Chapter 97

**Philip**

Under the star-studded night sky, the base of the racetrack buzzed with shouts and jeers. Tensions crackled at the starting line as engines roared, their exhaust fumes blending with the mountain breeze.

Orlie Petrov, his face etched with worry lines, met me at the starting grid, grasping my shoulder with an urgency that matched his grim expression.

"Philip, you shouldn't have agreed to this! This underground race is too dangerous. If something goes wrong, it could utterly destroy your hard-earned reputation as a professional racer," he pleaded, eyes boring into mine.

Shrugging off his grip, shaking my head and returned his intense stare. "Orlie, you're the reason I'm in this mess! You introduced me to Mariano!" I growled through gritted teeth.

He looked taken aback but persisted. "There's still time to back out."

"Walk away and risk and face a third punishment? I ignored the first test, and this is the second, Orlie! The third might be my death!" We both knew Mariano's patience was at its limit.

Steeling my nerves, I avoided his concerned gaze and headed to my race car. This particular "punishment" from Mariano pushed the boundaries of what even he might consider too extreme to kill me simply.

The rules here were different from a legal race: no safety gear like helmets, no pit crews to perform tire changes or repairs-just me, my skills as a driver, and a highly-tuned machine to keep me alive against an arena of ruthless opponents on an active public highway course.

My eyes narrowed as the start announcement was made. One by one, the cars roared to life and sped off. I had studied this highway route extensively before coming to this country. The problem was that the road was still open to the public, and oncoming traffic was a constant risk, even at this late hour.

I was warned about it.

Weaving through the winding road, I passed several competitors when I sensed another vehicle closing in fast from behind.

"Damn it!" I muttered, recognizing the signs of sabotage.

I floored the accelerator, trying to pull away, but the driver behind me matched every move, closing the gap until his bumper hit mine with a jarring impact, forcing me off the road. As we reached a straightaway, I floored it again, pulling ahead and overtaking two more rivals in a rush of speed and noise.

Just as I began to feel a brief sense of relief, an oncoming civilian car appeared, speeding around a blind turn to avoid another reckless racer. In that split second, our paths crossed, setting us on an unavoidable collision course.

"Shit!" I exclaimed, a final curse escaping my lips as blinding headlights flooded my vision.

It was too late. My car spun out of control, and my vision blurred. My body slammed against various surfaces until darkness consumed me

**Sarah**

I couldn't sit still, pacing back and forth across my spacious living room. How could I stay calm after realizing Philip had joined a dangerous race because of me?

Jane was slumped on the soft sofa, eyes glued to a news report about Philip's disappearance. She covered her mouth in silent shock as she read the details.

"Augh!" I shrieked in annoyance.

Jane jumped at my outburst, nearly startled out of her seat. "Sarah, damn it! Calm down!"

"I can't calm down! I want no, I need to find your brother, Jane," I insisted.

Jane sighed heavily. "Sarah, let's trust Alex. He said it's dangerous for you to leave Highland Hills right now... My dad's assistant also mentioned they have a team heading to Romania to find Philip. Just wait for their updates, alright?"

Josh stood nearby, silently observing me. He nodded in agreement with Jane's suggestion. Knowing him, he could probably sense my reckless thoughts and suspected I wanted to leave Highland Hills to find Philip.

I approached Josh, meeting his steady gaze. "Please, I need to find him!"

Josh shook his head firmly. "You must understand chasing after Boss Philip right now is too dangerous! You haven't even recovered from your recent panic attack episode. Your state of mind won't help the situation. There's a team searching for Boss Philip already! You must trust their efforts and work on calming yourself, Sarah."

Stomping my feet in frustration, I knew he was right.

Everyone around me was echoing the same advice! I needed to wait. Surely, Assistant Alex and Mariano's team were diligently searching for Philip, which is why they didn't want me to leave this place.

Unable to focus on work, I decided to occupy my restless mind by asking Amanda for food instead.

I try my best to control my anxious thoughts, picturing Philip safe and sound in another country while forcing myself to keep eating the meal in front of me despite the overwhelming anxiety threatening to tear me apart from the inside out.

Three days have passed, during which the Cornell has carefully managed the news of Philip's disappearance to avoid another scandal. The guards monitor my every move while my trusted assistant, Emily, attends meetings and events as my official representative. Amir also refuses to let me leave the villa.

After days of acting casually and showing little concern about my husband's troubling absence, their strict security measures have begun to relax, if only slightly.

One breezy afternoon, Emily returned to the villa's garden, where I accepted her. My assistant brought a new set of reports and a substantial stack of legal documents requiring my signature.

Emily discreetly placed them on the table and whispered, "Sarah, one of these is from Madam Olsen. We crossed paths at a business conference this morning. She insisted we keep this communication confidential."

"What?" I murmured, feigning nonchalance as my gaze flicked briefly toward the imposing guard hovering nearby. I deliberately took a bite of the sandwich I had prepared for Emily.

As I reviewed the documents, I spotted the letter Emily had mentioned. It bore Madam Olsen's name, formatted like the legal papers. I read it casually, betraying no emotion.

*'Dear Ms. Mitchell, I won't waste words. My message is clear: I have Philip Cornell.'*

Beneath her terse declaration, a small QR code was included.

"Could I use your phone?" I asked Emily.

Though her brow furrows in confusion, she unlocks her mobile device and places it in my outstretched palm. Scanning the QR code revealed a picture. There, in a stark and unsettling photograph, Philip lies unconscious in a bed, tangled in cables that lead to an old-fashioned medical device, with gauze wrapped around his head.

My heart sank at his frail appearance. Yet, I felt relief knowing he was safe despite his condition.

I trembled involuntarily, my eyes stinging with the effort of holding back the tears that desperately wanted to spill forth, but I couldn't let them fall-not with the guard watching me intently.

Madam Olsen's words pierced my soul: "Now, I have a task for you. I want Mariano's true identity from you. In exchange, I'll return your husband. You have until midnight to decide. We'll meet at the airport later, where I'll reveal your next steps."

A shiver of nervousness rippled through me. Madam Olsen laid out the answer I desperately craved on a silver platter. But if I agreed to her audacious terms, I would betray the trust of all those people around me!

What should I do? Every fiber of my being ached to see Philip again, to know with my own eyes that he was okay!

Emily withdrew the document from my hands and then flashed me a casual smile.

"Thanks, Sarah! Hopefully, you can return to your business meetings soon..." She raised her voice enough to ensure the guard could overhear.

"I have to leave, Emily! I can't stay calm..." I struggled to say, battling to stay composed. "I knew he had hurt me deeply before, but what could I do? I can't stop my heart from loving the person she loves. They might think I'm crazy or stupid. But I love Philip!"

She squeezed my hand reassuringly and whispered, "I understand. Loving too much hurts, but be cautious that your feelings aren't deceiving you. What if Madam Olsen is using this as a tactic to endanger both you and President Cornell?"

After hours of deliberation, I remained resolute in my decision: I would meet Madam Olsen at the airport.

But as midnight approached, I faced a huge decision that made me stop and hesitate. It stopped me from making a big, irreversible change that would have meant putting aside my mixed feelings for Philip!