I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra and Steven) novel Chapter 418

His voice cut off abruptly.

“Steven, what did you say?” The venue was too loud; I couldn't quite make out his words, only catching the faint sound of screeching brakes.

I looked down at my phone and saw that the call had ended. I hesitated, wondering if I should call back, but ultimately decided against it.

Let it be. We had agreed to stay out of each other's way.

Best to keep our distance.

The competition was wrapping up. Despite the minor hiccup, Horace’s first-place win was set in stone. He and the other contestants had to do press interviews, and as the winner, he also had to record a personal feature.

The audience was starting to leave. Horace asked me to wait for him in the VIP lounge. I smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

In the lounge, a TV screen was scrolling through the news.

I poured myself a glass of water and idly scrolled through my phone. About fifteen minutes passed, and Horace still hadn't returned.

I pursed my lips. Some staff members nearby were whispering, seemingly commenting on my looks and how devoted Horace was.

I lowered my eyes, sipped my water, and browsed the news on my phone. Tonight's competition was definitely a hot topic. Horace’s confession was trending even higher than his first-place win.

I clicked on a link and saw the video of Horace's confession. Tabloid accounts were gushing about what a perfect match we were, with captions like: She was his backer, and also his destiny.

Most of the comments were congratulatory, but of course, there were negative ones too. Some criticized Horace for being unprofessional, getting into a public relationship before even debuting. Others were trying to dig up my identity, convinced I must be some kind of villain.

I frowned slightly. Maybe it was from living with Steven for so long, or maybe it was just in my nature, but I hated being in the spotlight. Unless absolutely necessary, I preferred to keep my private life out of the public eye. Tonight had shattered all of that.

Just as my mind was wandering, Gordon's call came in.

My fingers tapped lightly on the screen as I answered.

Gordon’s unusually solemn voice came through the phone. “Ma’am, Mr. Lancaster has been in a car accident. He’s in the emergency room at Baxo Meridian General. I hear it’s very serious. Please, go see him!”

A car accident?

My eyes widened, and my head snapped up, but my emotions remained steady. “Gordon, I’ve heard this excuse three times already. Whatever game Steven is playing now, just tell me straight. You don't have to lie to me every time.”

I took a deep breath and drank some water.

Just then, a breaking news report flashed across the TV screen.

I jerked my head up and saw footage of a massive car crash.

A reporter was giving a solemn report: “Just minutes ago, a major multi-vehicle pile-up occurred on the highway overpass. A white car exploded, killing all occupants instantly. The fire spread, causing nearby vehicles to explode in succession. The accident has resulted in 13 fatalities and 16 injuries of varying degrees. The injured are currently being transported to the hospital...”

The camera cut back to the scene of the accident. The ground was littered with debris, many cars were severely damaged, and flames shot into the sky. It was a horrifying sight.

The camera panned across a bus, showing a worker with a steel rod piercing his abdomen, an unconscious child, a woman, and a man being pulled from the flames and carried onto a stretcher.

A high-end luxury watch was visible on his dangling wrist, blood dripping from his fingers to the ground. The camera then cut to his face—it was covered in blood, but the one-second glimpse was enough for me to recognize him—

Steven!

My breath caught in my throat. The color drained from my face, and the glass I was clutching slipped from my hand, shattering on the floor with a loud, sharp crack...