After the joyful occasion, Anabel returned to her room, packed her bags, and brought them downstairs. Jethro met her at the door and took the luggage from her hands.
“Let me help you with that,” he said and took them from her, then headed toward Desmond’s car parked in the driveway. Desmond was still talking with Anabel's mother.
When he was done, he took Anabel's hand and led her out to the front passenger seat.
“Your throne awaits,” he said with a playful grin, opening the door for her. Anabel laughed softly and stepped in, settling into the seat with a content sigh.
Behind them, Mrs. Elizabeth and Bella climbed into the back seat, chatting quietly, still glowing from the evening’s joy. Desmond closed the door, walked around to the driver’s side, and slid in behind the wheel.
As the engine purred to life, Anabel’s family stood at the entrance, waving them off. Sir Orton, Lady Orton, and Jethro smiled and waved until the car disappeared out of their sight.
The drive began smoothly, but after a few minutes, Desmond’s brow furrowed. Something felt… off.
He adjusted the steering slightly. The response was sluggish. The dashboard lights flickered faintly. The brakes felt tighter than usual. The more he drove, the more the car resisted his control. He slowed down immediately and pulled over to the side of the road.
Anabel turned to him with a concerned look. “Why did you stop?”
Desmond’s eyes scanned the dashboard. “Something is wrong. I think… someone might be hacking the car.” He said, and Bella blinked. “Hacking? How is that even possible?”
“Modern cars are basically computers on wheels. If someone planted a device connected to the car’s system, they could control it remotely. Brakes, steering, acceleration… everything.”
Anabel’s heart skipped. “But who would do that?”
“I don’t know. I suspect our rivals. Especially Daniella,” Desmond said, already stepping out of the car. “But I’m not taking any chances.”
He crouched and began inspecting the vehicle. He checked the tires, the undercarriage, and the wheel wells, and he didn't see anything. He opened the hood, scanned the engine bay, and still found nothing.
He was about to give up when Anabel leaned out the window and called, “Desmond… check the plate card.”
He paused, then walked to the front of the car. He gently lifted the license plate and peeked behind it. There, tucked neatly behind the plate, was a small black widget. It was no larger than a matchbox, with a blinking red light.
Desmond’s face darkened. He pulled it out carefully and held it up for Anabel to see.
“This,” he said grimly, “was planted here. Someone wanted to eliminate us.”
Anabel stared at the device and murmured, “But… who would do something like that?”
Desmond looked down the road before he replied. “I don’t know. But whoever it is, they want us dead.”
He turned the device over in his hand, then looked back at Anabel. “We need to be careful. Someone out there doesn’t want us together.”
And just like that, the joy of the evening gave way to a chilling realization. Their love had survived the past. But now, it was being hunted in the present.
He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed Jethro's number. Just as it rang, Jethro picked up.
“Jethro, I need you to do something for me right now,” he said with an urgent voice.
“What’s wrong?” Jethro asked, already sensing the tension.
“Someone planted a device on my car. I think it was meant to cause an accident. Can you check the CCTV footage from the front of the house? See if anyone came near the car while we were inside.” He instructed.
“On it,” Jethro replied without hesitation and ended the call.
Desmond turned to Anabel, who was still sitting in the car with a tense expression. “Jethro is checking the footage. We will know soon.”
A few minutes later, Desmond’s phone buzzed. It was a video file from Jethro.
Desmond’s jaw clenched as he opened the video. It was Daniella. In the video, she was dressed in dark clothes, cautiously approaching the car. She looked around, then quickly reached behind the license plate and planted the device before slipping away.
Anabel’s parents were still on the front porch when Jethro showed them the footage. Sir Orton’s face hardened, while the wife gasped in disbelief. “Who is this girl that wants to try to harm our daughter? I will make sure she pays."
Back on the roadside, Desmond stared at the screen. “I’m not surprised,” he muttered. “She said she will make us pay. She wanted to wipe all of us away.”
Without wasting another second, Desmond climbed back into the car. “We are going to the police.”
Anabel nodded, supporting him. “Let’s end this.”
They drove straight to the nearest police station. Desmond walked in with the device in one hand and his phone in the other. He explained everything to the officer on duty, showing the video and the planted widget.
The officer’s eyes widened. “This is serious. Come with me.”
They were led to the office of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), a stern-looking man who listened carefully as Desmond recounted the events. When he saw the footage, his expression changed.
“Go and get her,” the DPO ordered immediately. “Now.”
Officers sprang into action, gathering their gear and heading out to make the arrest.
Desmond, Anabel, Mrs. Elizabeth, and Bella stepped back into the car. As Desmond started the engine, he felt peaceful and relieved. Daniella was going to be dealt with.
As they drove home, Anabel leaned her head on Desmond’s shoulder, while Bella chatted with their mother in the back seat.
Desmond smiled to himself. “She tried to break us, but all she did was land herself in a bigger problem."
And with that, they drove on, toward home and toward a future no one could take from them again.