The safehouse erupted into motion the moment the message reached Dylan. Alarms were triggered, guards repositioned, and Heaven was immediately pulled from her room by Maya and rushed into the underground panic shelter. But her heart raced—not because of the chaos around her, but because she had seen that image too. She had seen the red dot on her chest, a reminder that danger was no longer just around Dylan—it had found her.
Inside the shelter, Michael stirred. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice weak but alert.
"Nothing," Heaven said quickly, kneeling beside him. "Just a drill. Everything is fine."
Michael didn't believe her, but he nodded, trusting her enough not to ask more.
Meanwhile, Dylan stood alone in the middle of the war room, the photo burning in his mind. That red dot. Heaven's frightened eyes.
Jayden entered quietly. "The sniper's nest was fake. No shell casings, no heat signatures. It was a warning, not a hit."
"He's playing mind games now," Dylan muttered.
Jayden lowered his voice. "He's getting bold, boss. This isn't just war anymore—it's personal."
Dylan turned slowly. "He made it personal the moment he involved her."
---
RICHARD'S HIDEOUT – UNKNOWN LOCATION
Richard leaned back in his leather chair, swirling a glass of blood-red wine in his hand. The monitors around him displayed live feeds—Dylan's safehouse, the docks, one even showed the panic room's exterior.
"You see, dear brother," Richard said to no one in particular, "love is your weakness. Always has been."
A shadow moved behind him. His right-hand woman, Elise, stepped forward.
"Why not just kill her?" she asked bluntly.
Richard smiled darkly. "Because death is too kind. I want him to suffer. I want him to fall apart before I end him."
Elise said nothing. She didn't agree—but she had learned not to question his obsession.
---
SAFEHOUSE – PANIC ROOM
Heaven sat alone in the dark, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't stop thinking about Dylan's eyes the last time she saw him—so distant, so cold, yet burning with something she didn't quite understand.
Suddenly, the door hissed open. Dylan stepped in, quiet and composed. Heaven stood quickly. "Is it safe now?"
He nodded once. "For now."
There was a long pause. She watched him carefully. "You came… for me?"
Dylan didn't answer at first. Then, his voice low and rough, he said, "I'll always come for you."
Heaven's chest tightened.
"But…" he continued, looking away, "you need to stay away from me. The closer you get, the more dangerous this becomes."
Heaven stepped forward. "You think pushing me away will protect me?"
"Yes," he snapped. "Because if Richard gets to you, I won't be able to breathe again. Do you understand that?"
Silence.
Then Heaven whispered, "Then stop pushing me away, Dylan. Fight for me, like you fight for your empire."
For the first time in a long time, Dylan didn't have an answer.