CHAPTER SEVEN — THE BULLET
1042 Words
AMARA'S POV
The gunshot echoed through the warehouse.
For a moment, everything stopped.
Then Ethan fell.
“ETHAN!”
I rushed toward him.
He was on the floor, one hand pressed against his side.
Blood was spreading across his shirt.
“No, no, no…”
I dropped beside him.
“Stay with me!”
His eyes opened slowly.
“Amara…”
“Don't talk.”
My hands shook as I pressed against the wound.
“Please don't close your eyes.”
Behind me, Serena screamed.
“Ethan!”
Adrian suddenly grabbed Marcus from behind.
The gun fell from Marcus's hand.
They crashed into the floor.
“RUN!” Adrian shouted.
I looked at Ethan.
“I can't leave him!”
“Then take him!”
I helped Ethan sit up.
His face was pale.
“I can walk.”
“No, you can't.”
“I have to.”
I wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
Together, we stumbled toward the exit.
Another gunshot rang out.
The wall beside us exploded.
I screamed.
“Keep moving!”
---
ETHAN'S POV
Every step felt like fire.
But I couldn't stop.
Not while Amara was beside me.
Not while Marcus was still after us.
We reached the outside.
Cold air hit my face.
Amara helped me sit against a car.
“You're losing too much blood.”
“I'll be fine.”
“Stop saying that!”
Tears streamed down her face.
“I almost lost you.”
I reached for her hand.
“You didn't.”
She looked at me.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
For a second, the world disappeared.
Then Adrian ran outside.
“Get in the car!”
Amara looked at him suspiciously.
“Why should we trust you?”
Adrian looked at me.
“Because if I wanted Ethan dead, I would have left him in there.”
I nodded.
“Amara, trust him.”
She hesitated.
Then helped me into the car.
Adrian got behind the wheel.
We drove.
---
SERENA'S POV
I was still inside the warehouse.
Marcus had disappeared.
I looked around frantically.
“Adrian!”
No answer.
I ran toward the back exit.
Then I saw him.
Standing in the shadows.
Marcus.
He smiled.
“You're going to regret helping them.”
I stepped backward.
“What do you want?”
“The same thing I've always wanted.”
“Revenge?”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I want the truth.”
“What truth?”
He smiled.
“The truth about who really killed Ethan's father.”
My heart stopped.
“It wasn't Adrian.”
“I know.”
“Then who?”
Marcus leaned closer.
“You.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“You were there.”
“No.”
“You remember.”
My hands began shaking.
“I don't.”
“You do.”
He whispered:
“You were the last person to see him alive.”
---
AMARA'S POV
We stopped outside a small clinic.
Ethan was rushed inside.
I stood in the hallway, covered in his blood.
Adrian sat across from me.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Finally, I asked:
“Why did you come back?”
He looked at me.
“To finish what I started.”
“What did you start?”
He sighed.
“Finding the truth.”
“About your father's death?”
He nodded.
“Your father was investigating Marcus.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
“Because Marcus had been stealing money from the family business.”
“And your father found out?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did Marcus kill him?”
Adrian looked away.
“He didn't.”
My heart stopped.
“But you said—”
“I said Marcus was involved.”
“Then who killed him?”
Adrian stared at me.
“I don't know.”
I stood.
“You're all lying!”
He looked at me sadly.
“You're right.”
I froze.
“What?”
“Everyone has been lying to you.”
Before I could respond, the doctor walked out.
“Family of Ethan?”
I rushed toward him.
“Yes.”
“He's stable.”
I nearly collapsed with relief.
“But he needs surgery.”
“Is he going to be okay?”
The doctor nodded.
“If we operate now.”
I closed my eyes.
“Please save him.”
---
ETHAN'S POV
I woke up in a hospital room.
The first thing I saw was Amara.
She was asleep beside my bed.
Her head rested on her folded arms.
I smiled.
“Amara.”
She immediately woke up.
“Ethan!”
She grabbed my hand.
“You're awake.”
“Apparently.”
She laughed through her tears.
“You scared me.”
“I'm sorry.”
She leaned closer.
“I thought I was going to lose you.”
I squeezed her hand.
“You won't.”
She looked at me.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
Then the door opened.
Adrian walked in.
Ethan's expression changed.
“What do you want?”
Adrian looked at him.
“The truth.”
“About what?”
“About the night Dad died.”
I sat up slightly.
“What about it?”
Adrian placed an old photograph on the table.
I stared at it.
It showed my father standing beside a woman.
I recognized her immediately.
My mother.
But there was someone else in the picture.
A young Serena.
My blood ran cold.
“Why is Serena with our parents?”
Adrian looked at me.
“Because she knew Dad before she ever met you.”
Amara looked confused.
“What does that mean?”
Adrian took a breath.
“Serena wasn't just Ethan's fiancée.”
He looked at me.
“She was part of our family secret.”
The door suddenly opened.
Serena stood there.
Her face was pale.
“Adrian…”
He looked at her.
“It's time.”
Serena's eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“You can't hide it forever.”
Ethan stared between them.
“Hide what?”
Serena whispered:
“The truth about your father.”
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