THE CHOICE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

Chapter 8: The Choice That Changes Everything

The air crackled with tension.

Sophie felt like she had been punched in the gut.

Adrian stood between them—between his past and his present.

Between her and Evelyn.

Lucas cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "So… what now?"

Adrian's gaze flickered toward Evelyn, his jaw tight. "Why are you really here?"

Evelyn swallowed, pain flashing in her green eyes. "I told you. I had no choice but to disappear. And now—" She hesitated before whispering, "I need your help."

Sophie clenched her fists. Of course. It wasn't just about love. There was something bigger.

Adrian's expression remained cold. "With what?"

Evelyn exhaled, then looked him straight in the eyes.

"With staying alive."

Sophie's breath caught.

Lucas straightened. "What do you mean?"

Evelyn's voice shook. "The people who took me—who kept me hidden all these years—want me dead. And if I don't figure out why… they'll come for you next."

Silence crashed over the room.

And Sophie realized—this wasn't just about Adrian's past anymore.

This was about all of them.

And now?

The past wasn't just back.

It was coming for blood.

---

Adrian barely flinched. "Who are they?"

Evelyn shook her head. "I don't know. But I do know they have power. The kind that makes people disappear without a trace."

Lucas cursed under his breath. "Sounds familiar."

Sophie's heart pounded. "Vanessa and Damien."

Evelyn's eyes flickered with recognition. "You know them?"

Sophie's stomach twisted. "They're the ones trying to destroy Adrian. And now you suddenly show up—right when they make their move?"

Evelyn exhaled. "I didn't plan this, Sophie. But I know one thing." She turned to Adrian. "If you don't stop them now, they'll take everything from you."

Adrian's golden eyes darkened.

Sophie's hands trembled at her sides.

Because she knew what had to happen next.

Adrian had to fight.

And if Evelyn was right—

Then she and Adrian weren't just fighting for their future.

They were fighting to survive.

---

Adrian's golden eyes burned with a cold fire.

"If they want to take everything from me," he said, voice sharp as a blade, "then I'll take everything from them first."

Sophie's pulse pounded.

Evelyn bit her lip. "Adrian, you don't understand. These people aren't just powerful. They don't leave loose ends. The fact that I'm standing here means they'll come for me. And for you."

Adrian stepped closer, his presence unshakable. "Let them try."

Lucas let out a breath. "Alright, so what's the plan? Because right now, we have Vanessa and Damien pulling strings, and now we have mystery assassins coming after Evelyn."

Sophie's stomach twisted. "Evelyn, there's something you're not saying."

Evelyn stiffened. "What?"

Sophie took a step forward. "You said you don't know who they are. But the way you're talking—you do, don't you?"

Evelyn hesitated.

Then, her eyes darkened.

And she whispered three words that changed everything.

"Project Revenant."

The room froze.

Adrian's fists clenched. "What did you just say?"

Evelyn's hands trembled. "I shouldn't even know the name. But I do. And if you want to take down Vanessa and Damien—" She swallowed hard. "You need to know what they're hiding."

Sophie's breath caught.

Because now it wasn't just about power, revenge, or even love.

Now they had uncovered something bigger.

And they weren't just in danger.

They were running out of time.

---

Lucas worked fast. Within the hour, he had hacked into an encrypted database, pulling up everything he could find on Project Revenant.

Sophie, Adrian, and Evelyn crowded around the screen.

"This project…" Lucas muttered, scrolling through lines of redacted files. "Whatever it is, it was erased. Every trace of it. Except—"

He clicked something.

And suddenly, an image filled the screen.

A cold, sterile facility.

A metal slab.

And a man in restraints.

Sophie felt chills race down her spine. "Who is that?"

Evelyn's voice trembled.

"That's the first Revenant."

Silence crashed into the room.

Then—Lucas swore under his breath. "This isn't just a hit list. This is an experiment."

Sophie turned to Evelyn. "You were part of this, weren't you?"

Evelyn exhaled sharply. "Not willingly. But yes."

Adrian's hands curled into fists. "What did they do to you?"

Evelyn's voice was barely a whisper.

"They made me into something else."

Sophie's blood ran cold.

Because now, she wasn't just looking at Adrian's past.

She was looking at something far, far more dangerous.

And it had just walked right into their lives.

---

Evelyn's words hung in the air like a curse.

"They made me into something else."

Sophie's chest tightened. "What does that mean?"

Evelyn didn't answer immediately. Instead, she slowly reached for the sleeve of her blouse. With a trembling breath, she rolled it up—revealing her forearm.

Sophie's stomach dropped.

Thin, faint veins glowed beneath her skin.

Not blue. Not red.

But silver.

Adrian's jaw locked. "Evelyn… what did they do to you?"

She exhaled shakily. "They called it an 'enhancement.' Said they were building something new—something beyond human limitations. But it wasn't just an experiment, Adrian. It was a prison. They used us."

Lucas frowned. "Us?"

Evelyn hesitated. "There were… others."

Sophie felt ice crawl up her spine.

Adrian took a slow step forward. "Where are they now?"

Evelyn's green eyes flickered with something haunted.

"Dead. All of them. I was the only one who survived."

Silence crashed into the room.

Sophie's hands shook. Because now she understood.

Evelyn hadn't just escaped.

She had run.

And whatever Project Revenant had turned her into—

It was something worth killing for.

---

Adrian didn't speak for a long time.

His golden eyes burned as he stared at Evelyn, his mind clearly racing.

Finally, he whispered, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Evelyn's lips parted. "Adrian…"

His hands curled into fists. "All those years, I thought you were dead. I lost myself trying to figure out who took you. And now I find out you were part of this?"

Sophie held her breath.

Evelyn's expression hardened. "You think I wanted this? I was taken, Adrian. Experimented on. Tortured."

Adrian's chest rose and fell heavily, but he didn't say a word.

Evelyn's voice turned cold. "Do you really think you're not involved?"

Adrian stilled. "What?"

Evelyn stepped closer. Too close.

"You think they only took me?" she whispered.

Sophie's pulse spiked. "Evelyn, what are you saying?"

Evelyn exhaled sharply.

Then, she looked Adrian straight in the eyes.

"You were part of it too, Adrian."

"You just don't remember."

Sophie's breath stopped.

Adrian's entire body tensed.

And in that moment—everything shattered.

---

What's Next?

Is Evelyn telling the truth?

What did Adrian forget?

Sophie must decide: Can she trust Adrian when his past is buried in lies?