CHAPTER 18: The Edge of Trust

Lisa's POV

The quiet before the storm had never felt more suffocating. Every corner we turned seemed to hold another piece of danger, another twist in this tangled mess I'd gotten myself into.

The air was thick with unspoken words between Noha and me, but I could tell something had changed. I wasn't just a bystander anymore. I was involved. My presence—my decisions—were no longer something he could ignore.

But that didn't mean he wasn't trying.

We had arrived at the safe house, and Noha's men were already getting to work, preparing for what came next. I could feel his hesitation every time his eyes met mine. He didn't want me to be here, and part of me knew he was scared. Scared of the danger, scared of what could happen to me, and scared of the darkness inside himself that he didn't want me to see.

He had promised to keep me safe, but the question was, from what?

Noha's POV

I watched Lisa closely, her every move, every expression. It was like I was holding my breath, trying to keep her from slipping away.

But no matter how much I tried to shield her from the truth, she was already in too deep. She was too close now to let go, and I couldn't find the strength to push her away.

I could feel it—the weight of every decision I made. The weight of her safety hanging over me like a noose.

I should've never involved her in this life.

But I had. And now, I was stuck with the consequences.

Lisa's POV

Noha had never looked more distant, even though he was standing right beside me. I could feel his internal struggle, the battle between wanting to protect me and knowing that I wouldn't leave him, no matter what.

But I didn't need him to protect me anymore. I needed him to be honest. I needed to know what was happening.

He couldn't keep hiding the truth from me.

"What's going on, Noha?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "Why are we here? What are you planning?"

He didn't answer at first. He just looked away, his jaw clenched tightly.

"I told you," he said, his voice hard. "It's not your world. You don't need to know everything."

But I wasn't backing down.

"I do need to know," I said firmly, taking a step closer to him. "You can't keep pushing me away. If we're going to get through this, I need you to trust me."

There was a long silence between us. I could see the internal war raging behind his eyes.

Finally, he sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. "You want the truth?" he asked, his voice low. "The truth is, there's a traitor. Someone in my inner circle. And I don't know who it is."

Noha's POV

I hated myself for dragging Lisa into this mess.

But she deserved to know.

She had a right to know what was happening.

"There's someone feeding information to Dante," I said, my voice growing colder. "Someone who knows my every move. I don't trust anyone anymore."

Lisa's eyes widened with realization. "And you think they're here? In this house?"

"I don't know," I said, shaking my head. "But I have to find out."

Lisa's POV

I felt a cold chill run down my spine. A traitor. It wasn't just some random enemy outside Noha's world. This was someone close, someone who knew all the secrets, all the weaknesses.

I looked at Noha, feeling the weight of his words settle on my chest.

"How do we find them?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my efforts to stay calm.

He stared at me for a moment, his eyes dark with uncertainty. "I'm not sure yet. But I'm not going to stop until I do."

Noha's POV

I couldn't keep going like this. Lisa was too innocent, too pure for this world. The danger was closing in faster than I could stop it. Every minute I spent with her felt like a countdown, ticking toward something inevitable.

I was trying to protect her, trying to keep her safe, but I was the one putting her in danger.

"I'll handle this, Lisa," I said, my voice rough. "You need to stay out of it."

"No," she replied immediately. "I'm not going anywhere."

I couldn't argue with her anymore. She had made her choice. And I wasn't strong enough to walk away from her.

Lisa's POV

I didn't care how dangerous it was. I didn't care how many times Noha tried to push me away.

I wasn't going to sit back while everything fell apart.

I had chosen to be with him. And that meant facing everything that came with it. Together.

Noha's POV

We spent the next few hours moving quickly through the house, securing the perimeter, preparing for whatever might happen. My men were tense, their hands on their weapons, their eyes sharp for any sign of trouble.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that the traitor was closer than we thought.

And then it happened.

Lisa's POV

The loud crash of a door slamming open startled me, and I turned just in time to see Noha's men rushing past me. There was chaos—shouted orders, gunshots echoing in the distance.

My heart raced as I grabbed Noha's arm. "What's happening? What's going on?"

"There's a breach," he said, his voice steady despite the tension. "Stay close to me."

I nodded, trying to stay calm, but my mind was spinning. This wasn't just a threat anymore. It was real. And the traitor was making his move.

Noha's POV

I could hear the chaos outside. The traitor had made his move. But I wasn't going to let it go down like this.

I pulled Lisa into a corner, away from the action. "Stay here," I ordered. "Don't move."

I didn't want to leave her, but there was no choice. I had to end this, once and for all.

Lisa's POV

I was shaking, my hands clenched tightly as I watched Noha move toward the chaos. I wanted to follow him, wanted to help, but I knew better than to get in his way.

The sound of gunshots and shouting was getting closer, and I could feel the air grow heavier with each passing second.

Then, a voice broke through the madness.

"It's over, Noha," the voice said, cold and mocking. "You can't stop it now."

I froze. I knew that voice.

Dante.

I felt a cold dread seep into my bones. This wasn't just a fight anymore. This was war.

Noha's POV

I could hear Dante's voice in the distance, but I wasn't going to let him win. Not now. Not after everything I'd been through.

I glanced back at Lisa, and for the briefest moment, I saw the fear in her eyes. But I couldn't stop.

I had to end this.

Lisa's POV

My heart pounded in my chest as the chaos around me intensified. I couldn't stay here. I couldn't just hide.

I had to do something.

Noha's POV

I reached the room where the traitor was waiting, my gun in hand, my resolve firm. This ended tonight.

Lisa's POV

I followed him, my heart racing, the weight of everything pressing down on me. This was it.

The truth was coming to light.