No Turning Back

The night was heavy with smoke and tension, the remains of Silas Vaughn's estate still smoldering in the distance. The explosion had caught everyone off guard, a last-ditch effort from a desperate man.

Yet—he was still alive. Ariella sensed it.

Her hand rested on her growing belly, her heartbeat syncing with the life inside her.

This was bigger than her now.

She wasn't just seeking revenge or fighting for herself.

She was fighting for her child's future.

For a world where they wouldn't have to run, hide, or fear the darkness. For a world where they wouldn't be constantly looking over their shoulders in fear.

Leo stood beside her, his presence steady and reassuring. "We need to find him. Quickly."

Ariella took a deep breath. "We will."

Because this time?

She wouldn't let him slip away.

Carter worked diligently, breaking into Silas's financial accounts, searching for any clues that could lead them to him.

Vincent reached out to every informant and underground source he knew, seeking any hint of Silas's whereabouts.

Leo focused on sharpening his weapons, his concentration unwavering.

And Ariella? She waited and it drove her mad.

Each hour without a lead felt like another moment for Silas to plan his next move.

She stood over the map laid out on the safe house table, hands pressed against the wood, her stomach tight with frustration.

She was worn out, her body aching, but she couldn't stop.

Wouldn't stop.

Then—

Carter's voice broke the silence.

"I found him."

Ariella's heart raced.

Leo was at Carter's side in a flash. "Where?"

Carter displayed surveillance footage of a private airstrip just outside the city. A sleek black jet was on the runway, engines already running.

A shadowy figure was walking towards the jet ready for boarding.

Ariella clenched her jaw.

Silas Vaughn was trying to escape.

Leo swore. "He's getting away."

Ariella grabbed her gun. "Not for long."

The Final Chase

They pushed the limits of speed, the black SUV tearing across the deserted highway, headlights cutting through the pitch-black night.

Ariella's pulse was a war drum, every bump in the road sending a jolt through her body, but she ignored it.

They couldn't be too late.

She refused to be too late.

Leo gripped the steering wheel tightly, his face hard to read, but Ariella understood him well.

He was just as angry as she was.

Vincent leaned forward, eyes fixed on the approaching airstrip. "We need to arrive before he takes off."

Carter checked his gun. "We will."

Ariella let out a breath, her hand clutching her stomach.

Her baby kicked.

A sudden, unmistakable movement.

And for the first time, fear seeped in.

She had never fully faced it before—

What if something went wrong tonight?

What if her child never got the chance to be born?

Leo glanced at her, noticing her hand on her belly. "Are you alright?"

Ariella forced a small smile. "I will be. Once he's dead."

Leo's jaw clenched.

"Then let's make sure that happens."

As soon as the SUV came to a halt, gunfire erupted.

Silas's men were ready, stationed near the hangar, guarding the jet.

Ariella didn't hesitate.

She ducked behind the SUV, taking deep breaths, her focus sharp.

Leo grabbed his rifle, Carter positioned himself beside him, and Vincent wore a grin that showed he thrived on chaos.

Leo looked at her. "Stay close."

Ariella nodded.

They moved as one.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Silas's men fell, one after another, but more kept coming, emerging from the shadows, their numbers greater than expected.

Ariella shot with accuracy, fueled by adrenaline, but she could feel it—

The strain. The fatigue.

Her pregnancy was slowing her down.

She hated it.

Leo noticed.

He moved quicker, more fiercely, shielding her and covering her blind spots.

She felt the urge to fight back, but she realized this was bigger than just her pride.

She was protecting a life inside her.

A sharp pain shot through her lower back, causing her to gasp.

Leo immediately turned to her. "Ariella—"

"I'm okay," she managed to say.

Leo didn't seem convinced, but he stayed quiet.

Not now.

Not when Silas was so close.

Not when he is almost cornered.

They pushed through the last group of guards, heading for the jet.

 Ariella saw him—

Silas Vaughn.

He stood by the boarding stairs, his face twisted in anger.

Ariella raised her gun, her heart racing. "It's over, Silas."

Silas grinned. "No, Isabelle. It's only over when one of us is dead."

He drew his gun.

Leo acted first.

Bang.

The bullet hit Silas in the shoulder, making him stagger back, cursing in pain.

Ariella moved closer, her gun still aimed at him, her breath unsteady.

This was the moment she had been waiting for.

Silas glared at her, blood running down his suit. "Do it."

Ariella's hands shook.

Silas deserved to die.

For her mother.

For her father.

For everything he took from her.

But then— Her baby kicked again.

Ariella's vision blurred.

Her child wasn't even born yet, and already, the world was filled with violence.

Would killing Silas really give her peace?

Leo watched her closely.

Vincent smirked. "Tick tock, darling."

Carter stayed quiet, letting her decide.

Ariella took a deep breath.

Then—she lowered her gun.

Silas laughed. "You don't have it in you."

Ariella smirked.

Then—she stepped forward and, with all her strength, hit him in the face with the butt of her gun, knocking him out cold.

Leo blinked. "That works too."

Ariella sighed, looking at Silas's unconscious form.

"We're done here."

The Consequences

Silas Vaughn was now in jail.

His empire fell apart in a single night.

His friends betrayed him, his money taken, and his influence lost.

And what about Ariella?

Ariella was free.

As she sat in the safe house, watching the sun rise with her hand on her belly, she realized—

This was only the start.

A new life. A new future.

And this time?

No one would take it away from her.