Free Web NovelChapter 14: The Girl In White!
The next morning, just as the first light of dawn stretched across the horizon, Luca Hale set off on his journey.
His hometown, Ashford, was located in Silver Province, a small inland city that was nowhere near as prosperous or bustling as San Fierro.
The drive would take him across provincial borders, through winding mountain roads and countless tunnels carved through towering peaks.
The black G-Class cruised steadily along the highway. By the time Luca finally entered Silver Province, the afternoon sun was already hanging low in the sky.
Feeling slightly fatigued, he pulled into a highway service area to refuel and take a short break.
As he stepped out of the vehicle, something nearby immediately caught his eye.
A white Ferrari 488 sat parked not far away.
Of course, the luxury sports car wasn’t the only thing worth noticing.
Standing beside it was a woman dressed entirely in white.
She held a phone to her ear while speaking quietly. Although her expression remained calm, the faint beads of sweat on her forehead revealed the anxiety she was trying to conceal.
Luca couldn’t help glancing over.
It wasn’t difficult to piece together what had happened.
The woman had also traveled from San Fierro and was heading toward Crestfall, the provincial capital. Unfortunately, her Ferrari had broken down midway through the journey.
Fortunately, she had managed to reach the service area before the vehicle completely failed. Otherwise, being stranded on the highway would have been far more dangerous.
The issue now was that she was stuck waiting for a tow truck, and whatever plans she originally had were clearly being delayed.
After listening for a moment, Luca walked over.
"Hello. Do you need any help?"
Only then did he get a clear look at her face.
For a brief moment, he froze.
Luca had always considered himself fortunate. After all, he had already met stunning women like Naomi Monroe and that mysterious enchantress from that unforgettable night.
Yet standing before him now was someone who could rival them both.
She looked like a beauty who had stepped straight out of an ancient painting.
More importantly, she gave off an entirely different feeling.
The enchantress was seductive.
Naomi Monroe was sweet and innocent.
This woman...
She was tranquil.
Like a frozen lake under moonlight.
Cold, elegant, and untouched by the chaos of the world. freēwēbnovel.com
Arabella Windsor looked at him quietly before speaking.
"My car broke down. I need to get to Crestfall."
Even her voice carried a calm, almost detached quality.
"Even when the tow truck arrives, I won’t be able to continue my trip anytime soon."
Luca nodded.
"That’s convenient. I’m heading back to Ashford, and I’ll be passing through Crestfall on the way. If you’d like, I can give you a ride."
Arabella didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she simply stared at him.
One second.
Two seconds.
Several more passed.
Luca began feeling slightly uncomfortable beneath that crystal-clear gaze.
"Is there a problem?" he asked.
Arabella shook her head.
Without saying another word, she walked back to her Ferrari, opened the door, and retrieved a backpack.
Then she headed straight toward the G-Class.
Click.
The passenger door opened.
She got inside.
The entire sequence was so smooth and decisive that Luca was left standing there in confusion.
’That’s it?’
No hesitation?
No questions?
No suspicion?
The idea that she was after money didn’t even cross his mind.
After all, she drove a Ferrari 488 herself.
Combined with her designer outfit and natural elegance, it was obvious she came from a wealthy family.
Leaning slightly out of the window, Arabella asked calmly,
"When are we leaving?"
Luca blinked.
"You’re just leaving your Ferrari here?"
"It’s already been arranged. Someone will tow it away later."
"...Alright then."
He returned to the driver’s seat and started the engine.
Soon, the G-Class merged back onto the highway.
The journey resumed.
Along the way, Luca discovered that Arabella was an exceptionally quiet person.
Most of the time, she simply gazed out the window.
Occasionally, she would unlock her phone, check a few messages, then place it aside again.
The silence eventually became a little awkward.
Unable to bear it any longer, Luca cleared his throat.
"Ahem. To be honest, I don’t even know your name yet."
"Arabella Windsor."
Her answer was brief.
Luca nodded.
"My name is—"
"Luca Hale, right?"
Arabella casually held up his ID card.
Apparently, she had noticed it sitting beside the center console earlier.
"...Right."
Luca immediately gave up introducing himself.
After a brief pause, he voiced the question that had been bothering him.
"By the way, you got into my car pretty quickly."
"Hm?"
"Aren’t you worried I’m a bad person?"
In Luca’s opinion, people should always be cautious when traveling.
Especially someone as beautiful as Arabella.
Being vigilant was simply common sense.
Arabella calmly lifted her phone.
Only then did Luca notice what was displayed on the screen.
A live location-sharing page.
Alongside it was a conversation window containing both his license plate number and vehicle information.
"I wasn’t foolish enough to get into a stranger’s car without preparation."
Her tone remained completely matter-of-fact.
Luca chuckled helplessly.
Fair enough.
The two continued chatting occasionally as the miles passed beneath the wheels.
Neither of them was particularly talkative, but the atmosphere remained surprisingly comfortable.
By the time they left the highway, the sun had already disappeared beneath the horizon.
The city lights of Crestfall illuminated the evening sky.
When they reached the outskirts of the city, Arabella finally spoke.
"You can stop here. I’ll take a taxi the rest of the way."
Luca glanced at the darkening streets.
Neon signs glowed on both sides of the road, while traffic flowed endlessly through the city.
He shook his head.
"Forget it."
"Hm?"
"I’ve already brought you this far. I might as well take you all the way."
After a brief pause, he added,
"Besides, it’s almost eight o’clock. I’d rather not leave a girl like you alone at night."
For the first time, Arabella’s expression changed slightly.
She looked at him.
Her eyes reflected the colorful city lights outside.
Then she blinked.
"Thank you, Luca Hale."
The words came softly.
And noticeably faster than her usual slow, measured speech.
Half an hour later, the G-Class finally stopped outside her destination.
Arabella stepped out of the vehicle.
"You should head back now."
She looked at him seriously.
"It’s getting late, and you still have a long drive ahead of you."
Luca smiled.
"Alright."
With a wave, he drove away.
Arabella stood there quietly, watching the taillights disappear into the night.
Only after the vehicle vanished completely did she speak softly.
"Have a safe journey."
---
After arriving at the hotel she had booked in advance, Arabella made her way upstairs and knocked gently on a room door.
A familiar voice came from inside.
"Who is it?"
"It’s me."
"Arabella?"
A few seconds later, the door swung open.
Standing there in pajamas was Camille Jose.
The moment she saw Arabella, she let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness! You’re finally here!"
Camille grabbed her friend’s shoulders.
"I was so worried when you told me your car broke down."
Arabella tilted her head slightly.
"Then why didn’t you come pick me up?"
The teasing tone caught Camille completely off guard.
"I only got my driver’s license recently!"
She stuck out her tongue sheepishly.
"I’m terrified of driving on the highway."
Then she suddenly narrowed her eyes.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
As Arabella’s best friend, Camille knew her personality better than anyone.
Arabella was always calm.
Always composed.
Always detached.
So why had she just spoken in a slightly coquettish tone?
Camille’s eyes immediately lit up.
A dangerous smile spread across her face.
"Hehe..."
She leaned closer.
"What happened?"
Arabella paused.
Then, after a moment of thought, she nodded slightly.
"Hm."
"I suppose something good did happen."
