Matthew turned to her with a crazy look on his face as if telling her that she has lose her mind. “No!! You know I can’t ride public transport, right?”
Claire nodded with a smile on her face. “I know that’s why it’s called a bet.”
Matthew thought for a while as he took a sharp turn which caused Claire to bump into the window once again.
Claire glared at him. “Tell me you didn’t do that on purpose?”
“No, I did not. Trust me.” Matthew glanced at Claire slightly.
Claire eyes glued to her phone as she tracked the cab using its license plate number. The little icon on the screen indicated the cab’s location, moving steadily through the city.
“The cab is not that far from our location.” Claire said, her voice tense with urgency.
Matthew nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. “Got it. I’ll find a shortcut.”
He quickly typed on the GPS, his fingers flying over the screen. Claire tightened her seatbelt, bracing herself for any sudden maneuvers. Matthew was known for his aggressive driving when the situation called for it. “We’ll cut through Baker Street,” Matthew said, his voice steady but intense. “Hold on tight.”
Claire gripped the seatbelt as Matthew made a sharp turn, the car swerving onto Baker Street. The tires screeched, but Matthew expertly controlled the vehicle, weaving through traffic with precision.
Claire’s heart pounded in her chest, but she trusted Matthew’s driving skills.
“Where did you learn how to drive like this?”
“Well, long story short, while you were away, I kinda get into driving.”
“That explain your driving skill.” Claire mumbled under her breath. “I can see the cab up ahead,” Claire said, pointing. “It’s right there!”
Matthew’s eyes narrowed as he focused on the cab. “Hold on. I’m going to block it.”
With a sudden burst of speed, Matthew accelerated, maneuvering the car to get ahead of the cab. At the last moment, he pulled the wheel hard to the left, causing their car to drift and stop directly in front of the cab, blocking its path. The cab driver slammed on the brakes, and the vehicle came to a screeching halt.
Matthew turned to Claire. “It’s a woman inside.”
“Let’s find out, shall we?” Claire threw Matthew a smile.
She quickly exited the car, her heart racing. Matthew followed, his face set in a serious expression.
The cab driver, a middle-aged man, looked at them with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. “Hey, what’s going on? Move your car!”
Ignoring him, Matthew yanked open the back door of the cab. Claire peered inside and saw a woman sitting there, her eyes wide with fear and confusion.
“Get out,” Matthew ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Matthew pulled the man by his clothes, forcing him out of the taxi as he resisted. The driver, clearly unhappy with the disturbance, leaned out of his window. “Hey, leave my customer alone!”
Claire stepped forward, her expression cold and determined. She reached into her pocket and threw a handful of cash at the driver.
“Take this and leave.”
The driver’s eyes widened at the sight of the money. Without another word, he quickly drove off, leaving Claire, Matthew, and the man alone on the deserted street.
Claire took a step forward and pulled down the man’s mask and hoodie, revealing his face. She smirked at Matthew.
“I told you it was a guy.”
Matthew rolled his eyes but kept his serious demeanor. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s see what he has to say.”
Claire turned to the man, her face now stern and cold. “Who are you, and why did you do it?”
The man looked bewildered, glancing nervously between Claire and Matthew. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
Claire scoffed, clearly not buying his act. “Don’t play dumb with me. That’s a bad move.”
The man looked around desperately, and in a sudden burst of energy, tried to run. But Matthew was quicker. He grabbed the man’s arm, holding him in a vice-like grip. The man winced in pain, unable to break free. “You’re not going anywhere,” Matthew said firmly.
Claire stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. “Talk. Now.”
The man swallowed hard, fear evident in his eyes. “I really don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Oh really?” Claire took a step closer. “Then can you explain this?” Claire pulled out her phone and show the man a screenshot of his hoodie in different internet café. “Care to tell me why you are going to a different location just to post my wedding photo?”
His eyes widened and he shook his head. “I-I don’t know what you are talking about, and that person is not me.”
Claire rolled her eyes seemingly tired
with the same answer she always get. “Look, hoodie guy. I don’t like wasting my time. I can easily find everything about you, where you leave, name, job, everything that related to you.”
The man hesitated, clearly trying to think of a way out. “Look, I’m just doing my job!”
Claire, who had been observing the scene with a calm demeanor, crossed her arms over her chest and smiled evilly. “You have two options,” she said coldly. “Tell me the truth, or I’ll ruin your life.”
The man chuckled nervously, trying to mask his fear. “You won’t do such a thing. It would damage your reputation.”
Claire raised her eyebrows, her smile widening. “You know who I am, which means you also know what I’m capable of.”
The man’s eyes widened in fear as he realized the gravity of the situation. He looked at Claire, his voice trembling.
“What will you do to me?”
Claire chuckled and began to circle him slowly, her eyes never leaving his face. “I’ll ruin your life,” she repeated, her voice dripping with menace.
“You wouldn’t dare do it. Your reputation is currently on the edge and if you do such thing, I will tell the whole world about you.”
Claire let out a laughed. “Oh, I find
that really funny. Listen, newbie, just because you managed to make the internet crazy about my wedding doesn’t mean you can ruin me dam the only one that can ruin you.” Her tone dripped with venom as she stared into his eyes.
The man was torn, his mind racing. He had promised his boss that he would do the job right, but Claire Peterson was threatening to destroy his life which meant he would not have a good future. He was trapped.
She quickly pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the man. Without wasting any time, she accessed the government database to find his information. Within moments, she had what she needed and read the details aloud. “Max Brown, age 28, parents house on King’s Road, graduated high school and didn’t go to college,” Claire recited.
Max’s eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn’t fathom how Claire had gotten his information from a single photo.
“How did you do that?” he asked, his voice trembling.
Claire ignored his question, her expression turning serious. “Tell me who hired you to post about my wedding,” she demanded.
Max shook his head, looking desperate. “I can’t tell you. I still need the money.”
Claire sighed and rolled her eyes. “What if we make an agreement?” she suggested, her tone more conciliatory.