Chapter 594: Fractured Loyalties

The air inside the industrial complex was thick with tension, the sound of footsteps reverberating off the cold concrete walls. Matilda and Paul moved like shadows, barely disturbing the stillness around them. Every step was calculated, every breath measured, as they inched closer to their goal.

Paul, always the cautious one, kept glancing over his shoulder, ensuring they weren't being followed. Matilda's focus remained on the path ahead. She couldn't afford to think about anything else—not the past, not the lies, not the dangerous game she was caught in. The only thing that mattered now was Jayden.

"Once we're inside," Paul whispered, his voice tight with urgency, "we need to split up. You take the left wing, I'll take the right. We can cover more ground that way."

Matilda nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Her mind was consumed with the weight of what they were doing, what they were about to face. The deeper they went into this place, the more it felt like they were walking into the lion's den. And the lion wasn't Jayden—it was everything that had been set in motion long before they even realized it.

---

In the dark cell where Jayden was held, time had become irrelevant. Every second felt like an eternity, each moment a battle to maintain his sanity. The sound of the door creaking open snapped him out of his thoughts, and his gaze shot up.

Seraph stood there, her face a mask of cold resolve. But there was something else in her eyes—a flicker of uncertainty, of fear.

"They're coming for you," she said quietly, her voice betraying a tension that hadn't been there before. "This isn't a game anymore. They've already started."

Jayden stood up quickly, his muscles tensing in response to the news. "Then we need to move. Now."

Seraph stepped forward, her hand brushing against his arm. "You think you can escape? They're everywhere, Jayden. They've already surrounded you. It's too late to run."

Jayden's eyes narrowed. "You're wrong. I'm not running. I'm done being controlled. If they want me, they'll have to fight for me."

But as he spoke, a cold realization settled in his chest. Seraph's words rang in his mind, louder than anything else. He wasn't just a pawn in this game—he was the prize. The key to everything.

---

Meanwhile, Paul and Matilda had reached their designated sections of the complex. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional sound of guards patrolling the hallways. Matilda's heart raced as she moved down the narrow corridor, her steps light but deliberate.

She reached the door to the holding cells, her hand trembling as she turned the handle. The lock clicked open with an ease that both surprised and unnerved her. Without a second thought, she slipped inside, her eyes scanning the dark room for Jayden.

The cell was empty.

Her breath caught in her throat. Panic surged within her, but she pushed it down. Where is he?

Then she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Spinning around, Matilda's instincts kicked in. A guard appeared in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

"You shouldn't be here," the guard said, his voice low and threatening.

Matilda's heart raced. She had no time for this. Without hesitation, she lunged forward, knocking the guard off balance. With a swift movement, she grabbed his gun, holding it to his chest.

"I'm not here to fight you," she said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. "But I will if I have to."

The guard's eyes narrowed, but he didn't move. "You're making a mistake."

Matilda didn't give him a chance to say more. She pulled him into the shadows, making sure he wouldn't alert anyone. As she moved forward, she felt the weight of the situation bearing down on her. If they didn't find Jayden soon, it would be too late.

---

Jayden's cell door opened again, but this time, it wasn't Seraph. Two masked figures stepped into the room, their faces hidden in the shadows. Jayden didn't flinch. He was done being afraid.

"You're not getting away," one of the figures said, his voice rough and mechanical.

"I don't plan on it," Jayden replied, his tone cold. "But if you want me, you'll have to fight."

The two figures lunged at him in a coordinated attack, but Jayden was faster. In one fluid motion, he disarmed the first attacker, using his momentum to throw him against the wall. The second figure didn't have time to react before Jayden was on him, pinning him to the ground.

"Tell me who sent you," Jayden demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "And I might let you live."

The masked figure struggled beneath him, but Jayden's grip tightened. "No more games. Who sent you?"

"Seraph," the figure gasped, his voice barely audible. "She... she betrayed you. She's the one who's been controlling everything. She's the one who wants the gemstone."

Jayden froze. The revelation hit him like a blow to the chest. Seraph had been behind all of this? The woman who had claimed to protect him, the one who had been his ally, had been using him all along?

"You're lying," Jayden growled, shaking the figure in his grip.

The man's eyes flickered with fear. "It's the truth. She's using you to get what she wants. The gemstone—your power—she wants it all."

Jayden shoved the figure aside, his mind reeling. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place. Seraph had been manipulating him from the start, pulling the strings while pretending to be his savior.

But why? What did she want with him, with his power? And what did it mean for Matilda?

---

Matilda's search continued, her every step shadowed by the ever-present threat of discovery. She rounded another corner and found herself face-to-face with an unexpected sight—Jayden.

He stood alone, his expression hard and unreadable, the air around him charged with an unfamiliar energy. The gemstone hung at his side, glowing faintly in the dim light.

"Jayden," Matilda called softly, her voice trembling despite her efforts to remain composed. "We need to go."

Jayden didn't move, his gaze locked on her, his eyes cold. "It's too late. There's no running anymore, Matilda."

Matilda took a step forward, her heart pounding. "What are you talking about?"

Jayden's eyes narrowed. "Everything you thought you knew was a lie. Seraph—she's the one behind all of this. She's the one who's been controlling me."

Matilda's breath caught in her throat. "No. That's not possible."

But Jayden was already walking away, his expression unreadable. "I have to do this. For me. For all of us."

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