The footsteps grew louder, each one heavier than the last, echoing through the hall with a deliberate cadence. Mia's heart raced, her breath shallow as she instinctively stepped closer to Alexander, her body trembling with the realization that things had taken a darker turn.
Adeline, unfazed by the approach, merely tilted her head with a knowing smile. "You can't protect her forever, Alexander. You've already lost the battle, you just don't know it yet."
Alexander's eyes narrowed, his muscles coiled, ready for anything. "You're underestimating us, Adeline," he said, his voice low but unwavering. "And that's a mistake you'll regret."
Mia swallowed hard, fighting to maintain her composure. The truth of Adeline's words—the chilling reality that her bloodline had been part of something far darker than she could have ever imagined—still loomed over her like a storm cloud. But there was no time to process it. They needed to act fast.
The door to the study burst open with a loud crash. Three men, all dressed in dark suits and wearing sunglasses, stepped into the room. Their presence was as menacing as it was unexpected.
"Adeline," one of them called, his tone clipped. "The plan is in motion. We need to go."
Adeline didn't flinch, her cool composure never wavering. "Yes, I know," she replied calmly. "But we have unfinished business here."
Her eyes briefly flicked to Mia, her smile returning, colder than before. "I'll leave you two to discuss your future—if there is one."
The men moved swiftly, two flanking Adeline as she made her way toward the door. The other stayed behind, eyeing Alexander and Mia with a sense of cold indifference.
"Don't make this harder than it has to be," the man said, his voice harsh. "We were told to bring you in."
Alexander's body tensed as he assessed the situation, calculating every move. The odds were stacked against them, but he had been in worse situations before. He wasn't about to back down now.
"I don't think you're in a position to be giving orders," Alexander replied, his voice icy.
Without warning, the man lunged forward, his hand reaching for the gun holstered at his side. But Alexander was faster. In one fluid motion, he drew his own weapon, aiming it directly at the man's chest.
"Not one step closer," Alexander growled, his eyes cold with fury.
Mia's heart skipped a beat, her pulse pounding in her ears. She knew what Alexander was capable of, but the fear of what could happen still clawed at her insides.
The man hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he weighed his options. "You really think you can stop all of us?" he asked, a cruel smile tugging at his lips.
"Try me," Alexander said, his voice hard as steel.
The man's hand dropped slightly from the weapon, but he didn't back down. Instead, his gaze shifted to the other two men who had been standing by the door, waiting for their cue.
With a sharp nod, the man who had stepped forward signaled the others to move, and within seconds, the room erupted into chaos. The first man lunged again, but this time, Alexander was ready. He side-stepped, dodging the attack, and knocked the man to the ground with a well-placed strike.
The second man reached for his weapon, but Alexander was faster. He shot him in the leg, incapacitating him instantly, but not fatally. The third man, the one who had been watching from the door, didn't hesitate. He aimed his gun at Mia, his expression cold as ice.
"Move, and she dies," he warned, his voice steady.
Mia froze, her heart leaping into her throat. Alexander's eyes flicked to her, his gaze filled with silent promises. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. But he knew they were in a precarious situation.
"Drop the gun," the man commanded, his tone still icy, unwavering.
Alexander hesitated, his jaw clenched in frustration. But as the seconds stretched on, he realized the hard truth—they were at a stalemate. If he didn't make the right choice, Mia could pay the price.
"Don't," Alexander said quietly to Mia, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mia nodded, her fear fighting against the resolve she was trying to hold onto. She trusted him, trusted that he would figure out a way to protect them both.
But the standoff wasn't lasting long. The tension was unbearable, the seconds ticking by like hours.
Then, as if on cue, the sound of sirens grew louder outside, a distant wail that seemed to grow closer with each passing second. The men at the door froze, their eyes flicking toward the windows.
"Shit," one of them muttered under his breath, his grip on his weapon loosening for a brief moment.
That split second was all Alexander needed. With lightning speed, he tackled the closest man to the ground, knocking the gun from his hand. The two remaining men reacted instantly, but Alexander was already on the move. He grabbed a chair from nearby and hurled it at the man with the gun aimed at Mia.
The chair collided with his head, sending him sprawling to the floor.
Mia watched in awe as Alexander worked with precision, taking down each of the men with calculated strikes. Within moments, the room was quiet, the air thick with the sound of heavy breathing. The only sound now was the distant wail of approaching sirens.
Alexander stood over the men, panting slightly, his eyes scanning the room, ensuring they were safe. He reached out for Mia, his expression softening. "You okay?"
Mia nodded, though she couldn't suppress the tremor in her hands. "I'm fine... just a little shaken."
"I'm sorry you had to see that," he said, his voice low, as he cupped her face gently.
She smiled up at him weakly, her heart still racing. "I'm glad you're here. I don't know what I would have done without you."
"You'll never have to find out," he promised, pulling her into a tight embrace.
But as they stood there in the silence, Mia couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The battle was far from over, and Marco's web of lies and deception was still closing in around them.
Whatever came next, they would face it together.