Tania left the warehouse first, her figure disappearing into the shadows, leaving Fabian and Crystal alone in a tense silence. Crystal still had the gun pointed at him, though her expression softened slightly.
“You can lower the gun now,” Fabian said through gritted teeth, his anger barely restrained.
Crystal hesitated for a moment before finally lowering the weapon. “I’m sorry, Fabian,” she said quietly, but her words rang hollow. “It’s not personal. I had no choice.”
“No choice?” Fabian’s eyes flared with fury. “You always have a choice, Crystal. You chose to side with Tania, and you played me like a fool.”
Crystal’s gaze wavered, but she didn’t back down. “Tania is dangerous. You know that as well as I do. If I hadn’t gone along with her plan, she would’ve killed both of us.”
“And now you’re what? Her puppet?” Fabian took a step toward her, his voice rising. “You’re just as trapped as I am. Do you really think she’s going to let you walk away from this?”
Crystal’s face hardened. “I’m doing what I have to do to survive. You should do the same.”
Fabian shook his head, his hands trembling with frustration. “Surviving like this? Living under her thumb, constantly looking over your shoulder? That’s not survival, Crystal. That’s living in fear.”
For a moment, Crystal’s mask slipped, and Fabian saw a flicker of doubt in her eyes. But just as quickly, she steeled herself again. “We’re both in too deep now. The only way out is through.”
Fabian clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm. He couldn’t afford to burn bridges, not yet. He had to play along, keep Tania thinking she had control. But in the back of his mind, he was already planning his next move. He wouldn’t let her win not this time.
“I’ll do what needs to be done,” Fabian said finally, his voice cold and measured. “But don’t think for a second that I’ve forgotten what you’ve done.”
Crystal’s eyes met his, and for the first time, she looked genuinely shaken. She didn’t respond, only nodded before turning and walking away, leaving Fabian alone in the warehouse.
As she disappeared into the night, Fabian’s resolve hardened. Tania may have thought she won this round, but he wasn’t finished yet. He would find a way to protect Grace, Ella, Leo and Liam, to end Tania’s reign of terror, and to free himself from the grip of the past.
The lines were drawn, and the real battle was just beginning.