On the sixth beep, the call finally picked up. Irina smiled slightly, her heart warmed when she realized that someone might still care about her even now.
[...Hello?]
Irina took a deep breath, before trying hard to let out her voice.
"It feels like it's been a long time since I heard your voice, Connor," said Irina half-jokingly. There was a long pause after she spoke. Irina's eyes glanced worriedly at her cell phone. Connor hadn't turned off the call yet. The man just didn't say anything for a long time before the low baritone greeted Irina's ears.
[So, you're still alive, huh? Why are you contacting me? I still haven't forgiven what you did that day, Irina.]
Irina smiled sadly when she heard Connor's voice again. Ah, of course, the man couldn't forgive her. She put Connor in a difficult position first, just so she could save Ava from Dominic who had taken her friend away at that time.
"I know... Ugh, but you're the only one who can help me now. Connor, if I don't contact you by tomorrow, that means I'm dead. Ava is still alive, but nothing else can help keep her away from Dominic if I die today. Ava is with that bastard now. That bastard must have done something until Ava can no longer recognize me. I can't help her this time, Connor. A fugitive without wealth and power like me won't be able to save her from that man."
Irina paused her words for a moment. Her hands started shaking because of the coldness and death that enveloped her body. Irina tried to take a deep breath one more time. Her lips curled into a small smile as she spoke to Connor again.
"But you... you now can do that, don't you, Mr. General Connor? I... I know I promised not to involve you in this matter again. But you know I no longer have anyone to ask for help, no?"
[Don't joke with me, Irina! You're going to die, you say? Where are you now? I will pick you up right now. Besides, why do you always care more about that woman than me? Did something happen to you because of Ava? I told you, don't interfere in their affairs, or you will be in danger!]
Irina exhaled a long breath as she listened to Connor's panicked voice on the other end of the phone. Irina stared at the cloudy sky above for a long time. She tried to continue speaking when it felt so difficult to even breathe.
"I... can't do it, Connor. We promised to protect each other no matter what. I... I just tried to keep my promise. Now, I think it's time for you to keep yours, Connor."
[BUT I LOVE YOU TOO IRINA! I... I'm willing to do anything as long as I can be with you! Why, why do you never care about me? You left me here alone, forgetting the promise between us and disappearing for years. Did you know that I've been looking for you all this time? I keep looking for you every day like crazy, Irina. I... I don't want to get a call from you just to talk about this. I will pick you up now. You can talk about other things after we meet again.]
Irina remained silent when Connor started to sound desperate on the other end. Come to think of it, she was indeed a bad woman for Connor. She continued to put Connor in very difficult positions without caring about the guy's feelings in the slightest.
Maybe, Irina doesn't love Connor that deeply. She was no longer there when he needed her. Irina ignored him and only came back when she needed something from him.
Irina bit her lip hard before trying to talk back to Connor.
"Protect her for me, okay? I'll send you the final signal this time. Look for me if you can. This time, I'll be with you if you can find me before they do."
[You-]
Without mercy, Irina immediately turned off the call with Connor. Irina smiled one last time before she pressed the GPS button on her cellphone and hid it in a hole in a tree branch where no one else could easily find it.
After that, Irina leaned her body against the big tree behind her while looking at the gray sky above her.
"I hope you always live well, Ava. I... I will look after you from a very far away place with Jack from now on."
Irina smiled slightly as her body began to freeze. Her vision slowly faded as she faintly heard the footsteps of her pursuers.
In the middle of heavy rain, Irina finally breathed her last breath due to lack of blood due to the accident she received.
***
"She's a very tough woman, Boss. No wonder she was one of the best members of the special forces of her time. This is the first time I've seen someone still able to escape from us when her body was covered in wounds like this."
Dominic silently watched Irina's stiff corpse while listening to reports from his subordinates. Of course, Irina is strong. She was a woman other than his wife who could kill dozens of soldiers just by herself. If only Irina didn't believe the man's words and started interfering with his relationship with Alexa like a crazy woman, Dominic would be happy to accept Irina as his friend and boss like before. Dominic always respected the strong but kind-hearted Irina. But her kindness now will only endanger his life and Alexa's if she continues.
Dominic didn't have a choice but to kill Irina. He no longer wanted to risk being exposed to others. There are quite a lot of enemies now. Dominic didn't want to make any more enemies just because of that woman's presence.
Even if that means Dominic has to break his promise to Alexa, who asked him not to touch her friends even if they were wrong.
Dominic looked at Irina's corpse once more before finally making his choice.
"Burn the body. Don't leave any evidence," said Dominic briefly before leaving the place with a heavy heart.