No. I couldn’t let anything happen to him. I will keep him safe. I won’t let him die.

“Ms. Hutton—”

“Give me your car keys!”

“Keys? But why—”

“I said give it to me!”

Once he hurriedly took out his keys and handed them over to me, I turned around, and rushed towards the exit.

“Ms. Hutton, wait!”

“Emerald!” I heard Duncan’s voice called out.

But I didn’t stop. I needed to go. I didn’t know what I was going to do. My mind wasn’t working. The only thing I knew was I needed to reach him.

“Send me Mr. Balakin’s number!” I yelled over my shoulder as I ran to Carter’s car. Getting in, I drove away as fast as I could.

Ace’s phone was switched off, but Mr. Balakin was with him. Hopefully he had his phone with him.

I didn’t know if Mr. Balakin was working with Arthur, too. But if he was, what was he doing with Ace in his car?

Weaving in and out of traffic, I pressed the horn when a car didn’t move out of my way. I didn’t know when Ace left the hotel. I had no freaking idea how far they’ve gone. I didn’t even know if he was going directly to our new mansion.

A frustrated sob left my mouth as I hit the steering wheel. I couldn’t prevent the signing and now I couldn’t stop him from leaving the hotel. I never felt so helpless and weak before. My heart clenched in fear. Fear of losing him.

What if Arthur succeeds in his plan? What if I really lose—

With my eyes prickling with tears, I drove as fast as possible.

I won’t let that happen.

I went down the road that led to our home.

Arthur planned to make Ace’s car meet an accident while he would be going home. And Ace did promise that he’d go home as soon as the meeting finished. And he never broke his promises.

I had a feeling he was heading this way.

My phone blared in the car. My heart skipped thinking it might be him. But then I saw an unknown number flashing over the screen.

Maybe it was Carter?

I picked it up.

“Carter? Why didn’t you send me the number yet?”

“Emerald, it’s me, Duncan. Wherever you’re going, stop. I’m coming to get you. You—”

“Where is Carter? I told him to send me Mr. Balakin’s number! I need to talk to Ace, doesn’t he understand?”

A curse left my lips as a car suddenly came into my lane. Moving the phone away from my ear, I turned right, barely avoiding a hit.

When I put the phone in my ear back, I heard him asking if I was all right through the phone.