Chapter 445

Estella crouched behind the counter, her heart pounding as gunshots and screams echoed outside. The smell of gunpowder filled the air.

She was shaking with fear, and even when the gunfire stopped, she couldn't bring herself to stand up.

"It's over, they're all gone. You can get up now," Jerry's voice came from above her.

Leaning against the wall, Estella slowly got to her feet. When she saw the blood and bodies outside, her legs almost gave out, but Jerry caught her just in time.

Jerry guided Estella away from the living room and into another room where she couldn't see the carnage, helping her to calm down.

Among the bodies, the sight of Zoey's was the hardest for Estella to bear. Despite their manipulative relationship, there had been some semblance of friendship between them.

As Estella started to calm down, Jerry asked, "Do you know what to do next?"

Estella nodded. "Zoey and her crew broke into my house, threatened me, and wanted me to help them escape the country. But my bodyguard found them in time and took them out."

Jerry nodded. "Good story. Stick to it when the cops show up. If you think you might slip up, let your lawyer handle it. Just act surprised, which should be easy for you."

Estella nodded but then hesitated. "Can I know how Mr. Williams and Ms. Taylor are doing?"

She looked at Jerry, unsure.

After a moment, Jerry said, "Looks like you already have an idea. So, no point hiding it. Mr. Williams got shot in the chest and is in the hospital, fighting for his life. Ms. Taylor is with him. Mr. Williams is grateful for the info you gave and promised a big reward if he makes it."

"I'll pray for him; he has to pull through," Estella said, clasping her hands together, her voice sincere.

Jerry nodded. "I believe he will. Ms. Taylor doesn't know Mr. Williams's true identity yet, and he wants to keep it that way for now. So keep playing the role of Michael's wife."

Estella nodded, no problem there. She'd always played the part well, much to Michael's satisfaction.

After briefing Estella, Jerry left. Soon, her lawyer and the police arrived. When the cops saw that Zoey and her crew were the ones dead, things got more complicated.

"Ms. Foster, are you saying Zoey was planning to kidnap you? But I thought you two were friends," the officer asked, eyeing Estella suspiciously.

Estella stayed quiet and looked at her lawyer.

The lawyer stepped in front of the police and said calmly, "Officers, your tone is distressing my client. She's still in shock. She has told me what happened, and I can relay that to you."

The officer shrugged, not wanting to push it. This was a mess he didn't want to dive into.

Soon, a story was crafted based on the lawyer's account.

Zoey bolted from the memorial service, but it didn't take long for her and her husband's plot to kill Isabella to come to light. Paxton, the hitman they hired, botched the job and got into a heated argument with them. In a fit of rage, the other hitmen turned on Paxton and killed him.

Panicking at the thought of being wanted by the police, Zoey begged Estella to help them flee the country.

But Estella, being a law-abiding citizen, refused and told Zoey to turn herself in. This infuriated Zoey, who then pulled a gun on Estella. Luckily, Estella's bodyguard was on high alert and took out Zoey and her crew before they could do any harm.

After hearing the lawyer's version of events, the police officer scribbled in his notebook, finding the story more suited for a TV drama than real life.

If Zoey really wanted to skip town, she wouldn't need Estella's help. Even though the Brown Family was the weakest of the four major families, they had the resources to get out of the country. Plus, the idea that Paxton was killed over a spat with other hitmen was just too far-fetched.

Professional killers don't argue over failed jobs; they just issue refunds. Killing an employer over a phone argument would break all the rules and ruin their reputation. Even in the criminal world, there are rules to follow!

The officer knew the drill. Chief Alan had made it clear: cases involving the Four Great Families were off-limits unless handled by someone of equal standing. This questioning was just a formality before the case got shelved.

"Alright, we're done here. Ms. Foster, I hope you recover from this ordeal soon," the officer said with a polite smile before leaving with his team.

As they left Estella's mansion, one of the cops suggested they go see Isabella for more info. But another officer quickly shot down the idea.

"Ms. Taylor's been through enough. She's probably under a lot of stress and won't want to talk right now. We should wait until she's in a better state of mind," the officer who had questioned Estella reminded them.

These guys weren't dumb; they knew this was all part of Alan's plan. So they headed back to the station.

Meanwhile, Isabella sat on a bench outside the emergency room, her eyes vacant, hands clasped in prayer.

Suddenly, the emergency room door swung open. Isabella jumped up and rushed over.

"Benjamin, how's it going? Is everything okay with Michael?" Isabella asked, her voice trembling with worry.

Benjamin pulled off his mask, a smile spreading across his face. "Don't worry, Michael was wearing a bulletproof vest. The bullet did hit him, but it didn't cause any fatal injuries. With some rest, he'll be back on his feet soon."