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CHAPTER 57

Author: Tellachino
last update Last Updated: 2025-02-10 23:53:14

Pain shot through Fiona’s shoulder as she pressed her back against a rusted metal crate. Blood seeped through her coat, warm against the cold night air. Her breathing was steady despite the sharp sting—she couldn’t afford panic.

William was alive. And he wasn’t alone.

The shot had been a warning. If he wanted her dead immediately, he wouldn’t have missed.

A cold wind howled through the deserted docks, rattling the chains that hung from the towering shipping containers. The air smelled of salt and rust, a grim setting for the showdown that had been inevitable since the moment she decided to take him down.

Footsteps crunched against the gravel. Slow. Purposeful.

“Fiona,” William’s voice rang out, smooth and confident. “Come out. Let’s talk.”

She gritted her teeth. Talk? That wasn’t why he was here.

A flickering streetlight cast jagged shadows across the maze of containers. Fiona counted at least three figures—William and two of his men, their silhouettes shifting in the dim light. They were armed.

Her fingers brushed against the grip of her gun. Her only advantage was the element of surprise.

“I have to say, Fiona,” William continued, amusement lacing his voice, “I didn’t expect you to come alone. Reckless, even for you.”

Fiona smirked despite the pain. “I could say the same. Walking into the open like this?”

He chuckled. “You think I’m afraid of you?”

“You should be.”

Without hesitation, she twisted her body, ignoring the searing pain in her shoulder, and fired.

A sharp yell followed as one of William’s men collapsed, clutching his leg.

Chaos erupted.

Gunfire lit up the night, bullets slamming into the metal crates around her. Sparks flew as ricochets pinged off steel. Fiona dropped low, rolling behind another container as more shots rang out.

She had seconds to act before they regrouped.

Heart pounding, she darted toward the shadows.

---

An Unlikely Savior

The sound of tires screeching against pavement shattered the night.

A black SUV skidded to a halt at the edge of the docks.

Before Fiona could react, a door swung open.

“Get in!”

Darwin’s voice.

She didn’t hesitate.

A burst of gunfire erupted behind her as she sprinted toward the vehicle. Her shoulder throbbed, each step sending fresh pain lancing through her body, but she pushed forward. The second she dove into the passenger seat, Darwin slammed the accelerator.

The SUV roared to life, kicking up dust and gravel as it tore away from the scene.

Fiona barely had time to catch her breath before Darwin glanced at her, his eyes sharp with concern.

“You okay?”

She exhaled, pressing a hand against her wound. “I’ve been better.”

His grip on the wheel tightened. “I figured something was off when you disappeared. You weren’t answering your phone.”

“I had no signal,” Fiona muttered. “Someone lured me there.”

Darwin’s jaw clenched. “And William?”

“Alive,” she said, her voice edged with steel. “And very much still in the game.”

A heavy silence filled the car.

Then Darwin spoke.

“Then we end this. Once and for all.”

---

Strategic Moves

Back at Fiona’s penthouse, the tension was thick.

Thalassa paced the living room, arms crossed. “You almost got yourself killed,” she snapped.

Fiona, now bandaged, leaned against the counter. “It was a risk I had to take.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Thalassa shot her a glare. “William isn’t playing games anymore. If you’d died out there, everything we’ve been working for would’ve been for nothing.”

Fiona sighed, but before she could respond, Marcus entered the room. His expression was grim. “We have a problem.”

Darwin straightened. “What is it?”

Marcus tossed a tablet onto the coffee table. “William’s been busy.”

The screen displayed a series of transactions—large sums moving through offshore accounts, some disappearing entirely into private ledgers.

Fiona’s eyes narrowed. “He’s securing his reserves.”

Thalassa smirked. “Luckily, I’ve been busy too. I traced a few of these dummy corporations back to real accounts. If we move fast, we can freeze them before he transfers everything.”

Darwin leaned forward. “Do it.”

Marcus frowned. “Even if we cut off his funds, he’s got connections. He won’t go down that easily.”

Fiona nodded. “Which is why we need to hit him from every angle.”

Darwin met her gaze. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

Fiona didn’t hesitate. “More than ever.”

---

William’s Next Move

Across the city, in a dimly lit room, William nursed his wounded pride. His men had failed him.

He wasn’t used to being outplayed.

A shadowy figure stepped forward.

“We need to act now,” the man said. “They’re closing in.”

William exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping against the armrest of his chair.

“Let them come,” he said smoothly. “I have plans of my own.”

His lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile.

“This game isn’t over. Not yet.”

---

Tensions Rise

Back at Fiona’s penthouse, the war room atmosphere remained.

Darwin stood by the window, the city stretching out before him. “William won’t run. Not yet. He thinks he still has the upper hand.”

Fiona joined him, her expression unreadable. “Then we take it away.”

He glanced at her. “We need to be ready for anything.”

“I know.”

The room fell silent for a moment. Then, in a rare moment of vulnerability, Darwin reached for Fiona’s injured shoulder.

She stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away as he gently adjusted the bandage.

“You should rest,” he murmured.

Fiona smirked. “I’ll rest when William Kingston is six feet under.”

Darwin’s lips twitched in amusement, but the concern never left his eyes. “Then let’s make sure that happens.”

Fiona exhaled. The storm was coming.

And this time, she would make sure William never rose again.

---

Final Countdown Begins

A city-wide manhunt was about to begin.

The hunter had become the hunted.

And Fiona wouldn’t stop until this war was won.

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