The next morning, Lara woke to a quiet apartment—too quiet. Ethan was sitting at the kitchen table, one hand pressed to his shoulder, the other holding a mug of coffee he barely sipped. His face was pale, jaw tense, eyes fixed somewhere beyond her, as if trying to see the danger before it arrived.
"Ethan…" Lara said softly. "Are you okay?"
He shook his head, a faint laugh escaping him. "No. Not really. I… I'm tired, Lara. Tired of hiding, tired of running. But worse, I'm scared. Scared for you. Scared that she'll—"
He stopped, unable to continue. Lara stepped closer, hand brushing his arm. "Ethan… look at me."
He met her eyes. Vulnerable, raw, afraid—and impossibly hers. She swallowed. "Whatever comes, we face it together. I'm not leaving."
Ethan's shoulders sagged, a mixture of relief and frustration. "I… I wish it were that simple."
And it wasn't.
A sudden knock at the door made both of them jump. Lara froze. The knock was deliberate, controlled… cold.
Ethan gestured for her to stay back. "It's her," he said softly.
The door creaked open slowly. And there she was—the woman from the shadows. Her hair dark, wet from the rain, eyes piercing as if she could see straight through them both.
"Finally," she said, voice smooth, but every word carried venom. "No more games, Ethan. No more hiding."
Lara's heart thudded. "Who… who are you?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.
The woman smiled faintly, almost amused. "My name is Selene. Ethan and I… we share a past. A dangerous past. One he never wanted you to know about. But secrets… have a way of coming out."
Ethan flinched at her name, and Lara noticed a flicker of fear she hadn't seen before.
"What do you want from him?" Lara asked, clutching Ethan's arm. "From us?"
Selene's gaze shifted to Lara, eyes narrowing. "I want what's mine. What Ethan promised me years ago… and what he thought he could leave behind. But promises don't die, Lara. And neither do I."
Ethan's fists clenched. "Selene… don't. You can't… she's not involved. Leave her out of this!"
Selene's smile widened, almost cruelly. "Ah… but she is. She's part of your life now. And if I can't have what I want… then perhaps she… suffers."
Lara felt a chill run down her spine. The stakes weren't just Ethan's life anymore. It was theirs. Together.
Ethan took a step forward, voice shaking but firm. "Selene… stop. I made my choice. Lara's my life now. She's the only one I love."
Selene's eyes glittered dangerously. "Love… is complicated, Ethan. Sometimes it's powerful, sometimes… it's a weakness. And weaknesses… get exploited."
She turned abruptly, moving like a shadow, leaving them both tense, hearts hammering. A note fluttered to the floor. Lara picked it up, hands trembling.
"Tonight. Midnight. The old warehouse by the river. Come alone… or lose everything."
Ethan's face darkened. "She's not bluffing," he muttered. "We have no choice. We have to go."
Lara's grip tightened on his arm. "We face this… together. Whatever it is. No secrets. No hiding."
Ethan nodded, his eyes meeting hers. For the first time in months, fear mixed with hope. They were in this together. And maybe, just maybe, love could survive even the deadliest threats.