Chapter 468
The black SUV in the rearview mirror maintained a steady distance, neither too close nor too far. Evelyn Roland tapped her fingers lightly on the steering wheel, a faint smirk playing at the corners of her lips.
"Evelyn, that car behind us..." Bianca Savigny gripped the seatbelt nervously.
"Mhm. It's been tailing us for three blocks." Evelyn's tone was as casual as if she were discussing the weather.
Bianca stole a glance at the profile of the woman in the driver's seat. The sharp nose, the thin lips pressed together, the slender fingers wrapped around the wheelโit all looked strangely familiar.
"It's Julian!" she blurted out in realization.
Julian Roland kept his eyes fixed on the red sports car ahead when suddenly, a pair of amused eyes met his in the mirror. He instinctively touched the bridge of his nose, frowning in confusion.
Why wasn't this girl the least bit rattled?
"Hold on," Evelyn said abruptly.
Before Bianca could react, the sports car shot forward like an arrow. With a series of smooth lane changes and overtakes, the black SUV in the rearview mirror quickly shrank to a tiny speck.
"Sir, we lost them," the adjutant in the passenger seat reported quietly.
Julian slammed his fist against the steering wheel and pulled over. Several military vehicles behind him followed suit, and a dozen young soldiers in civilian clothes scrambled out to form neat rows.
"Who ordered you to follow me?" Julian's voice was icy.
"Sir, we were just on leaveโ"
"All of you!" Julian barked, cutting him off. "Back to base! Training grounds, now!"
Half an hour later, the training field was littered with groaning soldiers. A dozen burly young men lay sprawled on the ground, too exhausted to lift a finger.
Meanwhile, Evelyn's phone rang.
"Ms. Roland! We did it!" Daniel Murphy's excited voice crackled through the receiver. "The results match our projections perfectly!"
In the lab, Daniel and David Murphy clutched the hard-won report in trembling hands. The edges of the paper were damp with sweat, but neither dared loosen their grip.
"We actually pulled it off..." David's voice shook.
Daniel suddenly pulled his brother into a bear hug. The two grown men stood there, eyes red, laughing and crying at the same time.
"It's all thanks to Ms. Roland," Daniel said, wiping his face. "Without her guidanceโ"
"Yeah," David murmured, gazing at the darkening sky outside. "I wonder when she'll come see these results for herself."
The fading sunlight streamed through the lab windows, painting everything in warm hues of orange. The research report lay quietly on the table, every page brimming with hope.