3 Steps Ahead

As Elk and Celeste finally pulled into the driveway of their apartment, relief washed over them. They had narrowly escaped Damian's pursuit, and the thought of being home felt like a victory in itself. Elk parked the car, exhaling deeply as he turned to Celeste.

"We made it," he said softly, his voice filled with relief.

Celeste smiled faintly, her glowing blue eyes flickering with warmth. "Yes, darling. You were incredible."

But their relief was short-lived. Standing near the entrance to their apartment was Damian, flanked by two police officers. His smirk was back, full of triumph and arrogance.

"Well, well, well," Damian said as Elk and Celeste stepped out of the car. "Did you really think you could steal from me and get away with it?"

"Damian…" Elk muttered, his fists clenching.

"You're under arrest, Takeda," one of the officers said, stepping forward.

"What?!" Celeste exclaimed, her usually calm tone laced with alarm.

"For breaking and entering, theft of private property, and evading justice," the officer continued.

Elk raised his hands as the officers approached him. "It's okay, Celeste," he said calmly, glancing at her. "Let them do their job."

Damian watched with satisfaction as the officers cuffed Elk and led him toward the patrol car.

"You've made a grave mistake, Elk," Damian said, his voice dripping with smugness. "You can't outsmart someone like me. Enjoy your time in jail while I take back what's mine."

Elk didn't respond, his expression calm and unreadable.

As the officers led Elk away, several others entered the apartment to investigate further. What they found, however, changed everything.

Inside, meticulously organized on the dining table, were folders filled with documents and USB drives containing detailed records of every illegal activity Damian had ever committed. Fraud, embezzlement, bribery, blackmail—it was all there, undeniable evidence of his criminal empire.

The officers stared at the mountain of evidence, their radios buzzing as they called in reinforcements.

"Sir," one of the officers outside said, approaching Damian. "You need to come with us."

"What?!" Damian exclaimed, his smug demeanor cracking.

"We found enough evidence in that apartment to implicate you in numerous crimes," the officer said. "You're under arrest."

"This is absurd!" Damian shouted, trying to back away. "That evidence is fake! It's a setup!"

But the officers weren't listening. They cuffed Damian, reading him his rights as he struggled.

Meanwhile, Elk sat calmly in the back of the patrol car, watching the scene unfold. One of the officers approached him, her expression a mix of confusion and respect.

"Mr. Takeda," she said, opening the car door. "We owe you an apology. It seems you've been working to expose Damian Wolfe this entire time."

Elk stepped out, brushing himself off. "It was the only way to stop him. I knew he'd follow us home, and I left the evidence in plain sight for you to find."

Celeste stepped forward, her glowing eyes fixed on Elk. "You planned this?"

"I couldn't let him keep coming after us," Elk explained, turning to her. "He needed to be stopped, and this was the only way to ensure the authorities had everything they needed to bring him down."

"You're brilliant, darling," Celeste said, her voice soft with admiration.

Elk smiled at her, reaching out to take her hand. "I just did what I had to do to protect us."

As Damian was dragged away, his protests growing more desperate, Elk and Celeste stood together, watching in silence. For the first time in months, they felt a sense of closure.

The officer who had released Elk approached them again. "You're free to go, Mr. Takeda. And… thank you for bringing someone like him to justice."

"Just doing the right thing," Elk replied, nodding.

As the police cars pulled away, taking Damian with them, Elk and Celeste finally stepped back into their home.

The apartment felt peaceful once again, the weight of Damian's presence finally gone. Elk sank onto the couch, letting out a long breath as Celeste sat beside him.

"You're safe now," he said softly, taking her hand in his.

"Because of you, darling," Celeste replied, leaning her head against his shoulder. "You've always protected me."

Elk wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. "We protect each other, Celeste. That's what we do."

As the night wore on, the couple sat together in quiet relief, their bond stronger than ever. They had faced every challenge thrown their way, and no matter what came next, they knew they would face it together.