The gunshot shattered the silence like thunder.

Lena screamed as Adrian staggered backward, clutching his shoulder. Blood seeped through his white shirt, dark and spreading fast.

“Adrian!” she cried, running toward him.

“Stay down!” he barked, pushing her behind the couch just as another shot smashed into the lamp beside them. Sparks rained over the floor.

Evelyn’s voice came through the haze, sharp and mocking. “You always did love drama, Adrian. One bullet and you still pretend to be invincible.”

Adrian’s jaw clenched. “You never could do your own dirty work.”

Evelyn smiled faintly, her eyes cold and gleaming in the dim light. “Marcus prefers when I finish what he starts. He wants your empire. I want to watch you crawl.”

Lena crawled closer, her heart pounding in her chest. “You’re bleeding too much,” she whispered.

He shook his head, breath uneven. “Not now.”

He reached under the couch and pulled out a small pistol. Then he pressed it into her trembling hand. “If she gets close, aim for the door. Never her. I’ll handle her.”

“Adrian, you can’t even—”

He cut her off with a glare. “I’ve been worse.”

Before she could argue, the front door burst open. Two men in dark suits stormed in, guns raised.

Adrian fired first. One fell with a cry, clutching his leg. The other ducked behind a chair and returned fire, bullets splintering the furniture.

Evelyn laughed over the chaos. “You can’t win, Adrian. You never could.”

“Tell Marcus he’ll have to kill me himself,” Adrian growled.

“Gladly,” she said, raising her weapon.

Lena moved without thinking. She grabbed the nearest vase and hurled it toward Evelyn. It exploded against the wall, scattering shards across the floor. The distraction was enough — Adrian lunged forward, grabbing Evelyn’s wrist and twisting the gun from her hand.

They fought near the window, a blur of motion and fury. Evelyn kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him crashing into the wall.

Lena grabbed the metal candle stand and swung it with all her strength. It struck Evelyn across the shoulder. She fell back, dazed.

“Run!” Adrian shouted.

“But—”

“Go! Now!”

Lena hesitated only a second before obeying. She snatched the gun and bolted down the hallway, her breath coming in sharp bursts. She could hear the crash of furniture and Adrian’s voice shouting behind her.

She reached the back door and threw it open. Cold rain poured down, soaking her instantly as she stumbled toward the car parked near the gate.

A voice stopped her. Low. Smooth. Dangerous.

“Going somewhere, sweetheart?”

She froze.

Marcus Reed stood under a black umbrella, a pistol in one hand and a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He looked untouched by the storm, as if the chaos behind her was just another show.

“So you’re the girl who made Adrian forget the last one,” he said. “He really does have a type.”

Lena’s throat went dry. “You’re insane.”

“Maybe,” Marcus said, stepping closer. “But insanity has its rewards. Like watching the man who betrayed me bleed in his own home.”

Her grip on the gun tightened. “You found us. How?”

He smirked. “Evelyn told me where to look. Loyalty has its price.”

Her blood ran cold. “She set us up?”

Marcus shrugged. “She plays both sides. Always has.”

He raised the gun. “Pity. I liked your spirit.”

Before he could fire, a shadow moved behind him.

“Put it down, Marcus.”

Adrian’s voice was low, deadly. He was bleeding, pale, and furious — but still standing.

Marcus turned slowly. “You look terrible, Voss.”

Adrian’s lips curled. “You always had bad timing.”

Marcus laughed. “And you always had bad luck.”

He fired.

The bullet tore through the air and missed by an inch. Adrian lunged, tackling Marcus into the mud. The gun skidded across the wet driveway. Rain and fury mixed as they fought, their movements raw and brutal.

Lena ran forward, picked up the gun, and aimed. Her hands trembled violently. “Stop!”

Marcus froze just long enough to sneer. “You won’t shoot me.”

“Try me,” she said, her voice shaking.

Adrian gasped, his arm locked around Marcus’s throat. “Lena, don’t!”

“He’ll kill you!”

“I said don’t!” Adrian shouted, his voice breaking.

Marcus used the distraction. He slammed his elbow into Adrian’s ribs, forcing him down, then twisted, knocking the gun from Lena’s grip. He stood, soaked and grinning, pointing the weapon at both of them.

“Two for one,” he said softly.

And then a single gunshot split the storm.

Marcus’s eyes widened. His mouth opened soundlessly. He dropped the gun and fell forward into the mud.

Lena turned in shock. Evelyn stood in the doorway, drenched, her hair clinging to her face, a pistol smoking in her hand.

She looked down at Marcus’s body. “I told you not to touch him.”

Adrian stared at her, panting. “You killed him.”

Her expression didn’t change. “He was going to kill you. And I can’t let that happen. Not yet.”

Lena’s voice shook. “You said you wanted him dead.”

“I wanted him to suffer,” Evelyn said coldly. “Death is too easy.”

Her gaze slid to Lena, eyes sharp and knowing. “You think you’re saving him, don’t you? Just like the last one.”

Lena frowned. “The last one?”

“The journalist,” Evelyn said softly. “She thought love could fix him. She died believing it.”

Lena’s breath caught. “You killed her too, didn’t you?”

Evelyn smiled faintly. “We all did. Some of us just watched.”

Adrian took a slow step forward. “Get out before I forget how to be merciful.”

“You won’t shoot me,” Evelyn said. “You never could.”

“Try me.”

She laughed quietly, the sound colder than the rain. “You still owe me, Adrian.”

“Not anymore.”

Her smile faded. She dropped the gun onto the driveway, the metal clattering against the stone. “Then I’ll see you soon, Voss.”

And she turned, walking into the storm until the darkness swallowed her whole.

Adrian’s strength gave out. He stumbled, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

Lena ran to him, catching him just before he fell. “You need a doctor!”

“No hospitals,” he hissed.

“You’ll die!”

His hand caught her wrist, weak but insistent. “No one can know I’m alive.”

Tears stung her eyes. “You can’t keep living like this.”

He smiled faintly, the expression barely there. “It’s the only way I know.”

She dragged him inside, laying him on the couch. The fire still burned weakly in the corner, throwing long shadows over the blood-streaked floor.

She tore open his shirt and cleaned the wound with shaking hands. He winced but said nothing. His eyes stayed on her face, unreadable.

“You shouldn’t have stayed,” he whispered.

“I couldn’t leave you.”

“You’re making a mistake.”

She met his gaze. “Then let me make it.”

For a moment, silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of the rain and their ragged breathing.

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver drive, glinting faintly in the firelight.

“This is what Marcus wanted,” he said hoarsely. “Every file, every secret, every name that could burn half this city to the ground.”

Lena stared at it. “Why give it to me?”

“Because if I don’t make it, someone has to finish what I started.”

“Don’t say that,” she said quickly. “You’re going to live.”

He smiled faintly. “You’re stronger than you think, Lena.”

She pressed a cloth against his shoulder. “You’re going to live because I said so.”

He caught her hand, his fingers trembling. “Promise me you won’t trust anyone. Not the police. Not the press. Not even Evelyn.”

“I promise,” she whispered.

A faint sound broke through the storm outside. Sirens. Getting closer.

She turned toward the window, fear gripping her chest. “They’re coming.”

Adrian tried to stand, but his knees buckled. She caught him again.

“I’ll handle it,” she said.

“You can’t. They’ll take you too.”

Before she could answer, the door burst open.

Armed officers flooded the room, shouting. “Hands where we can see them!”

Lena raised her hands. “Wait! He’s hurt—”

“Down!” one yelled, forcing her to the floor.

Adrian tried to speak. “She’s not—”

But the butt of a rifle slammed against his jaw, silencing him.

“Stop!” Lena screamed.

“Suspect secured,” one officer barked into his radio. “We have both targets.”

Lena’s breath caught. “Targets? You’re making a mistake!”

The officer looked down at her coldly. “Miss Hart, you’re under arrest for aiding Adrian Voss.”

Her heart stopped. “What?”

He held up the silver drive. “And for possession of stolen corporate data.”

Adrian fought against them, his voice rough. “Let her go!”

But they dragged him out into the rain, his blood leaving a dark trail on the floor.

Lena fought too, kicking and screaming his name. “Adrian! Adrian!”

He turned his head once, his eyes finding hers. There was pain there — and something else.

“Trust no one,” he said quietly.

The car door slammed, sirens wailed, and the night swallowed him.

Lena stood in the open doorway, drenched and shaking, the echo of his voice ringing in her ears.

When she looked down at her palm, her stomach twisted.

The drive was gone.

Someone had already taken it.

And somewhere in the storm, Evelyn Reed was smiling.