The Last?
The Silence Before the War
Evelyn sat in the dimly lit hotel room, staring at the empty space where Theo used to be.
It had been two days.
Two days since Theo walked away.
Two days since she last heard his voice.
Two days since she broke the heart of the only man she ever loved.
Her hands curled into fists.
She had done this for him.
For Kade.
For their survival.
But now?
Now she wasn't even sure if she had saved anything at all.
Her phone buzzed.
She reached for it—hoping.
But it wasn't Theo.
It was Kade
Kade:You need to come downstairs. Now.
Her stomach twisted.
Something was wrong.
---
The Storm Has Arrived
Evelyn rushed down to the hotel lobby, and the moment she stepped out of the elevator—
She saw him.
Theo Bennett.
Dressed in black. A storm of fury radiating from him.
And behind him—
His men.
An army.
The entire weight of his new power.
Her breath hitched.
Kade was already there, tense, his eyes flicking between Evelyn and Theo.
"What's happening?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Theo's gaze locked onto her.
"You think this is over?" His voice was cold. Ruthless.
Evelyn's heart pounded.
"Theo—"
"You thought you could make a deal with Elias and just walk away?" He took a step closer, his presence suffocating. "You thought you could sacrifice yourself and that I would let that slide?"
She swallowed.
"I did it to save you."
He laughed. A dark, humorless sound.
"To save me?" His jaw clenched. "You didn't save me, Evelyn. You broke me."
She flinched.
Kade stepped forward. "Theo, this isn't—"
Theo shot him a sharp glare.
"Stay out of this, Kade."
Kade hesitated, then stepped back.
This wasn't a fight he could stop.
This was war.
And it had been coming for a long time.
---
The Final Confrontation
Evelyn took a shaky breath. "Theo, please—"
"Don't." His voice was sharp. "Don't say my name like that. Not after what you did."
Tears burned her eyes.
"I didn't have a choice."
Theo's hands clenched into fists.
"Neither do I."
Her breath caught.
"What… what do you mean?"
Theo's eyes darkened.
"Elias may be in jail, but this isn't over." His voice was steel. "I am going to destroy everything he left behind. Every trace of him. Every person who worked with him. And I'm going to make sure you never, ever have to say his name again."
Evelyn's stomach dropped.
"You—"
His gaze didn't waver.
"I am going to end this. Permanently."
She stepped forward. "Theo, you can't—"
"I can." His voice was deadly quiet. "And I will."
Her hands trembled. "You'll ruin yourself."
He gave her a cold smile.
"I don't care."
And that was the moment Evelyn realized—
This wasn't just about Elias anymore.
This was about revenge.
Theo was about to burn everything down.
And she didn't know if she could stop him.
---
End of Chapter 67