The call was from Lonnie, not Lucinda.
As soon as the connection was made, Lonnie burst out with news, âSir, weâve Located Mrs.
Payneâs car! Itâs down in a valley, just 300 feet from Bay Tunnel.
Our men spotted signs of a car veering off the road and tumbling down the hillside.
They followed the tracks and found Mrs.
Payneâs car, butâ¦â
Before Lonnie could finish, Nathan abruptly ended the call and slammed his foot on the accelerator.
The screech of the tires against the wet road filled the air.
Lucinda had swerved off the road, plummeted down the hillside, and ended up in the valleyâ¦
In such a scenario, Lucindaâs car would have likely rolled several times.
Nathan felt a stabbing pain in his chest.
With his red eyes, he kept reassuring himself, âSheâll be okay! Lucinda will be okay!â
The car was a high-end model, known for its safety.
She had to be alright.
She just had toâ¦
Tears blurred his vision as he squinted and gripped the steering wheel tightly, and then barreled through the highway barrier.
His car descended the hill rapidly amidst the torrential rain.
âMr.
Payne! Mr.
Payne!â Lonnie yelled, slipping on the slick hillside as he attempted to keep up with Nathanâs frantic descent.
âHeâs lost it! Heâs completely lost it! I shouldnât have told him.
What if something happens to him?â
Lonnie was nearly sobbing as he slid down the muddy slope.
Nathanâs car careened down the hill at a breathtaking speed, seemingly out of control.
Inside, Nathanâs eyes were filled with a fiery determination.
He pressed the accelerator further and expertly maneuvered the steering wheel to keep the car stable and prevent it from flipping.
Eventually, his car slammed into a tree at the bottom of the valley.
The sturdy tree halted the carâs momentum.
The front of the car crumpled against the trunk, the windows shattered, and the airbag deployed.
Turning his head at the last moment, Nathan avoided more serious injuries, though small shards of glass nicked his face.
Despite the dramatic crash, he was in no life-threatening danger.
Rain poured into the cabin through the shattered windshield.
Nathanâs grip on the steering wheel was so intense that his knuckles whitened.
Raindrops hit the back of his hand, making his already pale hand appear even paler.
Meanwhile, Lonnie skillfully navigated down the hill and eventually stopped under another tree.
Lonnie approached and saw Nathan sitting in the driverâs seat, seemingly lost in thought.
âSir? Are you all right? You really scared meâ¦â
Nathan sighed and quietly whispered, âLucindaâs car is as sturdy as this one.
If Iâm okay, she has to be fine too.
â
Lonnie was at a loss for words.