❤︎ 𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓐𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 ❤︎

❤︎ 𝓒𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 11: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒑 ❤︎

The clock on the wall read 9:45 p.m.

The black Rolls-Royce sped toward Blackwood Harbor, its headlights cutting through the thick fog.

Aria sat beside Adrian, her hands tightly clasped together.

"I still don't think you should do this," she whispered.

Adrian kept his eyes on the road.

"I gave your mother my word through you. I'm bringing her home."

She looked at him.

"You're not going alone."

"I told you to stay at the mansion."

"And I told you I wasn't letting you risk your life alone."

For the first time that night, Adrian smiled.

"You really are stubborn."

"So are you."

---

When they reached the abandoned harbor, the place was eerily quiet.

Old shipping containers stood like giant shadows under the pale moonlight.

Not a single soul was in sight.

Adrian stepped out of the car.

"Stay behind me."

Aria nodded.

A cold wind swept across the empty docks.

Then...

Clap... Clap... Clap...

Slow applause echoed through the darkness.

A tall man wearing a black mask emerged from between the containers.

Several armed men followed behind him.

"I must admit, Adrian," the masked man said, "I'm impressed."

"You came."

Adrian's expression remained cold.

"Where's Mrs. Collins?"

The masked man laughed.

"Always straight to business."

He snapped his fingers.

Two men dragged Aria's mother into the open.

Her hands were tied, but she was awake.

"Mom!" Aria cried.

Her mother looked up.

"Aria! Stay back!"

Aria instinctively ran forward, but Adrian caught her arm.

"It's a trap."

"I know... but she's my mother!"

---

The masked man grinned beneath his mask.

"I'll make you a deal."

"What deal?" Adrian asked.

"You hand over every file connected to the Knight Foundation..."

"...and I'll let her go."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"So this was never about Aria."

"It was always about you."

Silence filled the harbor.

Adrian slowly reached into his coat.

Aria's heart pounded.

"Is he really going to give in?"

Instead, Adrian pulled out a small flash drive.

"This is what you want."

The masked man smiled.

"Throw it here."

Adrian tossed it onto the ground halfway between them.

The masked man stepped forward to pick it up.

The moment he bent down—

"Now!" Adrian shouted.

Bright floodlights suddenly lit up the entire harbor.

Hidden security officers surrounded the area from every direction.

The masked man froze.

"It was a setup..." he growled.

"No," Adrian replied calmly.

"It was insurance."

Chaos erupted.

The kidnappers scattered in every direction as security moved in.

In the confusion, one of the kidnappers grabbed Aria from behind and held a knife to her side.

"No one move!" he yelled.

Adrian stopped instantly.

His face turned pale.

"Let her go."

The kidnapper laughed.

"Drop your weapon first."

Adrian slowly lowered the pistol he had taken from one of the guards.

Aria looked at him, fear filling her eyes.

The masked man used the distraction to slip into the shadows.

Before disappearing, he looked back at Adrian.

"This isn't over."

He vanished into the fog.

Moments later, the remaining kidnappers were captured, and Aria's mother was freed by the security team.

As Aria hugged her mother tightly, tears streamed down both their faces.

Adrian watched them from a distance, relieved they were safe.

But deep down, he knew one thing.

The mastermind had escaped.

And the real battle was only just beginning.

♡︎ 𝑻𝒐 𝑩𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒅... ♡︎