drink while injured."
Colin chuckled, "Who do you think I got this injury for? Consider that kiss earlier as interest."
Anna's face turned red, possibly from the alcohol, and she turned away, not saying a word.
Perhaps sensing her embarrassment, Colin didn't insist on driving himself and called for a driver instead.
With someone else around, Anna felt a bit more at ease.
The ride was mostly silent, both of them resting their eyes. Drinking too much was never comfortable.
When the car arrived at Anna's apartment, she was still half-asleep. Colin gently nudged her, "We're here."
Anna groggily opened her eyes, recognized the familiar surroundings, thanked him, and got out of the car.
She noticed Colin's car didn't drive away immediately, but she didn't dare look back. She just walked steadily away, wondering if the alcohol she drank was watered down. How else could she stay so clear-headed?
Meanwhile, Colin sat in the car, his previous drunkenness completely gone, his eyes clear.
He spoke coldly to the driver, "Caleb sent you, didn't he? The driver I called hasn't arrived yet. Next time, get the timing right."
The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror and answered cautiously, "He wants to see you."
Colin's lips curled into a cold smile, "Fine, now? Where is he?"
Colin sneered, finally finding Caleb.
Just as he was about to message Sterling, the driver suddenly floored the gas pedal, answering his question.
Seeing the speeding car, Colin understood. Caleb wanted him dead and had been watching Anna closely.
However, Colin remained unfazed. He calmly pulled a gun from the small compartment in the backseat and pressed it against the driver's neck without hesitation.
"Pull over. You have ten seconds to save your life."
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