chapter 2
1301 Words
The gunman pulled the trigger.
A sharp crack tore through the cathedral.
Before Evelyn could react, Adrian lunged toward her with all his strength.
The bullet whizzed past her shoulder, striking one of the marble pillars behind them. Stone fragments exploded into the air.
"Evelyn!" Adrian shouted as he wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her behind the altar.
She shoved him away immediately.
"Don't touch me!"
Another burst of gunfire echoed through the church.
Guests screamed and crawled beneath the pews while security guards drew their weapons. The cathedral descended into complete chaos.
The masked men spread out with military precision.
"This isn't a robbery," one of them barked. "Find him!"
Evelyn froze.
Find him?
They weren't after money.
They were after someone.
Adrian's expression darkened.
He knew exactly who they meant.
One of his bodyguards rushed to him, blood running down the side of his face.
"Mr. Kingsley, we have to leave. Now!"
Adrian ignored him.
His eyes remained fixed on Evelyn.
"You have to come with me."
She laughed bitterly despite the terror surrounding them.
"After everything that's happened, you still expect me to trust you?"
Another bullet struck the altar, showering them with splinters of wood.
"Evelyn!" he yelled. "Please!"
"I don't even know who you are anymore!"
A terrified cry echoed from the center of the cathedral.
The woman in the black dress had fallen to the floor.
She clutched her stomach, trembling as two gunmen closed in on her.
"There she is!"
"Take her alive!"
Alive?
Evelyn's confusion deepened.
Why would armed men risk attacking one of the most heavily guarded weddings in the country... just to capture one woman?
The mysterious woman looked toward Adrian, panic filling her eyes.
"Run!" she screamed.
"They know everything!"
Before anyone could respond, one of the gunmen grabbed her by the arm.
She fought desperately, kicking and scratching.
"Let me go!"
Another gunman struck her across the face.
She collapsed.
"No!" Adrian roared.
Without hesitation, he charged toward them.
His bodyguards followed, exchanging gunfire with the attackers.
The cathedral echoed with deafening explosions.
Guests crawled toward the exits.
Some prayed.
Some cried.
Others lay motionless on the floor.
Evelyn stood frozen.
Nothing made sense.
The woman had claimed to be Adrian's wife.
Yet Adrian was risking his life to save her.
Who was she?
Who were these men?
And why did everyone seem to know something she didn't?
Suddenly, someone grabbed Evelyn's wrist.
She spun around in terror.
It was Adrian's elderly family lawyer, Mr. Whitmore.
His usually calm face was pale.
"Miss Hart," he whispered urgently, "you must leave this place immediately."
"What?"
"There's no time to explain."
He slipped a small silver key into her hand.
"Keep this hidden."
Evelyn stared at it.
"What is this?"
"If anything happens today... take it to the address written inside your wedding invitation."
"My invitation?"
"Don't let anyone else see it."
Before she could ask another question, a gunshot rang out.
Mr. Whitmore's eyes widened.
A crimson stain spread across his white shirt.
He looked down in disbelief.
Then collapsed at Evelyn's feet.
She screamed.
The silver key slipped from her trembling fingers before she quickly snatched it back.
"No... no..."
Mr. Whitmore struggled to breathe.
With his final strength, he gripped her wrist.
"They... lied..."
His voice was barely audible.
"Adrian... was..."
His hand suddenly fell limp.
His eyes stared into nothing.
He was dead.
Evelyn couldn't breathe.
A loud explosion shook the cathedral.
Smoke filled the air.
Someone grabbed her from behind.
She fought wildly.
"Let me go!"
"It's me!"
Adrian.
His face was streaked with dust and blood.
He looked nothing like the composed billionaire standing at the altar only minutes ago.
He looked desperate.
"They're coming for you now," he said.
"What are you talking about?"
"You were never supposed to be involved."
Before she could answer, a masked man stepped throughThe gunman's words sent a chill through Evelyn's body.
"You're coming with us."
Every instinct screamed at her to run.
She took an unsteady step backward until her back hit the altar.
"I don't even know who you are."
The masked man laughed.
"You don't need to."
He motioned with his rifle.
"Come quietly, and no one else dies."
Adrian stepped in front of Evelyn, shielding her with his body.
"You'll have to go through me."
The gunman's eyes narrowed.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Without warning, he fired.
Adrian shoved Evelyn to the ground.
The bullet grazed Adrian's left arm, tearing through his suit. Blood soaked the sleeve almost instantly.
"Mr. Kingsley!" one of the bodyguards shouted.
Ignoring the pain, Adrian grabbed a fallen marble candlestick and hurled it toward the attacker.
It struck the gunman's shoulder, knocking him off balance.
"Move!" Adrian yelled.
Two bodyguards rushed forward, exchanging gunfire with the masked men.
The cathedral echoed with explosions as bullets shattered stained glass and splintered wooden pews.
Adrian pulled Evelyn to her feet.
"This way!"
She resisted.
"No!"
He looked at her in disbelief.
"If you stay here, they'll kill you!"
"Why are they after me?" she cried. "Tell me the truth!"
"I can't."
Her heart sank.
"Even now... you're still keeping secrets."
"Evelyn, please."
"No!"
She pulled her hand free.
"You lied to me for years. A woman just walked into our wedding claiming she's your wife, and now armed men are trying to kidnap me. Tell me one reason I should believe anything you say."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Because despite everything..."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"...I would die before letting anyone hurt you."
For a split second, she saw the man she had fallen in love with.
Then another explosion shook the cathedral.
The ceiling cracked.
Chunks of stone crashed onto the floor.
People screamed.
"We have to go!" Adrian shouted.
He led her through a narrow side corridor behind the altar.
His remaining bodyguards formed a protective circle around them.
As they reached a heavy wooden door, one of the guards swiped a hidden security card.
The door clicked open.
Behind it was a narrow underground passage.
Evelyn stared.
"What is this?"
"A private escape tunnel," Adrian answered.
"It connects to the parking garage."
Before they could enter, footsteps echoed behind them.
The mysterious woman appeared.
Her black dress was torn, and blood trickled from a cut above her eyebrow.
She was breathing heavily.
"Adrian..."
She stumbled toward them.
"They're everywhere."
Adrian caught her before she fell.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine."
Evelyn watched the scene with a broken heart.
Even in the middle of gunfire...
He held the other woman so gently.
The woman looked up and finally met Evelyn's eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Evelyn looked away.
"I don't want your apology."
The woman bit her lip.
"You deserve the truth."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"No."
She stared at him.
"They've already found us. There's no point hiding it anymore."
"Evelyn cannot know."
"She has to."
Before Adrian could stop her, the woman reached into her pocket and pulled out a small photograph.
She handed it to Evelyn.
Confused, Evelyn looked down.
Her breath caught.
The photograph showed Adrian...
Standing beside the mysterious woman.
Both of them were smiling.
Both wore wedding rings.
Behind them hung a large sign that read:
Civil Marriage Registry.
The date beneath the picture...
Was exactly three years ago.
Evelyn's vision blurred.
Her hands trembled so violently that the photograph slipped to the floor.
"It was true..." she whispered.
"You really married her."
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Adrian opened his mouth to explain.
Before he could say a word—
A loud metallic click echoed through the tunnel.
Everyone froze.
Several red laser dots appeared on their bodies.
One.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
Sniper sights.
A cold voice echoed from the darkness ahead.
"Don't move."
"We've been waiting for you."
- Writer
