The Truth They Died For

The drive back to Evelyn's apartment was tense, the silence between them heavy. Theo's knuckles were white against the steering wheel, his jaw clenched in frustration.

Evelyn kept her eyes on the USB in her hands, her mind racing.

Whatever was on this drive had gotten her father killed. And now, people were willing to do the same to her.

Theo finally broke the silence. "We need to see what's on it."

Evelyn nodded, gripping the small device like a lifeline. "Not here. If they found us at the house, they could be watching my apartment too."

Theo's gaze flickered toward her. "Then we go somewhere safe."

She looked at him. "Where?"

He didn't answer immediately. Then, after a moment, he sighed. "I know a place."

---

A Hideout and a Revelation

Theo drove them to a quiet cabin on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by dense trees and hidden away from prying eyes.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow as they stepped inside. "Let me guess—your secret hideout?"

Theo smirked slightly. "Something like that."

The cabin was small but comfortable. A single couch, a fireplace, and a desk pushed up against the wall. It was minimal, but Evelyn could tell Theo had spent time here before.

She sat down at the desk and plugged the USB into her laptop.

Theo stood behind her, arms crossed. "Whatever's on there, we don't stop until we know the truth."

Evelyn took a deep breath and opened the files.

There were hundreds of documents. Reports, emails, hidden records—each one revealing a deeper layer of corruption.

Her father had been investigating something massive.

Corporate fraud. Government officials. Bribery.

And at the center of it all was a name she hadn't seen in years.

Luca Moretti...

Her heart stopped.

Theo leaned over her shoulder. "Who the hell is Moretti?"

Evelyn swallowed hard. "A name I thought I'd never hear again."

Luca Moretti had been her father's biggest rival. A businessman, yes—but also a criminal.

If her father had been investigating Moretti, it was no wonder he ended up dead.

Theo's expression darkened. "This isn't just business. This is a hit list."

Evelyn scrolled down, her pulse quickening.

And then, at the bottom of the files, she saw something that made her blood run cold.

Her own name.

Evelyn Carter.

Her hands shook as she turned to Theo. "They weren't just after my father. They were always going to come for me too."

Theo's jaw tightened, his fists clenching. "Like hell they will."

His voice was low, full of something dangerous. Protective.

Evelyn met his gaze, and for a moment, everything else faded.

Just them.

Just this moment.

Then, suddenly, the laptop screen flickered.

And a message popped up.

"You should have left the past alone."

Theo cursed, slamming the laptop shut. "They're tracking us."

Evelyn's heart pounded. "We need to go."

But before they could move, headlights flashed through the window.

Someone had found them.

---

Nowhere Left to Hide

Theo pulled Evelyn behind him, his stance protective. "Stay close."

The front door burst open.

Four men in dark suits stormed inside, weapons drawn.

Theo moved fast. He grabbed a chair and hurled it, knocking one of them back before grabbing Evelyn's wrist and pulling her toward the back door.

"RUN!"

They sprinted into the trees, the sound of footsteps pounding behind them. Gunshots rang out, splintering the wood around them.

Theo pulled Evelyn down behind a fallen log, his breathing heavy.

Evelyn's heart raced. "We're not getting out of this, are we?"

Theo looked at her, and for the first time, she saw something raw in his expression.

"I'm not letting anything happen to you."

Her breath caught.

Then he reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek in the briefest, most tender touch.

A promise.

A vow.

Then, before she could say anything, he moved.

A fight.

Fists. Gunshots. A struggle in the darkness.

Evelyn tried to run, but someone grabbed her, yanking her back. She struggled, kicking, but the grip was too strong.

And then—

Theo's voice, full of fury. "Let her go."

A gun pressed against Evelyn's temple.

A man smirked. "Make one move, and she dies."

Theo froze.

Evelyn's pulse pounded.

She saw it in his eyes. The hesitation. The fury. The desperation.

Then, suddenly—

A gunshot.

Not from the enemy.

From the trees.

The man holding Evelyn collapsed, a single bullet between his eyes.

And from the darkness, a familiar voice.

"Hope I'm not too late."

Ethan.

---

A Temporary Victory

The remaining men fled. They weren't prepared for Ethan.

Theo grabbed Evelyn, holding her close, his breath heavy.

Ethan holstered his gun. "Looks like I got here just in time."

Evelyn exhaled shakily. "You're a terrible hero."

Ethan smirked. "Yeah, well, you keep getting yourself into trouble."

Theo didn't say anything. He just looked at Evelyn, his fingers still gripping her arm.

Then, after a moment, he let go.

But the warmth of his touch lingered.

---

A Future Full of Danger

Back in the car, Evelyn stared at the USB drive.

Moretti wanted her dead.

The people who killed her father were still out there.

And now, she knew she couldn't run anymore.

"We need to end this," she murmured.

Theo glanced at her. "We will."

And the way he said it—low, firm, absolute—made her believe him.

They weren't done.

Not even close.

End of Chapter 24