On My Knees
Elias's Domain
The room was silent.
Too silent.
The kind of silence that came before a storm.
Theo's grip on the gun was tight. Unyielding.
His finger hovered over the trigger.
His breathing was steady.
Too steady.
Elias leaned against his desk, completely unbothered.
"Go on," he said, tilting his head. His smirk was sharp, dangerous. "Shoot me."
Theo's jaw clenched. His knuckles turned white.
He wanted to. God, he wanted to.
To put an end to this.
To end him..
But before he could move—
The doors burst open.
Evelyn.
Her hair was a mess, her face pale with panic.
She was breathless.
Like she had run through hell itself to get here.
And the moment she saw Theo standing there, gun aimed at Elias—
She dropped.
Right onto her knees.
In front of him.
Hands clutching his leg.
Head bowed.
Breath shaking
Begging.
"Theo," she whispered.
His entire world stilled.
His body locked up.
Because Evelyn Carter was on her knees.
For him.
She held onto him like he was the only thing keeping her alive.
"Please," her voice cracked. "Don't do this."
Theo's heart twisted.
His hand shook.
Elias chuckled. "Dramatic, isn't she?"
Theo barely heard him.
His entire focus was on her.
On the way she looked at him—pleading, broken, desperate.
"I know you hate him," Evelyn said, voice trembling. "And I know you want to kill him. But Theo—" Her hands tightened around his leg. "If you shoot him, you'll lose everything."
Her eyes burned into his.
"You'll go to jail."
Theo's breath hitched.
"You'll lose your freedom."
Her lips trembled.
"You'll lose yourself."
And that—
That was the only thing that shook him.
Because he knew it was true.
He wasn't just fighting Elias.
He was fighting himself.
The part of himself that wanted to cross the line.
And Evelyn—
Evelyn was the only one keeping him from falling over the edge.
His hands shook harder.
His body burned with rage, with exhaustion, with pain.
But Evelyn's voice—
Her touch.
Her tears.
Kept him grounded.
"Please, Theo," she whispered. "I don't want to lose you."
And just like that—
He lost the will to pull the trigger.
His grip loosened.
The gun lowered.
The tension in his body collapsed.
He let out a shuddering breath.
His hands ran through his hair, shaky and exhausted.
And for the first time—he didn't know what to do.
He turned away.
He couldn't look at her.
Couldn't look at Elias.
Couldn't look at himself.
Elias exhaled dramatically. "Well, that was nice ms.author ."
Evelyn's head snapped up.
Her eyes burned.
"Stay out of this, Elias."
Elias smirked. "You're quite the little actress, aren't you?"
Evelyn stood up. Her knees were weak, but her voice was steel.
"If you ever send another picture like that again," she said quietly, "I will personally destroy you."
Elias grinned, amused.
He stepped closer, his voice dropping.
"Oh, sweetheart," he murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You already have."
She froze.
Theo—instinctively yanked her away from him.
Elias just laughed. "What? Can't handle me touching her?"
Theo's jaw locked.
Evelyn gripped his hand before he could snap again.
"Let's go," she whispered.
Theo was still burning.
Still furious.
But he let her pull him away.
Because right now—
She was the only thing keeping him from losing control.
As they walked out, Elias called after them, voice laced with amusement.
"See you soon, darling."
Evelyn didn't look back.
Neither did Theo.
But both of them knew—
This wasn't over.
Not even close.
---
End of Chapter 56