Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 360

Chapter 360

Chapter 360

AUTHOR’S POV.

A thick silence settled inside the car, heavy enough to feel like pressure against the skin. The engine idled softly, a low, constant hum beneath the tension, while the bank loomed across the street…ordinary, glass- fronted, unassuming.

Nothing about it hinted at the truth hidden inside its walls or the danger circling just beyond sight.

Ace adjusted the volume on the receiver carefully, his movements slow and measured, as if even the smallest motion could disrupt the moment.

“You’re live,” he murmured, mostly to himself.

A few seconds passed without any response. The silence stretched, brittle and sharp, each second dragging longer than the last.

Lucian’s posture shifted almost unnoticeably, his attention snapping fully to the sound system, his body tensed and alert.

Violet sat rigid in her seat, hands clenched together, her gaze fixed on the bank doors like sheer will alone might give her a window into what was happening inside.

Then-

“I’m inside,” the man’s voice came through the speakers, calm and steady.

Lucian straightened instantly, every trace of stillness replaced by focus. “Copy.”

Ace nodded, fingers tightening on the console as if grounding himself. “We can hear you.”

“There’s a short line,” the man continued evenly. “Nothing unusual.”

Violet held her breath, eyes glued to the bank doors as though she could see what was happening in there.

People moved in and out, an elderly woman with a handbag, a man adjusting his tie, a couple laughing quietly…but none of them stood out.

That was the point.

That was always the point.

There was a long silence before he spoke again.

“I’m at the counter now.”

Lucian closed his eyes briefly, just for a fraction of a second, then opened them again. “Take your time.”

Through the faint static, they could hear muted sounds…voices blending into one another, the dull echo of a

9:54 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 360

large room, footsteps on polished floors.

He spoke again, quieter now, his voice angled away as though addressing someone directly in front of him.

“I’ve given them the vault number.”

A pause.

Ace muttered under his breath, the tension finally slipping through his composure. “Come on.”

“They’re processing it.”

Another pause. Longer this time. The kind that made the air feel thinner and harder to breathe.

Lucian leaned forward slightly, elbows braced against his knees, eyes never leaving the bank entrance.

“Everything okay?”

“Yes,” the man replied. “Just protocol.”

Violet leaned closer, her voice barely more than a whisper. “This feels like forever.”

Lucian didn’t answer. His focus was absolute, his expression carved from stone as the seconds ticked by, slow and merciless.

“I’m being escorted to the vault.”

Ace glanced at Lucian, the look sharp and searching. “So far, so good.”

Lucian nodded once. “Stay sharp.”

The waiting became unbearable. Each second stretched taut, vibrating with the possibility of everything going wrong.

Traffic rolled past them. A horn blared somewhere down the street. Life continued, oblivious to what was happening.

Then-

“I have it.”

Violet sucked in a breath, the sound sharp in the quiet car.

Ace’s head snapped up. “You’re sure?”

“Yes,” the man said. “I’m closing the case now.”

Lucian’s jaw tightened, the muscle ticking visibly. “Exit immediately.”

“I’m on my way out.”

9:54 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 360

55 Vouchers

All three of them turned their attention fully to the bank doors. One guard stepped aside. Another moment passed, it was as if time slowed

Then the man appeared, briefcase in hand, walking at the same unhurried pace he’d entered with. No rush. No panic. Just an ordinary man leaving a bank, blending seamlessly into the afternoon.

Ace’s hand went to the ignition.

Lucian’s eyes never left him. “That’s our cue.”

The man crossed the street just as Ace pulled up beside him. The door opened.

“Get in,” Ace said sharply.

The man slid into the back seat beside Violet, the door shutting behind him with a solid thud. Ace hit the gas.

They drove off.

There was no sirens, no shouts and no sudden chaos erupting behind them.

Just distance growing between them and the bank, each passing meter easing the tight grip the moment had held over them. Violet finally let out a shaky breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“Oh my God.”

The man smiled faintly, settling back against the seat. “Told you. Not my first rodeo.”

Lucian turned in his seat, his eyes burning with focus, cutting straight through any lingering relief. “Do you have it?”

The man lifted the briefcase slightly, just enough to make the point. “Safe and sound.”

Ace laughed once, sharp and relieved, the sound breaking free before he could stop it. “I’ll be damned.”

Lucian leaned back, closing his eyes for half a second…just long enough to gather himself,then opened them again.

“Good work,” he said quietly.

Violet smiled, hands clasped tightly in her lap, the tension finally loosening its hold. “We did it.”

Lucian shook his head slightly, the smallest movement carrying the weight of everything still ahead. “No. We’re not done yet.”

Ace glanced at him in the rearview mirror, a slow grin pulling at his mouth. “But we’re one step closer.”

Lucian nodded. “Yes. And that step changes everything.”

The car disappeared down the road, swallowed by traffic and distance, carrying with it answers that had been buried for far too long, and consequences that were only just beginning to surface.

9:54 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 360

.:.

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