CHAPTER 32

The city was eerily quiet that morning. It wasn’t just the crisp autumn air that made Fiona shiver as she stood by the penthouse window—it was the text message from the night before.

"Tomorrow."

Today was tomorrow, and she had no idea what William had planned.

Darwin was already up, pacing the length of the study, his phone pressed to his ear. His security team had been on high alert since the threat, but so far, nothing unusual had been reported.

Thalassa sat on the couch, sipping a cup of coffee, her usual sharp wit dulled by concern. “This feels like the calm before the storm,” she muttered.

Marcus, who had been monitoring William’s financial collapse, strode in, his face grim. “We’ve boxed him in, but that makes him more dangerous. He’s desperate, and desperate men do stupid things.”

Fiona nodded, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her sweater. She refused to let fear paralyze her, but the unknown loomed over her like a storm cloud.

Then, Darwin’s phone rang.

He answered immediately. “What is it?”

A long silence followed. Fiona watched as Darwin’s jaw tightened, his knuckles going white as he gripped the phone.

Then, he spoke. “I’m on my way.”

He hung up and turned to face them, his expression unreadable.

“That was the police. William turned himself in.”

---

An hour later, Darwin and Fiona arrived at the police station. The air inside was thick with tension, officers moving briskly between desks as reports poured in. They were led into a private interrogation room where William Newton sat, his hands cuffed to the table.

His appearance was a far cry from the confident, immaculately dressed CEO he once was. His suit was wrinkled, his usually slicked-back hair disheveled. But his eyes still held that same dangerous gleam.

Darwin took a seat across from him, his expression unreadable. Fiona hesitated for a second before sitting beside him.

William smirked. “I figured you two would be the first to show up.”

“Cut the games, William,” Darwin said coldly. “Why turn yourself in?”

William leaned back, exhaling dramatically. “Because I lost. You backed me into a corner, took away my leverage. At this point, it’s checkmate.”

Fiona narrowed her eyes. “You’re lying. You wouldn’t give up this easily.”

William chuckled. “You’re sharper than I gave you credit for, Fiona. No, I’m not giving up. I just realized there’s one final card I can play.”

Darwin tensed. “What are you talking about?”

William leaned forward, his voice a whisper. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

The room was silent for a long moment. Fiona’s pulse pounded in her ears.

Then William smiled, and it sent a chill down her spine. “Enjoy your victory while you can.”

---

Back at the penthouse, the atmosphere was heavy with unease. William’s surrender felt too convenient, and his parting words haunted Fiona.

Thalassa leaned against the kitchen counter, her arms crossed. “It’s not over. He has something up his sleeve.”

Darwin nodded. “We need to be prepared for anything.”

Just then, Marcus burst in, his phone clutched tightly in his hand. “We have a problem.”

Fiona’s stomach dropped. “What now?”

Marcus took a deep breath. “William might be in custody, but his reach isn’t. I just got word—one of his associates was spotted near Serene City.”

Fiona’s blood ran cold. Serene City was where she had gone to hide when she first left Darwin. It was also where she had planned to raise her child, far from the chaos of Bay City.

“What does that mean?” she asked, though she already knew the answer.

Marcus hesitated. “It means William planned for this. Whatever he couldn’t do himself, he left in the hands of someone else.”

Darwin’s expression darkened. “Who?”

Marcus clenched his jaw. “Bella Robbins.”

---

Fiona sat on the edge of the bed that night, staring at the phone in her hands. Her fingers hovered over the screen as she debated whether to call the police station and demand answers from William.

But she knew he wouldn’t tell her anything.

Darwin stepped into the room, his gaze softening when he saw her troubled expression. He sat beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “We’ll handle this.”

Fiona sighed, leaning into his touch. “I just want it to be over.”

“It will be,” he promised. “No matter what happens next, I won’t let them hurt you.”

She nodded, but the weight of uncertainty still pressed against her chest.

Then, her phone vibrated.

A message.

She hesitated before opening it.

It was a picture.

A picture of Serene City.

The street where her old apartment was.

And a single word beneath it.

"Soon."

Fiona’s breath hitched. She turned to Darwin, holding up the screen.

His eyes darkened, and for the first time in a long while, she saw something in them that terrified her.

Rage.

A storm was coming, and they were running out of time.

---

Expanding the Tension Further

Darwin clenched his jaw, his fingers curling into fists. His anger wasn’t just at William and Bella—it was at himself. He had spent so much time focused on destroying William’s business empire that he had underestimated the man’s ability to strike back from the shadows.

“We need to go to Serene City,” Fiona said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes.

Darwin hesitated. “It could be a trap.”

“I know,” she admitted. “But if we do nothing, they’ll have the upper hand. I won’t sit around waiting for Bella to strike first.”

Thalassa, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. “I hate to say it, but she’s right. Bella isn’t the type to just make threats. She will act.”

Darwin exhaled sharply. “Fine. We’ll leave first thing in the morning. Marcus, get the security team ready.”

Marcus nodded. “I’ll have two teams scout ahead before we arrive.”

Fiona placed her hand over her stomach, a silent promise to protect the life growing inside her. She had already given up too much. She wasn’t going to lose now.

---

That night, Fiona couldn’t sleep. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the shadows of her past creeping back into her thoughts.

Darwin reached for her hand. “We’ll end this,” he murmured.

She turned her head to look at him. “Promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“No matter what happens, protect our child.”

Darwin’s grip on her hand tightened. “I swear it.”

In the darkness, they held onto each other, knowing that tomorrow could change everything.

The final move had been set in motion.

And the game was far from over.