AYLA
The night sky stretched above her as she walked alone down the gravel path just outside Viper's estate. She needed air—space to think. Her fingers trembled slightly, wrapped around the edge of her sweater. The cool breeze nipped at her skin, but it wasn't the cold that made her shiver.
It was the war inside her.
How could she be here, walking freely on land owned by a man who had hunted Leon for years? And how could that same man be her father?
The stars were brighter out here. She tilted her head up and whispered, "Mama… what would you have done?"
A voice broke through her thoughts.
"You shouldn't be out here alone," Viper said from behind her.
"I needed to breathe."
He stopped beside her. "Do you regret staying?"
Ayla hesitated. "I regret hurting him. I regret not choosing the person who loved me loudly, fiercely… even if it meant walking into the fire."
Viper exhaled. "You still love him."
She looked at him with a pained expression. "I never stopped."
Silence again.
Then, in a quieter tone, he said, "I lost your mother because I didn't fight hard enough. I won't lose you too."
Ayla turned to him. "You already did the moment you made me choose. Family doesn't make you pick sides."
And with that, she walked away, back into the mansion.
LEON
The engine purred beneath him as the car sped down the empty road. Nico sat beside him, loaded with coordinates and updates.
"She's there, Leon. I'm sure of it."
Leon's heart thumped. Every kilometer brought a surge of hope and panic. What if she didn't want to be rescued? What if he was too late?
They parked a distance away. He slipped on a cap, pulled his hoodie low, and grabbed his sidearm.
"You sure you don't want backup?" Nico asked.
Leon shook his head. "This is personal."
With calculated steps, he crossed into the shadows of Viper's estate perimeter. Through a pair of binoculars, he spotted her—Ayla—standing alone on a balcony. Her face tilted to the sky, looking haunted.
He whispered her name like a prayer.
He was close. But he wouldn't rush. Not yet.
She needed to choose him again.
AYLA
Back in her room, she locked the door, turned off the lights, and sat on the floor by the window. She pulled her knees to her chest.
Leon's face wouldn't leave her mind. The pain in his eyes. The way he looked at her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Then, far in the distance, something moved in the shadows.
Her breath caught.
Was it…?