His Obsession Began After Losing Her-Chapter 62: Assassination

Earlier that day, Karlene had driven out to a remote area to visit a small restaurant where Ian Hardy, a former employee of Royal Crescent, was said to be working.

Ian had quit his job at the high-end club soon after Anne's murder, making him even more suspicious in Karlene's eyes.

It took her team quite a while to track him down due to the remote location he was hiding in.

When she arrived at the restaurant, she approached the manager and asked for Ian.

Moments later, a young man in his early twenties appeared, looking visibly anxious when he saw Karlene.

His eyes darted around nervously, and he fidgeted with the hem of his apron.

Karlene walked up to him and handed him her business card. "Mr. Hardy, I'm Karlene Lee, Roy Lloyd's lawyer. I have a few questions for you."

Ian refused to take the card, his face turning pale.

"I-I'm busy now... I need to work... I have nothing to tell you," he stuttered, his voice shaky.

"Mr. Hardy, are you afraid of getting into trouble?" Karlene asked with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Ian's anxiety spiked.

His hands trembled slightly, and he took a step back. "I don't understand what you're talking about. Please leave and stop disturbing my work."

Karlene's gaze hardened. "I believe you witnessed the real killer of Anne Powell. Since you've seen him, he must have seen you too, Mr. Hardy. You're in danger now. I advise you to cooperate with us as soon as possible to help catch the real culprit. Only then can you truly be at ease."

Ian tensed up, feeling a chill run down his spine.

He tried to reassure himself that the murderer hadn't gotten a good look at him.

That night, he'd sneaked onto the VIP floor to film the location for his friends, hoping to show off the exclusive space—but instead, he witnessed the murder from the doorway of a private room.

He left immediately, certain the killer hadn't seen him.

He had convinced himself that Karlene was only trying to pressure him into being a witness to help her client.

"Ms. Lee, I-I don't know what you're talking about. P-Please leave," Ian insisted, his voice wavering.

Karlene nodded slightly, unfazed. "Alright, then. Take care of yourself. Call me when you've come to your senses."

She placed her business card on the table nearby and left without hesitation.

It was pointless to say more.

Even if the authorities found him, he probably wouldn't dare to tell the truth.

Outside, she glanced around and took out her phone to text May. "We can continue with the plan. Have the man ready."

...

Later that night, Ian left the restaurant and headed to the bus stop.

He boarded the last bus of the night, the empty seats and dim lighting adding to his growing sense of unease.

The bus ride felt interminable, each stop bringing him closer to his isolated destination.

He kept glancing around nervously, the flickering overhead lights casting eerie shadows that did nothing to soothe his anxiety.

When he finally alighted, the street was deserted, the quiet night air sending chills down his spine.

It was close to midnight, and the area was eerily silent, save for the distant hum of a passing car and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

Ian quickened his pace, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the emptiness.

He turned, his heart pounding, but saw nothing.

With a shaky breath, he continued walking, each step more hurried than the last.

His mind raced with thoughts of Karlene's warning and the potential danger lurking in the shadows.

Then he heard the footsteps again, louder and closer this time.

Ian's breath caught in his throat as he turned around once more.

His eyes widened in terror as he saw three men emerging from the shadows, their expressions menacing.

The dim streetlights cast sinister shadows on their faces, making them appear even more threatening.

"Ah, you, you..." he stammered, too scared to speak clearly.

Panic overtook him, and he immediately tried to run.

"Please don't kill me, I won't say anything, I beg you! Please don't kill me!" Ian pleaded as he ran, constantly looking back and promising not to reveal anything.

The men behind him kept close, emanating deadly auras, showing no intention of letting him escape.

Across the street, a white Mercedes was parked with its engine off, and nobody could be seen inside.

Karlene watched the three men chasing Ian across the street and clicked her tongue.

"These guys you hired are really talented in acting, and the costumes are spot-on! The choice of location is also perfect. Chasing someone in the middle of the night in a place like this is really scary."

Not a soul could be seen around. The streetlights were dim, making the place eerie and unsettling.

May looked at her phone and stuttered, "M-Ms. Lee, the man I hired hasn't arrived yet. He said he's still on his way to Mr. Hardy's house."

"Wh-What?" Karlene exclaimed in shock.

On the other side of the road, Ian, unable to run any longer, was suddenly tackled from behind by one of the men, a sharp knife aimed straight at his forehead.

Instinctively, Ian grabbed the blade with both hands.

Blood dripped down onto his face as he wet his pants.

"Help... help...!" Ian screamed for help at the top of his lungs.

He didn't want to die.

Realizing these were real assassins, Karlene quickly started the car, pushing down hard on the gas pedal.

The car crashed through the median, and she sped toward the attackers.

"Oh my god, Ms. Lee!" May screamed out of fear for her life, crouching down in the passenger seat.

"Stay inside!" Karlene ordered.

She slammed on the brakes by the roadside, grabbed the iron rod hidden under the seat, kicked open the car door, and hurried over.

With a swift motion, she threw the iron rod at the assassin's head from behind.

"Crack...!"

The impact was immediate, and blood started flowing down his neck.

The assassin holding Ian let go, clutching his head in pain.

Ian took the opportunity to crawl away in fear, his movements desperate and erratic.

The other assassins each pulled out a gun.

Karlene's eyes widened.

"What the fuck! Carrying firearms is illegal!" she shouted.

The assassins fired shots at her, and she quickly dodged, grabbing Ian, who was having difficulty escaping, and taking cover behind her car.

Bullets ricocheted off the vehicle, the sound of gunfire piercing the night. Karlene's heart pounded as she assessed the situation.

"Pl-please save me... I- I don't want to die..." Ian muttered in fear, crouching down and shivering.

Karlene clicked her tongue, thinking this was the worst possible scenario.

She had to distract the assassins and get them away from her key witness and capable assistant.

She eyed the iron rod lying a short distance away. "Fuck! I'm definitely taking a long break after this."

Mustering her courage, she rolled out, grabbed the iron rod, and threw it at one of the assassins, knocking him to the ground.

Without hesitation, she sprinted in the opposite direction.

The remaining assassin followed closely.

Karlene tried to grab her phone to call for help, but a gunshot rang out, causing her to stumble and drop the phone.

"Fuck!" she cursed and ran into the corner of the street, disappearing into an alley.

The assassin pursued her, his footsteps echoing ominously.

Karlene pressed herself against the wall, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps.

She listened intently, waiting for the right moment.

The adrenaline coursing through her veins heightened her senses.

She heard the faint rustle of his clothes and the scrape of his shoes against the pavement.

Her mind raced, calculating the timing of her move.

The assassin slowed as he neared her hiding spot, his weapon raised. "You can't hide forever."

Karlene remained silent, her body tense.

She waited until he was almost upon her, then sprang into action.

She launched herself at him, her fist connecting with his wrist, causing him to drop the gun.

The weapon clattered to the ground, and she swiftly kicked it away, out of his reach.

Before he could react, she delivered a powerful kick to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

He staggered back, clutching his midsection, but Karlene didn't let up.

She pressed her advantage, landing a series of punches to his face and body with a speed and force that no ordinary human could match.

The assassin soon lost consciousness.

"Underestimated me, did you?" Karlene scoffed.

Only her family knew that she possessed strength far superior to most humans despite her feminine physique.

Karlene had discovered this physical ability as a young child after recovering from a serious illness.

Since then, she had never lost a physical battle.

Confirming that the assassin was unconscious, she proceeded to take the gun from the floor.

Just as her fingers closed around the weapon, she heard footsteps behind her.

Her instincts kicked in, and she pointed the gun towards the sound, ready for another fight.

"Karlene!" a familiar voice called out, filled with urgency.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Roy running out of the shadows.

"Why are you here?" Karlene asked as she lowered her gun and relaxed her muscles.

But then Roy's eyes widened with shock, and he suddenly shouted, "Behind you!"

Before she could react, a gunshot echoed through the night as Karlene turned around.