Bailey's POVAs I sat there staring aimlessly into the darkness of the room, my pulse pounding in my ears as Rafael’s footsteps vanished away, yet his cruel smirk lingered in my mind. I was free from the chair but not from him and definitely not from this nightmare, or so I thought. I still couldn't believe that Collin, whom I love and got married to, doesn't even care if I get hurt or not; he was even in close communication with these people. The image I saw earlier of him standing with that woman wouldn't leave my head either. With trembling hands I gently rubbed at the raw skin where the ropes had been. With the room still dimly lit, the harsh light above made it impossible for me to see beyond the shadows.I have to be strong, she said barely audibly, forcing herself to think past the fear growing in her chest.“Indeed, Rafael had played his game well in planting a seed of doubt and worry deep into my mind.” The truth was glaring at me right in the face, yet I refused to succu
Bailey’s POVThe train yard smelled of rust and oil, the cold air hitting at my skin as I was being dragged forward. The handcuffs was put back unto my wrist, my body still sore from all the hours of captivity but my instinct was sharper than ever, with each step I was becoming very alert of the environment, using the corner of my eyes to peep around looking for any possible loophole to escape once I get the chance. I was ready for anything, even if I die trying, there had to be a way and I'm not taking any chances, not anymore. Vanessa was walking ahead of me, her heels clicking against the gravel. A group of men, more or less her enforcers walked by each of my side and their grips so firm on my arms. But they weren't the real threat. The real threat was the man waiting at the far end of the train yardThere he stood, a figure in the shadows just beneath the skeletal remains of an abandoned train. He was tall, his posture disturbingly calm, his presence felt like a heavy weight, s
Lyla’s POVBailey's body laid there on the ground, the moment I saw her fall something inside me snapped. I won't lose her to death, never I said within myself as I charged towards her. “NO!”I moved toward her, and stood by her side, my vision becoming blurry as chaos erupted around us. Bullets flew past me but I dogged swiftly and the thick smoke from the explosions made it impossible for me to see clearly. My lungs were drying up as I pushed forward, but I didn’t care.All that mattered was Bailey surviving this ordeal, that is the only thing that really makes any sense to me now. I dropped to my knees beside her, my hands trembling as I pressed against her wound. Blood was seeping uncontrollably through her shirt, it felt warm and sticky beneath my fingertips.“Bailey! Please stay with me!” I said my voice cracking as a result of the smoke I've had to inhale. Her eyelids fluttered slightly, her breath growing shallow. “Lyla…” she whispered, her voice barely audible and barely a
Lyla’s POV So finally you've decided to come out clean? I said looking sternly, my face laced with fury. A pang of guilt flickered in his eyes, yet he remained calm. “Lyla… I didn’t betray you.”I scoffed, is that so?. “Really? Hope you remember I saw those photos of you and Vanessa.”He sighed heavily. Honestly Lyla I'm lost of words, I know nothing I say now can change how you perceive me, but _“It’s not what you think.”“Then explain.” Make me understand better, I'm listening, I said , folding my arms and gently hitting my foot against the hard floor. He gradually ran a hand through his hair, frustration clearly written all over his face. “Vanessa and I—it was all a setup. She wanted to manipulate you.”I scoffed. “And you let her?”“Well, I didn’t have a choice.” He said exhaling sharply. “She had something on me.And if I didn’t play along, she would’ve handed Bailey over to the architect weeks ago.”My breath hitched. Weeks?“Does that mean she planned this from the start?”C
Bailey's POV An instant pang of pain was what I felt. That was the initial sensation I experienced upon waking up. A continuous, monotonous pain in my side, each inhalation a reminder of how near I had been to death. I struggled to open my eyes, my sight initially unclear. Lyla dozed off in a chair next to me, with her arms folded and her body tight even while resting. Collins stood by the door, softly talking on his phone. I inhaled gently. "Are we alive?" Lyla jolted awake, her eyes wide open. "Bailey?" I gave a faint smile. "You seem to be in terrible shape." She emitted a strangled laugh, her eyes shining with relief. "Sure, but you appear in worse shape." Collins moved ahead. “What are your feelings?” I moved a bit, grimacing. "Feels like I was shot." He let out a breathy laugh. "That would be correct." Lyla moved in closer. "We're organizing our upcoming action." The Architect's work is not complete. "We must conclude this before he discovers us once more." I compe
Bailey's POV I wasn’t meant to be here, because the anger I felt from within could make me cause havoc before realizing it. I explained all this to Lyla, but she pleaded with me to stay behind, letting her and Collins handle it.But this was my fight too.The architect has stolen my life before I ever understood its worth. He led me, altered my past, twisted my perception of reality. But now, I was taking it all back.We moved under the cover of darkness, our group slipping through the night like aliens . The architect's underground facility was a fortress, but we had one advantage.Vanessa.She betrayed the architect for us or so we thought, but it was for herself. She knew he would kill her the moment he decided she was a liability. She gave us everything: security codes, guard rotations, even the location of his panic room.All that was left was the execution.Collins and Chad struck first, eliminating the perimeter guards with brutal efficiency. Silenced gunfire cut through the
Jace POV Jace stood there at the center of the living room, thoughts of Sasha’s betrayal weighed on him like an impending storm. The sound of her footsteps gradually vanishing as she marched up the stairs to gather her belongings, creating a silence that felt so unlike her but yet overwhelming. Lyla stood several inches back, observing him sparingly and thinking of all possible ways of calming the tension already rising within him, uncertain if he would be in rage or crumble beneath his feelings. "Jace?" she spoke softly, her tone a calming balance to the turmoil within him. He let out a very sharp breath and brushed his hair back with his hand. "I ought to have figured it out sooner." "I ought to have realized how deceitful and dangerous she could be the whole time." Lyla moved closely towards him and held him by the shoulder. "At times, we hope to see the good in others—even when they haven’t earned it." He raised his head staring deeply into her eyes, his face a clear indica
Jace’s POVThe following morning, Jace got up to the noise of his phone ringing violently on his nightstand. Moaning softly, he stretched out his hand for it, squinting at the morning brightness as he replied. "Really?" who could be calling me this early. "Jace, Bro, you have to check this out," his friend Ryan said, sounding intense and rather disturbed. "Take a look at the news." Immediately. Jace sat up abruptly, his heart racing as he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. The morning news aired, and he felt a chill run through him at the sight of Sasha’s face displayed on the screen, her name highlighted in bold text underneath. It read; “Local Socialite Sasha Reynolds Unveils Ex-Fiancé’s Treachery in Surprising Interview”. Jace felt a knot in his stomach when the screen showed Sasha in what appeared to be a high-end café, her makeup flawless, portraying the image of the heartbroken victim. "Jace Karev and I were meant to begin a family," she stated, her voice quivering s
Bailey's POV On a serene rooftop in Barcelona during dusk. I positioned myself at the rooftop's corner, tracking a lead when I noticed Collins—by himself, without a weapon, leaning on the ledge and smoking. He has not spotted me yet. The moment I spotted him, my breath hitched just like it used to whenever I laid eyes on him. Yet this time, it wasn't comfort that enveloped me. Yet poison and sorrow I promptly emerged from the darkness without any second thoughts. “Collins.” I shouted. He recoiled, and that by itself seemed like a victory. Gradually, he rotated. Identical eyes. The same twisted grin—yet it wavered upon seeing my expression. There was no affection in my gaze anymore. Not a single longing. “Bailey.” His tone was careful, nearly respectful. "I wasn’t anticipating—"to encounter... “I’m aware,” she interrupted him. "You also didn't think I would make it." "Yet here I stand." A flash of guilt appeared on his face. "I never wished for you to be in pain." "You must hav
Bailey's POV Returning to the Karev residence. Bailey was recovering very quickly; her injuries had mended, and she was back to her bubbling self again. Yet one aspect continued to weigh on her and rendered her vulnerable. It was the betrayal from the man she cared for. Collin. Every memory of him made her healing more difficult; her hatred for him intensified, yet his thoughts persisted. Bailey’s path to healing from the pain inflicted by Collins wasn’t linear—it was a tempest that struck fiercely, faded gradually, and left marks she would need to learn to accept. Yet it marked the start of a more profound journey: a difficult evolution into a stronger, more self-aware individual, ultimately achieving freedom. In the days that followed Collins' betrayal, Bailey drifted through life like a phantom. The burden of his deceit, of how he had been there for her, caressed her, murmured pledges in the night—only to have collaborated with them all the while—rendered her empty. Initially,
Jace’s POV Smoke and rubble filled the observatory’s entrance as operatives dressed in black rushed in equipped with silencers and night-vision equipment. Jace pulled Lyla behind a control panel, heart racing. Ryan lifted his hands, yelling, “They require me to be alive!” However, they did not arrive to discuss terms. A bullet struck Ryan in the shoulder, knocking him down to the ground. He shouted as Jace dragged Lyla into a crawl space beneath the floorboards. The ground echoed with the sound of heavy boots above. Lyla murmured, “We’re confined.” Jace's thoughts raced. “Nope.” "We have a single opportunity." He pulled the hard drive from the observatory’s central terminal—encrypted videos, AI records, and the main key to the monitoring network. Ryan moaned, blood gathering underneath him. "You must complete it." The AI—they refer to it as Project Black Protocol. It is already coordinating across boundaries. "They are utilizing your code, Jace." Jace paused—then reached a hars
Jace’s POV Both I and Lyla stepped out carefully from the underground passage, our bodies filled with adrenaline. The side street was unsettlingly silent, yet we understood not to think that we were finally safe. The USB's weight in Jace's pocket seemed more burdensome than usual. It presented their sole opportunity to vindicate themselves and reveal the corruption that had engulfed their lives entirely. Lyla's hands shook a bit as she called Ryan. "Answer, answer," she whispered to herself. At last, Ryan responded. "Let me know you’re okay." “Right now,” Lyla murmured. "We have the evidence." "We must release this before they discover our location." Ryan paused. "That will be more challenging than we expected." Kensington possesses strong ties. He is already steering the media storyline. The official narrative claims that you and Jace are wanted fugitives, sought for financial offenses and hindering justice. They refer to you as a perilous pair. "They've issued an APB for the tw
Jace POV Jace and Lyla never expected that their urgent search for justice would bring them face-to-face with the person behind their misfortune—Mike Kensington. The gathering was unplanned. It was a snare. Having just evaded capture at the train station, they received a communication from an unknown sender. "Join me at Warehouse 19." Are you interested in Kensington? "I can hand him over to you." Jace and Lyla were aware it was a gamble, but with no alternative clues and Kensington strengthening his hold on the city, they had no option. They showed up at the deserted warehouse right before midnight. The atmosphere was filled with the scent of rust and oil, while the faint yellow lights above them flickered. Shadows stretched ominously, complicating the effort to determine if they were by themselves. "This doesn't seem right," Lyla murmured, holding tightly to the firearm she had acquired from an officer at the station. Jace surveyed the surroundings. "Remain nearby." "If this
Jace’s POVThe following morning, Jace got up to the noise of his phone ringing violently on his nightstand. Moaning softly, he stretched out his hand for it, squinting at the morning brightness as he replied. "Really?" who could be calling me this early. "Jace, Bro, you have to check this out," his friend Ryan said, sounding intense and rather disturbed. "Take a look at the news." Immediately. Jace sat up abruptly, his heart racing as he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. The morning news aired, and he felt a chill run through him at the sight of Sasha’s face displayed on the screen, her name highlighted in bold text underneath. It read; “Local Socialite Sasha Reynolds Unveils Ex-Fiancé’s Treachery in Surprising Interview”. Jace felt a knot in his stomach when the screen showed Sasha in what appeared to be a high-end café, her makeup flawless, portraying the image of the heartbroken victim. "Jace Karev and I were meant to begin a family," she stated, her voice quivering s
Jace POV Jace stood there at the center of the living room, thoughts of Sasha’s betrayal weighed on him like an impending storm. The sound of her footsteps gradually vanishing as she marched up the stairs to gather her belongings, creating a silence that felt so unlike her but yet overwhelming. Lyla stood several inches back, observing him sparingly and thinking of all possible ways of calming the tension already rising within him, uncertain if he would be in rage or crumble beneath his feelings. "Jace?" she spoke softly, her tone a calming balance to the turmoil within him. He let out a very sharp breath and brushed his hair back with his hand. "I ought to have figured it out sooner." "I ought to have realized how deceitful and dangerous she could be the whole time." Lyla moved closely towards him and held him by the shoulder. "At times, we hope to see the good in others—even when they haven’t earned it." He raised his head staring deeply into her eyes, his face a clear indica
Bailey's POV I wasn’t meant to be here, because the anger I felt from within could make me cause havoc before realizing it. I explained all this to Lyla, but she pleaded with me to stay behind, letting her and Collins handle it.But this was my fight too.The architect has stolen my life before I ever understood its worth. He led me, altered my past, twisted my perception of reality. But now, I was taking it all back.We moved under the cover of darkness, our group slipping through the night like aliens . The architect's underground facility was a fortress, but we had one advantage.Vanessa.She betrayed the architect for us or so we thought, but it was for herself. She knew he would kill her the moment he decided she was a liability. She gave us everything: security codes, guard rotations, even the location of his panic room.All that was left was the execution.Collins and Chad struck first, eliminating the perimeter guards with brutal efficiency. Silenced gunfire cut through the
Bailey's POV An instant pang of pain was what I felt. That was the initial sensation I experienced upon waking up. A continuous, monotonous pain in my side, each inhalation a reminder of how near I had been to death. I struggled to open my eyes, my sight initially unclear. Lyla dozed off in a chair next to me, with her arms folded and her body tight even while resting. Collins stood by the door, softly talking on his phone. I inhaled gently. "Are we alive?" Lyla jolted awake, her eyes wide open. "Bailey?" I gave a faint smile. "You seem to be in terrible shape." She emitted a strangled laugh, her eyes shining with relief. "Sure, but you appear in worse shape." Collins moved ahead. “What are your feelings?” I moved a bit, grimacing. "Feels like I was shot." He let out a breathy laugh. "That would be correct." Lyla moved in closer. "We're organizing our upcoming action." The Architect's work is not complete. "We must conclude this before he discovers us once more." I compe