Bride Behind the Mask novel Chapter 865

Ablett and Zoe froze in panic, and in that instant, the handgun slipped from Zoe’s trembling hand.

A deafening bang shattered the air, hitting Marguerite’s chest like a sledgehammer.

“I... I didn’t mean to shoot him... He wasn’t my target...” Zoe stammered, her voice shaking with terror.

Maurice was not someone they could afford to cross. Fear seized Zoe, leaving her utterly lost.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Ablett grabbed Zoe and bolted, dragging her away in a desperate attempt to escape.

Marguerite’s vision blurred as her mind went utterly blank. She couldn’t begin to fathom where Maurice had come from, let alone why he’d thrown himself between her and the bullet without a moment’s hesitation.

It wasn’t until Maurice’s blood pooled at her feet, the sharp scent of iron filling her nose, that her senses jolted back. Only then did she remember to press her hands over his wound, desperate to stop the bleeding.

Maurice’s body was turning cold with alarming speed. Blood trickled through Marguerite’s fingers, scalding hot despite his fading warmth.

The world around them grew loud and chaotic. A crowd of onlookers formed a wide circle at a safe distance, horrified by the scene but unwilling to draw any closer.

Tears streamed down Marguerite’s cheeks as she struggled for breath, nearly suffocating on her own panic.

“Maurice, don’t you dare die on me. You hear me? If you die, I’ll spend the rest of my life living in your shadow. You’re not allowed to die, do you hear me? Stay with me!”

Something in her fierce tone seemed to reach Maurice—his eyelids fluttered open, and against all odds, a faint smile tugged at his lips.

“My Marguerite sheds tears for me? That’s... that’s wonderful...”

Marguerite sniffled, then shouted desperately at the bystanders, “Somebody call 911! Please, just call 911!”

Maurice’s trembling hand reached for her cheek. This time, Marguerite didn’t pull away. His voice was barely audible: “You should go now... If you don’t, the ceremony will start without you...”

Though his words were slurred, Marguerite heard every syllable.

Her mind was spinning, but Maurice’s weak voice broke through once more:

“Marguerite, if you don’t leave this time, I won’t let you go so easily again...”

“Shut up! Just save your strength!” she snapped, her voice ragged.