The moment Mr. Blackwood walked out, Victoria exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Her eyes locked onto her sister, who still sat there, tied to the chair, her expression a mix of fear and disbelief.
Victoria crossed the room slowly, her heart still racing from the tense encounter with Blackwood. She couldn’t afford to show any weakness, not now, not when everything was teetering on the edge.
Without saying a word, she moved to Rachel’s side and began untangling the ropes that bound her wrists. The cool, detached side of Victoria had taken control again, pushing aside any remnants of the inner turmoil that had tried to surface.
Rachel didn’t speak at first, staring at her sister in stunned silence. She’d expected death. She’d expected the worst. But here was Victoria, standing before her, freeing her from the ropes.
“What are you doing?” Rachel whispered, disbelief in her voice. “You’re letting me go? After everything?”
Victoria didn’t respond right away. She focused on the last knot and yanked it loose. The rope fell away, and Rachel rubbed her wrists, wincing from the soreness. She stood shakily, still eyeing her sister warily.
“I’m showing you the way out,” Victoria finally said, her voice low and steady. “Don’t ask questions. Just follow me.”
Rachel frowned but said nothing. She didn’t trust Victoria, but right now, she didn’t have many options. With a hesitant glance at her sister, she followed her out of the room.
The hallway outside was dimly lit, shadows creeping along the walls. Victoria’s pace was brisk, her eyes scanning every corner, every movement. She was alert, more than usual. Rachel, still confused, kept a step behind her, trying to make sense of the situation.
It felt wrong-so many things felt wrong. But Rachel kept following, unable to shake the nagging feeling that this was all just a prelude to something worse.
Victoria stopped near the exit door, her hand hovering over the handle. She turned to Rachel, her gaze cold and calculating. “Stay close. Don’t make a sound.”
Rachel nodded, biting her lip. They had reached the exit. Freedom. It was in her grasp, and yet she couldn’t help but feel like something was off.
They stepped out into the cool night air, the sounds of the city faint in the distance. Victoria led the way down the narrow path, her heels clicking against the pavement. Rachel’s steps were heavier, her breathing quick. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching.
They made it a few steps into the alley when, without warning, a car screeched to a halt at the far end of the street. The doors flew open, and men in dark clothing flooded out.
Rachel’s heart skipped a beat.
“Victoria!” she hissed, grabbing her sister’s arm, panic rising. “It’s him Blackwood.”
Victoria’s eyes narrowed. She knew it was coming. She had hoped they would make it further before he caught up, but luck had never been on her side.
As she turned to look at Rachel, a sharp sound cut through the air. A gunshot.
Rachel’s body froze, her ears ringing from the deafening noise. Before she could react, the world seemed to slow down. She heard another shot and saw Victoria collapse, her body crumpling to the ground like a rag doll.
The second shot found its mark in Rachel’s arm, causing her to scream in agony. The pain shot through her like wildfire, but her focus immediately went to her sister.
“Victoria!” Rachel screamed, falling to her knees beside her. Her own blood spilled onto the ground, but she ignored it, her eyes locked onto Victoria’s still form. Her stomach churned as she saw the blood pooling around her, soaking into her clothes.
“Please, no… not like this,” Rachel sobbed, her voice cracking. She pressed her hand to Victoria’s stomach, trying to stop the bleeding. But the blood kept coming, too much, too fast.
Victoria’s breath was shallow, her face pale. Her eyelids fluttered, but she didn’t open her eyes. Her body was limp in Rachel’s arms.
“Victoria… no!” Rachel gasped, panic clawing at her chest. Her heart was racing, and the sight of her sister’s blood so much blood was dizzying.
She tried shaking Victoria, begging her to wake up, but nothing worked. The seconds dragged on like hours, and the weight of her sister’s lifeless body was crushing Rachel’s spirit.
Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel saw the men approaching. Mr. Blackwood’s figure loomed large, his face expressionless as he watched her struggle. He had his gun raised again, aiming at Rachel, his finger on the trigger.
“You’re still alive?” Blackwood’s voice was cold, almost mocking. “Did you really think you could escape me?”
Rachel glared up at him through her pain, fury rising in her chest. She wasn’t about to die today-not like this. She would fight. She had to.
She scrambled to her feet, but before she could make a move, the sound of an engine reviving cut through the night. Blackwood’s men surged forward, but he waved them back, his eyes never leaving Rachel.
Suddenly, his expression flickered, and he turned his back on her. He wasn’t alone. One of the men had a black SUV parked just a few yards away. Without a word, Blackwood climbed into the backseat, followed by his men.
Rachel’s breath caught in her throat as the vehicle roared to life. The tires screeched against the pavement, and before she could process what was happening, the car sped off into the night, leaving nothing but dust behind.
She was alone.
Tears streamed down Rachel’s face as she turned back to Victoria, her heart shattering in her chest. The blood had begun to seep through her sister’s clothes, staining everything red. The once-strong, calculating Victoria now lay lifeless in her arms.
Rachel’s hands were shaking as she cradled her sister’s head in her lap. “Please, don’t be dead. Please don’t leave me like this.”
But it was too late. Victoria was gone.
Rachel’s thoughts spun in a blur. She could still hear the fading engine in the distance, but everything else was a deafening silence. She didn’t know how long she sat there, just holding Victoria’s body, but eventually, reality began to creep in.
She had to act. She couldn’t stay there, not in the middle of the street with no plan. She couldn’t let Victoria’s death be in vain.
With trembling hands, Rachel stood up, wincing from the pain in her arm. She had to get help. She couldn’t do this alone. She didn’t know where to go or who to trust, but she had no other choice.
She pulled herself together, wiping away her tears, and moved as fast as she could, leaving Victoria behind. She was gone now, and the weight of that loss was crushing. But Rachel had to keep moving, for her sister’s sake, for her own sake.
As Rachel limped into the darkness, the cold night air biting at her skin, one thought kept repeating in her mind:
It wasn’t over. Not yet.
And she would make sure that no one, especially not Mr. Blackwood, would get away with what they had done.