That night, they finally stopped dancing around it.
Everyone was in the living room. Curtains drawn. Phones face down. The kind of silence that meant something serious was about to happen.
Ethan spoke first. Calm. Focused.
"My cousin already confessed who he worked for. He didn't know the full reason, but he knew the name. Junseo."
Ava's fingers tightened in Kira's sleeve.
Judith nodded. "The video I showed you wasn't the only thing. I copied the files before giving them to the police. Payments. Location logs. Dates. Everything lines up with Junseo's travel records."
Jack swallowed. "My aunt used me as a cover. Junseo trusted her. They moved through her accounts so nothing traced back to him directly."
The room felt heavy.
Kira stood up.
Her voice didn't shake. That scared her more than anything.
"So here's the plan."
Everyone looked at her.
"We don't confront him. Not emotionally. Not recklessly. We let him think he's still in control."
She turned to Ava. "He's obsessed with you. That hasn't changed. He'll bite if he thinks you're alone."
Ava hesitated, then nodded. "I can do it."
Ethan immediately said, "I'll be nearby."
"So will I," Jack added.
Kira continued. "We give the police everything tonight. The files. The recordings. The forged documents. Then we set one final meet. Public place. Cameras everywhere. He won't suspect it."
Judith exhaled slowly. "And when he shows up, thinking he won…"
"…he gets arrested," Kira finished.
No one spoke for a moment.
Then Ava reached for Kira's hand. "We end this. Together."
The next evening, the message was sent.
Unknown number. Simple words.
I remember everything. Meet me.
Junseo came exactly on time.
The moment he stepped into the café, his eyes locked onto Ava like the world had narrowed to her alone.
He smiled.
He didn't see the plainclothes officers at the counter.
Didn't notice the woman by the window with her phone recording.
Didn't hear the quiet footsteps behind him.
Until a hand touched his shoulder.
" park junseo," an officer said calmly. "You're under arrest for kidnapping, coercion, stalking, assault, and conspiracy."
His smile vanished.
"What?" He turned, eyes wild. "No. You don't understand. I was protecting her."
Ava stood up. Her voice was steady.
"You were never protecting me."
The cuffs clicked shut.
Across the room, Kira finally let herself breathe.
Jack slipped his hand into hers. Not possessive. Just there.
Judith closed her eyes.
Outside, as Junseo was led away, the night felt different. Lighter. Like something that had haunted them for years had finally lost its grip.
It wasn't the end of everything.
But it was the end of him.
After Junseo was finally arrested, the group didn't have much time to breathe. Jack looked around at Kira, Ava, and Judith, his expression serious.
"We still have one more," he said quietly. "My aunt. She was the mastermind behind everything Junseo did. If we leave her, all of this… it could happen again."
Kira frowned. "How do we get to her? She's smart. She won't just come out willingly."
Jack nodded. "Exactly. That's why we need a plan. I'll go to her, make her think I'm still loyal. She'll think she's in control. That's when the police can move in."
Judith leaned forward. "We need every detail. Timing. Location. Cameras. Witnesses. Nothing can go wrong."
Ava bit her lip. "Jack… if you do this, you could get hurt."
Jack gave a small, determined smile. "I'll be careful. I have to do this. For all of us. Especially for Ava."
Kira's stomach tightened. She hated the idea of Jack putting himself in danger, but she trusted him. She only nodded, her voice quiet. "We'll plan everything with the police. We do this right, no mistakes."
⸻
They spent the evening coordinating with the authorities. The plan: lure the aunt to a location she thought was safe, make her believe Jack was still under her control, and have officers ready to arrest her once she let her guard down.
Jack rehearsed the role. He called her, casually mentioning a "private matter" that only she would find interesting. The aunt agreed to meet, completely unaware that the entire area was monitored and secured by the police.
Everything was set. Every step calculated. Everyone was tense. The group knew the risks, but they also knew this was the final move to end the manipulation once and for all.
....
⸻
The night was dark, streets almost empty. Jack walked calmly toward the location his aunt had agreed to meet him, pretending he was still loyal, every step measured. The police were hidden nearby, cameras set, officers ready.
Kira and Ava stayed in a safe car nearby, hearts pounding. Judith had her phone out, monitoring every movement.
Jack entered the house. Everything looked normal. The aunt was waiting, calm, confident. She smiled. "I knew you'd come."
Jack kept his expression neutral. "Of course. You know I always do."
They walked through the living room. The aunt's eyes flicked to the door behind him….exactly where the police were stationed. She was unaware that the plan had the final move perfectly timed.
Suddenly, the aunt's expression changed. Something in Jack's posture, the way he hesitated, made her suspicious. Panic flashed in her eyes.
Before anyone could react, she lunged—not to kill, but to regain control. Jack moved instinctively. The sharp object struck him, but he pushed Kira out of the way, taking the full impact himself.
Kira screamed. She couldn't believe it. "Jack!"
The aunt froze, her eyes wide, shocked. She hadn't meant for this. She never intended to physically harm anyone—especially not Jack.
The police stormed in. Shouts, handcuffs, flashing lights. She was caught mid-step, stunned and powerless. The moment was chaotic, but the danger had ended.
Jack collapsed, blood flowing, and Kira was at his side in an instant. She tried to hold him, her hands trembling. "Why did you do that? Why didn't you let me…"
He weakly smiled. "I… couldn't let anything happen to you, Kie."
Kira's tears fell freely. "It's my fault… I put you in this."
Jack shook his head faintly. "No… it's never your fault. I chose this. I… chose you."
The ambulance arrived, paramedics rushing to him. Kira followed, refusing to leave his side. She barely slept, barely ate, staying at the hospital for days, watching over him. Every moment was haunted by guilt and fear—but also by the undeniable bond that had grown between them.
Ava and Judith stayed close too, giving support, but Kira didn't care about anything else. Her world had shrunk to Jack lying in that hospital bed, alive but hurt because of her.
It was a turning point. The aunt was caught, Junseo already behind bars, and yet Kira's heart carried a new weight: the cost of love, trust, and sacrifice.