novelraw Chapter 231 - 180: Liberation (2)
Chapter 231 - 180: Liberation (2)
She was so stunned she couldn’t say a word. For the past three years, she had been grateful to Sean Donovan for saving her. His constant, meticulous care had led her to believe he genuinely loved her, and she’d even considered the possibility of spending a quiet life with him.
But in the end, it turned out she was just a pawn he was using to hurt Julian Donovan. Even though she never had romantic feelings for Sean, his betrayal was a devastating blow. For three years, she had treated him as a true and sincere friend.
She had never imagined Sean Donovan could be so malicious. Even when she learned he was under investigation for drug offenses, she had merely assumed he’d lost his way. She never thought he could be such a sinister and vicious person.
Sean Donovan saw the sorrow and disappointment in her eyes. He reached out with the hand not holding the gun, attempting to caress her face. His eyes brimmed with affection. "Anna, I admit my intentions weren’t pure when I first approached you. But as we got to know each other, I slowly fell in love with you... hopelessly so. I love your kindness, your beauty, your gentle and understanding heart. I love everything about you!"
Naomi Shaw tilted her head, dodging his touch. She questioned him coldly, "If you love me so much, why won’t you let me live? Is this your so-called love—making me die here with you?"
Sean Donovan’s lips curved into a slight smile. "Anna, don’t you think it’s because of you that I’m going to die here today?"
Naomi Shaw wasn’t a good liar. She’d heard from Julian Donovan that they had managed to corner Sean here only because she had unintentionally revealed one of his secrets. At his words, her gaze flickered away, an indirect admission that she had been working as an informant.
Sean Donovan’s expression turned bleak. "Anna, you have no idea how much I love you. Did you really think I would have let you return to me just because you had a fight with Julian Donovan, if I hadn’t been willing to let it happen?"
Naomi Shaw stared at Sean Donovan, stunned. He, however, spoke with a breezy nonchalance. "I actually suspected your motives from the very beginning. I’m just tired. I want to end this life. So you see, dying at the hands of the woman I love... isn’t that a form of fulfillment in itself?"
At this, he suddenly leaned closer to her and whispered, "And if you could die here with me, wouldn’t my fulfillment be even greater? Especially since that fulfillment would be built on Julian Donovan’s suffering. That would make my death even more satisfying!"
"Sean Donovan, you’re insane!"
Naomi Shaw was completely stunned by his words and could only stare at him in utter shock as she spoke.
Hearing Sean Donovan’s words, Julian Donovan’s fury blazed. He raised his gun and took another step forward. "Sean Donovan, let her go! Your grudge is with me. Do whatever you want to me!"
The entire boat had already been seized by Julian Donovan’s men. The moment Naomi Shaw was brought aboard by Wendy Lowe, they had emerged with guns drawn, surrounding Sean Donovan’s group. Julian’s shout prompted them to chamber their rounds. At the same time, Sean Donovan cocked the hammer of the gun pressed to Naomi Shaw’s head. Then, with a cold sneer, he said to Julian, "Tell them all to get off the boat! Tell Caleb Rhodes and those damned cops to get the hell out of here! And you, drop your gun!"
With Naomi Shaw in Sean’s hands, Julian Donovan had no choice but to obey. He could lose everything else, but he needed her to be alive and safe. He followed Sean’s demands, placing his own gun on the deck and kicking it over to him. His men on the boat had no choice but to disembark.
On the shore, Caleb Rhodes and Felix Draper could only retreat. As the situation escalated, Caleb Rhodes lost his composure. He turned to Walter Jennings beside him and asked, "You were in the army, right? Your marksmanship and sniping skills must be top-notch. Can you make a shot at them from this distance?"
"It would be a piece of cake," Walter replied, "but my status is... unique. If I kill someone..."
Walter Jennings aimed with his sniper rifle. He had a special forces background, which was exactly why Julian Donovan had brought him along today—as a failsafe in case anything went wrong.
However, Walter Jennings’s status was unique. The Jennings Family was a decorated military family, and unlike Julian Donovan and the others, he had no ties to the criminal underworld. It wasn’t appropriate for him to get directly involved. Felix Draper narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment. "Then just shoot the guns out of their hands!"
Caleb Rhodes nodded in agreement. Walter Jennings gave them an "OK" sign and began to take aim at Sean Donovan on the boat. The first priority was to disarm him.
On deck, Sean Donovan ordered one of his bodyguards, "Go to the cockpit. Get the boat moving and let’s get out of here!"
"Sean Donovan, why continue this pointless struggle? You think if you escape today, you can escape tomorrow too?"
Julian Donovan glanced calmly at Naomi Shaw across from him, then let out a cold laugh. He was constantly scanning his surroundings, but every look he sent her way was resolute and encouraging, silently telling her not to be afraid, not to lose her nerve, and to stay calm.
In truth, Naomi Shaw was remarkably calm. She had already prepared for the worst. ’Sean won’t let me go, and he won’t let Julian go, either. So be it. If Julian and I have to die here at sea today, then we’ll die together.’ Even facing death, she felt no fear. She wasn’t afraid as long as he was by her side, his warm gaze a constant source of strength.
Before Sean Donovan could respond, a gunshot suddenly echoed. He cried out, clutching his hand and crouching on the ground in agony. His gun clattered to the deck as a torrent of crimson blood poured from his wrist.
The instant the shot rang out, Julian Donovan launched himself forward, kicking the guns from the hands of Sean’s two bodyguards before engaging them in combat. ’That shot had to be from Walter Jennings,’ he thought. ’Just as expected from a trained special forces soldier—ruthless and precise.’
Wendy Lowe also had a gun, but he had been severely injured during the earlier fight at Julian Donovan’s villa. Believing they were safe now that they had Naomi Shaw as a hostage, he had let his guard down. He never imagined there would be a sniper.
Seeing the chaos erupt, he quickly raised his gun and aimed it at Julian Donovan. But before he could pull the trigger, a searing pain shot through his back. His already injured body couldn’t handle the agony. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, his own gun clattering onto the deck. In the instant he fell, he realized who had attacked him from behind... Naomi Shaw.