CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:JUSTICE IN THE SHADOW

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows through the broken windows, I heard footsteps approaching. Panic surged through me, but before I could react, the door creaked open.

Leon stood there, his face gaunt, eyes hollow yet burning with an intensity I hadn't seen before. The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.

"You thought you could escape," he finally spoke, his voice a mere whisper, yet it echoed in the confined space.

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came. The reality of my actions crashed over me like a tidal wave.

He took a step closer, the dim light casting eerie shadows on his face. "You took everything from me," he continued, his voice trembling with restrained emotion.

Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. "Leon, I—"

"No," he interrupted, raising a hand. "No more lies."

The weight of his words settled heavily between us. I had orchestrated a web of deceit, and now, ensnared within it, I faced the consequences.

"I don't know what to believe anymore," he admitted, his voice breaking. "But I know one thing: this has to end."

I nodded slowly, the fight draining out of me. "I understand."

As the first light of dawn filtered through the cracks, illuminating the room in a soft glow, we stood facing each other—two souls broken by a series of irrevocable choices.

"Let's put an end to this," Leon whispered, extending a hand.

With a trembling breath, I reached out, accepting his grasp, and together, we stepped out of the shadows, ready to face whatever awaited us beyond the confines of our past.

When I told Leon there was one condition, his eyes locked onto mine, desperation etched across his face.

"Anything," he pleaded, his voice trembling. "Anything to keep our child safe."

I met his gaze, my expression cold and unyielding. "I need Elena in jail."

Leon stood frozen, disbelief flickering in his eyes. My demand had struck him like a blade, piercing through the fragile remnants of trust between us.

"You… want Elena in jail?" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

I smiled, slow and wicked, savoring the power I held over him. "That's right. That's my only condition."

His hands trembled at his sides. He wanted to refuse—I could see it in his hesitant expression—but the weight of my next words crushed whatever resistance he had left.

"If you don't," I said, my tone dripping with false sweetness, "I'll make sure you regret it. I will manipulate all of you from the shadows. And if I have to…" I leaned in, my breath ghosting over his skin, "I will kill Elena myself. And your child too."

Leon's entire body tensed. His face twisted in horror. "No… no, please," he begged, desperation bleeding into his voice. "Not my child. I'll do anything you want—just don't hurt the baby."

I chuckled, enjoying the control I had over him. "Good," I whispered. "Then listen carefully."

I laid out the plan, my voice steady, unwavering.

"Take Elena out shopping," I instructed. "Make her feel comfortable, make her trust you. Then, after shopping, pretend you need to use the restroom. The moment you step away, I'll be waiting. I'll grab her from behind, silence her before she can scream."

Leon swallowed hard, his jaw tightening.

"That's when you run," I continued. "You rush straight to the police station and confess. Tell them everything—every murder she's committed, every crime she's hidden. Tell them about Maria and Brown, expose her for the monster she is."

He took a shaky breath.

"Then," I added, "you come back. Act shocked, as if you have no idea what's happening. The police will arrive soon after. When they do, we'll play a final game."

Leon's brows furrowed. "What game?"

I grinned. "You will hand us both a gun. Then you'll say, 'This is the only way I'll know who my real wife is.'"

His breath hitched.

"She will try to shoot me," I said, my voice cold and certain. "But I won't. And when she does, you'll have your proof. The police will see. That will be the end of her."

Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.

Leon was pale, shaken. I could see the fear in his eyes, the war raging inside him.

But in the end, he had no choice.

With a slow, reluctant nod, he whispered, "I'll do it."

A surge of triumph coursed through me.

"Good boy," I murmured, brushing my fingers against his cheek before stepping back.

Leon turned and left, his footsteps heavy with dread. He would betray Elena, just as he once betrayed me.

And soon… the real serial killer would finally be caged.