CHAPTER 14

The Breaking Point

The cold wind howled through the shattered windows of the abandoned warehouse, sending loose sheets of paper swirling like ghostly whispers. The air was thick with dust and the metallic scent of blood. Evelyn stood at the center of the chaos, her fingers curled into fists at her sides. Across from her, Adrian leaned against a steel beam, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, though his eyes gleamed with something darker.

"You always were predictable, Evelyn." His voice was smooth, infuriatingly calm.

Evelyn's jaw clenched. "And you were always a liar."

A single overhead light flickered, casting shadows that danced against the concrete walls. The warehouse—once a place where their plans had been whispered in the dark—was now the setting for the inevitable reckoning.

Adrian tilted his head, amusement laced with something more sinister. "Lying is such a harsh word. I prefer… strategy."

Evelyn let out a slow breath. Every instinct screamed at her to lash out, to make him bleed the way she had bled for him. But she knew better. Adrian thrived on provocation. He wanted her to act impulsively. He wanted control.

Not this time.

She stepped forward, her boots crunching against the debris. "Tell me, Adrian. How much of it was real?"

His smirk widened, but there was hesitation—a flicker of something genuine beneath the arrogance. "Does it matter?"

"You tell me."

A beat of silence stretched between them. Outside, the city pulsed with life, oblivious to the storm brewing within these walls.

Adrian exhaled, his smirk fading. "Maybe more than you think."

Evelyn clenched her fists tighter. "And yet, you still betrayed me."

His expression hardened. "I did what I had to do."

Her laugh was bitter, sharp. "That's your excuse for everything, isn't it?"

A creaking sound echoed from the far end of the warehouse. Evelyn's gaze flicked to the shadows. They weren't alone.

"You brought company?" she asked, her voice eerily calm.

Adrian's expression didn't change, but the slight shift in his stance told her everything.

Of course, he did.

Before she could react, footsteps emerged from the darkness. Three men, all dressed in black, weapons at their sides. Mercenaries. Adrian had always been resourceful.

Evelyn's pulse quickened, but outwardly, she remained composed. "How predictable," she murmured.

Adrian sighed, almost disappointed. "It didn't have to be like this."

She gave him a slow, knowing smile. "You're right."

And then she moved.

In one fluid motion, she grabbed the small blade hidden in her sleeve and hurled it. The knife struck the closest mercenary in the shoulder, making him stumble back with a curse. The distraction was all she needed.

She lunged, grabbing a rusted pipe from the floor and swinging it at the second man. He barely had time to raise his weapon before the pipe connected with his ribs. He crumpled with a grunt.

Adrian watched, his expression unreadable. He hadn't moved.

The third man lunged at her, but Evelyn sidestepped, twisting his arm behind his back before slamming him against a support beam. His head snapped forward, then back, and he slumped to the ground.

Silence fell over the warehouse, the only sound the ragged breathing of the injured men. Evelyn straightened, her gaze locking onto Adrian.

Still, he hadn't moved.

"Impressive," he admitted. "But you should know by now—"

A click echoed through the space.

Evelyn froze.

Adrian lifted the small silver remote in his hand, his thumb hovering over a single button. "I always have a backup plan."

Her stomach twisted. "What did you do?"

His smile was almost sad. "Insurance."

The sound of distant beeping filled the air. A bomb.

Evelyn's mind raced. How had she not seen this coming? Adrian never left things to chance. This meeting had been a setup from the start.

She forced herself to stay calm. "You'd blow us both up?"

Adrian shrugged. "If I have to."

Their gazes locked, a silent war waged between them.

Then, in a move so quick it was almost imperceptible, Evelyn reached into her pocket and pressed a button on her own device.

Adrian's smirk faltered. "What did you—"

The warehouse lights cut out.

Plunged into darkness, Evelyn moved. She knew this space. Adrian did not.

The sounds of struggle filled the air—hurried footsteps, a sharp intake of breath. Then a single, sharp grunt.

When the emergency lights flickered on moments later, Adrian was on his knees, blood trickling from his temple where Evelyn had struck him.

She stood over him, breathless but victorious.

His gaze lifted to hers, something unreadable in his expression. "You won't kill me."

Evelyn tightened her grip on the metal pipe. For a long moment, she said nothing.

Then she knelt, bringing her face level with his. "You're right. But I will make sure you regret ever crossing me."

She pulled a second remote from her pocket and pressed a button.

The beeping stopped.

Adrian's eyes widened. "You—"

"I disabled it the moment I stepped in here," she murmured. "Like you said—I always have a backup plan."

For the first time, Adrian looked truly unsettled.

Evelyn smiled. "Goodbye, Adrian."

She turned and walked away, leaving him kneeling in the ruins of their past.

And as she stepped out into the night, she felt something she hadn't in a long time.

Freedom