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Julia — First-Person POV
The gunshot still echoed in my head.
Not loud anymore.
Just distant.
Like my body refused to believe it had actually happened.
Smoke curled through the apartment in thin gray ribbons. Broken glass glittered across the floor beneath the dim lights, sharp enough to cut through skin—and silence.
My breathing turned uneven.
Alan stood in front of me like a wall carved from fury and pain. One hand pressed against his side, the other gripping my wrist tightly enough to remind me he was still standing.
Still alive.
My stomach twisted violently.
Blood.
There was blood on his shirt.
“Alan…” My voice cracked so badly it barely sounded human.
His eyes snapped to mine instantly, dark and burning.
“Don’t panic.”
The command came rough, strained.
But beneath it, I heard something far worse.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For me.
For the baby.
My knees weakened, but he caught me before I could fall, pulling me firmly against his chest. His heartbeat slammed beneath my cheek—fast, violent, alive.
“You stay behind me,” he growled near my ear. “No matter what happens.”
Another sound echoed through the apartment.
A metallic click.
Kai reacted instantly.
“Down!” he barked.
Everything exploded into motion.
Alan shoved me behind the overturned couch just as another shot struck the wall beside us. Plaster shattered into the air.
I screamed.
Alan — POV
The pain in my side was getting worse.
Warm blood soaked through my shirt, but I ignored it. Pain meant nothing right now.
Julia was shaking.
Terrified.
And Ava was still armed.
I caught sight of her near the hallway entrance, chest rising unevenly, eyes wild—not panicked.
Excited.
That terrified me more than the weapon.
“You’re scaring her,” I said coldly.
Ava laughed softly.
“No,” she whispered. “I’m waking her up.”
Kai moved beside me, jaw tight, eyes murderous.
“She’s unstable,” he muttered.
Ava’s gaze snapped toward him instantly.
“Don’t,” she hissed. “Don’t look at me like I’m the monster when you helped create this.”
Kai stiffened.
And for one dangerous second—
His hesitation gave her space.
Ava moved fast.
Julia — First-Person POV
Everything blurred.
Ava lunged toward the kitchen island, grabbing something—
Another gun.
My blood turned to ice.
“KAI!” I screamed.
He reacted immediately this time, grabbing Ava’s wrist before she could aim properly. The weapon clattered against the counter as they struggled violently.
“Let GO of me!” Ava shrieked.
“You’ve lost your mind!” Kai shouted back.
Alan pulled me farther behind him, shielding my body completely with his own despite the blood staining his side.
My hands clutched his shirt desperately.
“You’re hurt,” I whispered.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“I said I’m fine.”
But his voice cracked at the edges.
And that terrified me more than the gunshots.
Ava suddenly started laughing again.
The sound was wrong.
Broken.
Sharp.
Desperate.
“You still choose her,” she whispered at Kai through gritted teeth. “Even now.”
Kai froze.
And Ava used that moment to shove him backward hard enough to hit the wall.
“You always choose HER!”
Alan’s patience snapped.
“ENOUGH!”
The entire apartment went silent.
Even Ava stopped moving.
Alan stood taller despite the injury, eyes black with rage, one arm still wrapped protectively around me.
“You don’t get to terrorize her because you’re broken,” he said dangerously. “You don’t get to spill blood and call it love.”
Ava’s expression cracked.
For the first time since this nightmare began—
She looked hurt.
Not angry.
Destroyed.
“I loved him first,” she whispered.
The room fell silent again.
Kai closed his eyes briefly like the words physically wounded him.
But Alan didn’t move.
Didn’t soften.
“Love doesn’t look like this,” he said coldly.
Ava’s eyes slowly shifted toward me.
And the hatred inside them nearly stopped my heart.
“This is your fault,” she whispered.
My breath caught.
“You came back and ruined everything.”
Kai stepped in front of her instantly.
“No,” he said sharply. “This ends tonight.”
Something changed in Ava’s face then.
A realization.
A heartbreak so deep it twisted into rage.
“You’d protect her from me?” she whispered.
Kai didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
Because his silence was answer enough.
Ava’s lips trembled.
Then suddenly—
Sirens echoed outside.
Her eyes widened.
Alan had called security.
Ava backed away slowly, breathing harder now, panic finally breaking through the obsession.
“You think this changes anything?” she whispered shakily. “You think this is over?”
“No,” Alan replied darkly. “I think you finally crossed the line.”
Security pounded against the apartment door.
Ava looked at all three of us one last time.
At Kai.
At Alan.
At me.
Then she smiled.
A small, terrifying smile.
“The baby changes everything,” she whispered softly.
My stomach dropped.
And before anyone could stop her—
She ran.
Kai cursed and moved instantly after her.
Alan tried to follow too, but pain finally caught up with him. His body staggered slightly.
“Alan!”
I caught him before he collapsed completely.
His breathing turned rough.
Blood soaked through my fingers.
Fear slammed into me so hard I thought I might break.
“Stay with me,” I whispered desperately. “Please… please stay with me.”
His hand cupped my face weakly.
And despite everything—
Despite the blood.
Despite the chaos.
Despite Ava disappearing into the night—
His eyes softened when he looked at me.
“You’re safe,” he whispered.
Then his knees finally gave out beneath him.
