Blood Doesn't Choose Sides
The room was silent.
Too silent.
Alex sat calmly, but the tension in the air was suffocating—like a storm waiting to explode.
Alessandro stood across from him, unmoving, unreadable.
Lucas remained just a step behind.
Watching.
Calculating.
Then—
💥 A shot rang out.
Everything happened in a blink.
Alex's bodyguard moved fast—gun raised, finger already pulling the trigger—
But Alessandro?
He didn't flinch.
Didn't move.
Didn't even blink.
Because he didn't need to.
💥 Another shot.
Lucas.
Faster.
Sharper.
Deadlier.
The bodyguard dropped instantly, a clean shot through his chest before he could even react.
Silence fell again.
Heavier this time.
Alex's eyes flickered briefly toward the fallen man…
But he didn't react.
Because something worse was already happening.
From the side—
Arabella moved.
Her gun raised.
Her eyes burning.
Not at Alessandro.
At Alex.
Her own father.
"You should've chosen me," she said coldly.
Because in her mind—
If she killed him first…
She could take control.
Finish what he started.
But Alex—
Was faster.
💥 Gunshot.
Arabella's body jerked.
Shock filled her eyes.
She staggered back—
Then collapsed.
Silence.
Dead silence.
Even Alessandro didn't move.
Because what just happened…
Was something else entirely.
A father…
Had just shot his own daughter.
Alex lowered the gun slowly, his expression unchanged.
"No distractions," he muttered.
Then—
He turned.
And pointed the gun at Ryan.
But that…
Was his mistake.
In a flash—
Ryan moved.
A sharp kick—
The gun flew out of Alex's hand.
Mid-air—
Ryan caught it.
Seamless.
Effortless.
Deadly.
And in the same motion—
He pressed it straight to Alex's face.
Point-blank.
Silence swallowed the room.
Ryan's eyes were cold.
"You just lost everything," he said quietly.
"Don't kill me…" Alex's voice trembled for the first time.
"Or you'll never find your mother… and your father's corpse."
Ryan's grip on the gun tightened.
His eyes turned dark.
Dangerous.
"Let me go," Alex continued quickly, pointing toward a man behind him.
"Nolan will take you there."
Ryan didn't hesitate.
Not even for a second.
"Deal."
The moment the word left his lips—
Alex ran.
"Lucas," Ryan said coldly, not even looking back.
"Go after him."
"Yes, boss."
Lucas was already moving.
Fast.
Relentless.
Gone in seconds.
Ryan turned the gun toward Nolan, pressing it hard against his forehead.
"Take me there."
Nolan's body trembled violently.
"Y-Yes… boss…"
The Descent
The warehouse grew quieter with every step.
Darker.
Colder.
Nolan led the way down a narrow staircase, each step echoing like a countdown to something terrible.
The air changed.
Thick.
Metallic.
Then—
They reached a door.
Old.
Rusty.
Locked.
Nolan's shaking hands fumbled with the keys.
It took him three tries.
Click.
The door creaked open.
And the smell hit them first.
Blood.
Heavy.
Rotten.
Suffocating.
Ryan's hand tightened over his nose instinctively.
But he didn't step back.
Didn't hesitate.
He stepped Inside
Darkness swallowed him.
Then—
The light flickered on.
And what he saw—
He froze.
Time stopped.
In the corner…
He saw her.
His mother.
Half-alive.
Broken.
Her body weak, worn down by pain and suffering.
And then—
His eyes shifted.
Right there…
On her legs—
A skeleton.
Still.
Lifeless.
What remained…
Of his father.
For a moment—
Ryan couldn't breathe.
The world blurred.
But he didn't cry.
He couldn't.
His body moved before his mind could catch up.
He ran to her.
Dropped to his knees.
And pulled her into his arms.
Careful.
Gentle.
Like she might break.
Her weak arms lifted slowly…
And wrapped around him.
Tears streamed down her face.
"Ryan… my baby…" she whispered.
His grip tightened.
Still no tears.
Only silence.
Heavy.
Crushing.
They stayed like that for a moment—
Holding onto each other like time hadn't been stolen from them.
Like the years of pain didn't exist.
Then slowly…
She pulled back.
Her trembling hand reached up—
Touching his face.
Memorizing him.
A soft smile appeared through her pain.
"I love you…" she said.
Ryan's chest tightened violently.
"I'm so glad… my wish came true at last…"
Her voice weakened.
Fading.
"I got to see you… before I die…"
The words hit him like a blade.
"Stay strong, Ryan…" she whispered.
A tear slipped from her eye.
"Remember…"
A shaky breath.
"We always love you…"
Her fingers tightened weakly around his hand.
"Your daddy… and I…"
Silence.
A final breath escaped her lips.
And just like that—
She was gone.
Her body went still in his arms.
Ryan didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't breathe.
Something inside him…
Broke.
Not loudly.
Not violently.
But completely.
Like a part of his soul had been ripped away.
His arms tightened around her lifeless body.
Still no tears.
Only emptiness.
Cold.
Deep.
Endless.
Because the pain?
It was too real.
Too heavy.
Too much for tears.
Slowly…
His head lowered.
Resting against hers.
The silence in the room screamed louder than anything.
Because now—
He had nothing left to lose.
And a man with nothing left…
Is the most dangerous of all.