This is a pivotal, deeply emotional and intense chapter—the kind that leaves las
It was just past midnight.
Alina was alone in the apartment, curled up on the couch, the soft flicker of the television barely lighting the room. Leo had gone to get snacks from the corner store. Ethan was working a late shift. For the first time in weeks, the stillness felt... uneasy.
Then she heard it.
A soft click.
The front door lock jiggled. Slowly. Like someone had done this before.
Alina froze.
Her heart slammed in her chest as she reached for her phone—dead.
And then the door creaked open.
He stepped in like a shadow from a nightmare.
Older now. But the face was the same.
The man who'd broken into her childhood home.
The man who had tried to ruin her.
The man who killed their parents.
"Hello, little mouse," he rasped, his voice like poison. "Miss me?"
Alina backed away, trembling. "You're supposed to be dead."
He grinned. "Surprise."
He moved fast. She screamed—ran toward her room, slamming the door—but he was behind her in seconds, banging against it. She braced it with her shoulder, shaking, crying, terrified.
"I should've finished the job that night," he hissed.
Then the door burst open.
He lunged—
And Leo tackled him from behind.
"Get away from her!" Leo roared, fists flying.
The man swung, catching Leo's jaw, but he didn't stop—didn't hesitate. Alina screamed Leo's name, crawling back into the corner as chaos erupted.
Then another figure slammed into the room.
Ethan.
One look at the scene—and something broke in him.
He charged, grabbing the man by the collar and slamming him into the wall. "You don't touch her.
You don't breathe near her."
The man laughed, low and cruel. "You gonna kill me this time, little brother?"
Ethan's eyes filled with rage—and tears.
"For our parents," he whispered.
"For everything you did."
The knife came from the man's waistband, quick and slick.
But Ethan was quicker.
One move. One moment. One shot.
The knife clattered to the floor.
So did the man.
Blood pooled.
Silence fell.
Leo pulled Alina into his arms. She sobbed against his chest, gripping him like he was the only thing keeping her alive.
Ethan stood over the body, chest heaving, the weight of years crashing down all at once.
Police came. There were questions. Reports. The body was taken. But they all knew—it had ended where it began. With family protecting family.
---
Later that night, after the police had gone and the apartment was quiet again, Ethan sat between Leo and Alina on the floor of her room.
"I killed him," he said, voice shaking.
"You saved me," Alina whispered, her eyes swollen from crying.
Leo put a hand on his shoulder. "You saved both of us."
And for the first time since that night so long ago…
They felt free.