The setting sun bled hues of orange and violet across the sky as Elizabeth drove through the mountainous area, with the wind gently tousling her wavy waist length dark hair.
On the stereo, a upbeat pop song was playing and she was happily singing along at the top of her lungs, her voice clear and full of joy.
In that moment, everything was perfect.
She'd just closed the deal of the old vineyard property she'd been eyeing for months , the perfect matrimonial home for she and Ezekiel.
The scent of pine and the evening air filledi her lungs and a contented smile played on her lips as the diamond ring on her finger caught the dying light of the sunset, splashing tiny glitters onto the pale leather dashboard.
As the car purred along the winding mountain road, she could already imagine their future together, in the perfect home they'd both decided on.
She could picture her fiancé, Ezekiel in the kitchen and the domestic notion of him awfully seasoning a pan or probably burning the dishes made her lips quirk into a small smile.
She could imagine herself on the swing under the sunset , with him behind her as they watched the kids playing around and she could only giggle.
This was it.
This was the life she wanted.
This was the life she'd fought for and gave up her dreams for.
The past, with its frantic photoshoots and moments on stage and before the camera was now like a ghost to her.
To Elizabeth, this was the real future and it didn't matter what she had to give up to have it.
Whether it was never appearing before the big screen again or giving up her successful career to help her fiancé soar and secure his position, it all didn't matter.
As long as she has him and their future together, it was all worth it. She glanced at the diamond heart shaped ring on her fingers again and smiled contently.
But peace, as always , was fleeting.
As she approached a long, sweeping curve, the steering wheel suddenly felt heavy and reluctant.
A frown creased her brow at that. "Weird ". She muttered, giving the wheel a firmer turn.
Then, a deafening clink echoed from deep within the chassis , breaking the peaceful silence as the steering wheel jerked violently in her hands and then locked entirely.
Her smile vanished instantly, replaced by blank confusion. "What the hell?".
A cold wave of confusion washed over her and she hurriedly pulled at the wheel with both hands, grunting with the effort.
It was however immovable.
A cold trickle traced it way down her spine instantly.
"No,no, come on". She muttered as she tried to turn the wheel left, her knuckles turning white with the force but the wheel was however fused in place.
Instinctively, her foot slammed onto the brake pedal instantly but the pedal however sank back into the floorboard with a spongy emptiness.
Her stomach lurched and sheer, undiluted panic erupted in her chest.
"NO!". She screamed and slammed onto the pedal frantically but it just rose and fell with a dead, empty sponginess.
The car, which had been purring contentedly moments before, now roared with a feral, mechanical screech and it surged forward on its own, accelerating down the mountain road.
The world outside the windshield transformed from a beautiful panorama into a terrifying, high-speed blur of darkening trees and jagged rocks faces, the howling wind whipping her hair into a frenzy.
Her tears spilled over , tracing paths through her perfect makeup and ruining her mascara. Her breath came in ragged, hysterical sobs as she earnestly chanted.
"Please, please ". She chanted desperately, hoping for a miracle as she slapped at the dashboard.
She fumbled for the gear shift, trying to force it into neutral but it was locked. She stabbed the engine start/stop button but none of it worked.
The car continued it relentless charge forward, towards the guardrail.
The cliff edge was now a yawning maw of open sky at the end of the road and the certainty of her own death settled over her like a cold, heavy blanket that smothered her frantic panic into a numb, chilling dread.
This was it.
In less than five minute, she would be gone.
The future she had been picturing with such vivid joy was now dissolving right before her eyes, fading like the light in the sky.
Her body trembled violently, wracked with sobs she could no longer control.
And with fingers that felt numb and clumsy, she scrabbled for her phone where it lay on the passenger seat.
Her mind which was now shutting down, reverted to its most primal programming. She however didn't call 911.
There was no time and what could they even do at this moment ?.
In her final moments, her soul only cried out for one person, her beloved.
The dial tone was an agonizingly slow beat in the frantic rhythm of her terror.
Then, a click.
"Ezekiel!". She cried. "Ezekiel, I don't know what's happening to my car! I can't… I can't seem to control it!".
A choked sob escaped her and despite herself, she forced a smile, a pathetic brave gesture for the man she loved.
"And bad news… I'm at the mountain area, I was just heading home after finalising the deal of our home".
She took a shuddering breath as she continued. "I'm going to die in a minute or so…"
Her voice broke completely, the forced bravery crumbling. "But the only regret I have so far is leaving you behind."
She could see it all, the future they'd planned playing like a movie right before her eyes, all of it was dissolving, fading like the last of the light in the sky, stolen from them by a cruel, mechanical twist of fate.
"Stay alive". She whispered. "Stay alive and happy for me".
However, she was met with silence.
Then, there came the faint, unmistakable sound of a woman's light, amused giggle.
"You don't know how happy I am, Ezekiel ". The voice continued, dripping with a smug satisfaction. "You really outdid yourself this time".
"Today we've finalized it all. She'll be gone for good, all thanks to your adequate planning. Even I couldn't think of this, ruining her car and sending her off a cliff. So brilliant."
The air instantly vanished from Elizabeth's lungs.
The roaring engine, the howling wind, the frantic pounding of her own heart, it all faded into a high-pitched, deafening buzz in her ears.
Then, there came the voice she knew so well. The voice that had whispered sweet words to her even this morning, only now the voice was cold and the words dripping with satisfaction.
"It had to be done, My Love. She'd served her full purpose ".
"This is however the only peaceful exit I could give her. We've been together for years and all along, she'd been our obedient stepping stone. It's time to end all of it now."
"I need her help no more, I'm already at the top of my career. The board confirmed the CEO position this afternoon. It's mine and you need her help no more also, her career is all yours."
Ezekiel paused from the other end of the line and she could practically see his smirk, the one she'd always found charming.
"Considering our years of relationship, this is the only way I can send her off peacefully. During the sunset, her favourite time ."
Steppingstone.
Peaceful exit.
Send her off.
"No, this can't be". She muttered.
This was the man she had loved, supported and built her entire world around and he had not only betrayed her, he had meticulously and cold-bloodedly engineered her murder.
He had used the sunset she loved and the deal of the property, turning it into her funeral shroud.
The love she had felt moments ago curdled in her chest, replaced by an agony so vast it felt consuming, it felt like her ribs was being crack open and heart torn.
She looked up as a single tear slid down her cheeks and the car gave a final lurch as it hurtled over the edge of the cliff.