Contract Marriage With My Billionaire Boss (Venus and Aaron) novel Chapter 256

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GABBY

I had already decided before the car ever started moving.

That was the thing about choices like this-they weren’t made in the moment of chaos. They were made quietly, earlier, when no one was watching. When fear settled into resolve instead of panic.

The men didn’t notice when I leaned forward between the seats and handed them the bottles.

“Water,” I said lightly. “Long drive.”

The one in the passenger seat grunted and took it without looking. The other twisted the cap and drank half of it in one go. They were careless. Comfortable. Men who believed the worst danger was already behind them.

I watched their throats move as they swallowed.

Counted the seconds in my head.

Iris sat beside me in the backseat, small and bundled, her legs barely touching the edge of the seat. I angled my body toward her without thinking, one arm casually braced in front of her like that alone could protect her from what was coming.

“Are we going home now?” she asked quietly.

“Soon,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I promise.”

She nodded, trusting. God help me, she trusted me.

The car rolled on.

Minutes passed. Streetlights blurred past the windows. The hum of the road settled into a rhythm that almost felt normal.

Then the man in the passenger seat shifted.

“Hey,” he muttered. “You feel weird?”

The other man laughed. “You always feel weird.”

No. Not like this.

The first one slumped forward suddenly, his head knocking lightly against the dashboard.

The second barely had time to turn before his eyes rolled back and his body followed, collapsing sideways into the door.

The sound was loud in the enclosed space. Final.

The driver swore sharply and twisted around in his seat. “What the fu-”

I already had the gun in my hand.

It felt heavier than it ever had before. Colder. Real.

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“Stop the car,” I said.

His eyes locked on the weapon instantly. His gaze was wide, furious and disbelieving.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he snapped.

I didn’t answer.

I leaned forward instead, angling my body so Iris couldn’t see. One hand reached back blindly, pressing her face into my side, shielding her eyes, her ears, her world.

“Close your eyes, sweetheart,” I murmured. “Just for a second.”

“Gabby?” she whispered.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ve got you.”

I raised the gun again, higher this time, my voice sharper, steel threaded through every word.

“Stop. The. Car.”

“You don’t want to do this,” the driver said, breath coming fast now. “They will come after you. You think this ends well for you?”

My jaw tightened.

“Shut up,” I said. “And pull over.”

The car swerved violently before slamming to a stop.

The world lurched.

I was out of the door before my courage could falter, yanking it open and hauling Iris with me, keeping my body between her and the man behind the wheel.

“Run,” I told her softly. “Straight ahead. Don’t look back.”

She hesitated-just for a heartbeat.

Then she ran.

I kept the gun trained on the driver as I backed away, step by careful step. He cursed and lunged out of the car, rage etched into every line of his face.

“You stupid bitch,” he snarled. “You’re dead.”

He chased us into the brush.

The ground was uneven, roots snagging my shoes, branches tearing at my sleeves. Iris stumbled once and I

scooped her up without slowing, my lungs burning, my heart hammering so loud I thought it might give us away.

Behind us, his footsteps closed in.

Too fast.

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I spun, raised the gun, and fired.

The sound shattered the night.

He screamed, clutching his shoulder as he went down hard, momentum carrying him forward into the dirt. He didn’t get back up.

I stood there for half a second too long, gun still raised, breath shaking.

Then I turned and ran again.

Iris was crying now-silent, terrified sobs that tore straight through me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered as we pushed through the trees. “I’m so sorry.”

She clung to me, her small fingers digging into my jacket like I was the only solid thing left in the world.

“I’m taking you back to your parents,” I said, breathless but sure. “I promise. No matter what happens next, I’m taking you home.”

The forest swallowed us whole.

And for the first time since this nightmare began, I didn’t feel like I was running away.

I didn’t feel like the terrible person, I knew I was for aiding Andrea in all of this.

I was running toward something.

Toward them.

Toward the end of this.

And I would not stop.

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