Crowned by the Man They Feared (Amelia and Jeremy) novel Chapter 363

**Broken by Destiny by George Orwell 363**

**Chapter 363: Run Now**

At the sound of that commanding voice, everyone turned in unison, a collective gasp escaping their lips. Amelia’s heart raced as she immediately recognized the speaker. It was none other than Anderson, Jeremy’s childhood friend, a figure from their past who had often pranced around with an air of bravado.

Anderson’s eyes locked onto Amelia’s, and without a moment’s hesitation, he leaped into the fray, fueled by a reckless sense of heroism. “You shameless jerks! I’m taking all of you down!” he shouted, his voice ringing with bravado that barely masked the tremor beneath.

He had always fancied himself a hotshot, strutting around like a peacock, puffing out his chest in front of the girls, especially Amelia and Josie. But now, with the stakes higher than ever, he felt the pressure to appear formidable. He couldn’t let them see him falter; weakness was not an option.

In theory, he looked impressive, a whirlwind of flashy moves and exaggerated gestures. But in reality? His bravado was a flimsy facade. The truth was, his attempts at fighting were laughable, barely causing a dent in the opposition. He was out of his depth, and with each passing moment, the reality of his limitations became painfully clear. He could hardly keep up with the chaos around him, and he knew that in ten minutes, he would be nothing more than a flattened version of his former self.

“Get Josie out first. I’ll handle these guys,” he declared, attempting to project confidence. But Amelia could see through the bravado; Jeremy’s friend was essentially comic relief in this dire situation. With his lack of real fighting skills, he was destined to be overwhelmed if he tried to face the group head-on. But helping someone escape? That was within his reach, and it was crucial.

As long as Josie could get away, Amelia would feel free to unleash her full strength against their attackers. “Y-you sure you can manage? I’m scared they’ll turn you into a punching bag!” Josie stammered, her voice laced with genuine concern.

Anderson, dodging a wild swing from one of their attackers, replied, “There’s no way I’m just leaving you here! If Jeremy finds out I bailed, I’d be toast!” His mind raced with the implications of failure. He had come to this small town with grand aspirations, dreams of making a name for himself. But now, before he could even get started, Amelia had landed herself in trouble, and he felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on him.

What they hadn’t anticipated, however, was Anderson’s surprising agility. While he might not have been a fighter, he was an exceptional runner. He zigzagged through the streets with Josie, moving like a rabbit evading a predator, until they seemed to vanish into the distance. He threw out distractions, employing clever tricks to shake off their pursuers, his instincts kicking in as they ran for their lives, completely disoriented about their surroundings.

At least, for now, they had managed to escape their immediate danger. Josie bent over, hands on her knees, panting heavily, fear etched on her face like a mask. “T-they shouldn’t catch us now, right?” she asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

Anderson wiped the sweat from his forehead, trying to catch his breath. “We lost them for now, but we can’t hang around. They’ll keep searching,” he replied, urgency lacing his tone.

Josie nodded, worry flooding her eyes as she glanced back in the direction they had come from. “Amelia is still back there. There were so many of them. Is she okay?” The question hung in the air, heavy with dread, as both their hearts raced with the fear of what might come next.