Ethan and Luca reached the location just as planned. The building stood tall and silent, its glass walls reflecting the city lights. From the outside, it looked normal, like any other corporate office. But inside, everything was about to change.
They didn't rush.
They walked in calmly, like they belonged there.
The first guard noticed something was wrong too late.
A single shot echoed.
Then everything broke.
Gunfire erupted across the lobby. Sharp, loud, and sudden. Guards moved quickly, taking positions behind desks and pillars. Some shouted orders. Others fired without hesitation.
Ethan stayed focused.
He moved forward with controlled steps, his eyes scanning everything. He didn't waste bullets. Every shot had a purpose. Every movement was precise.
Luca covered the left side, firing at guards trying to flank them. He stayed close enough to support Ethan but far enough to give space. They moved like they had done this many times before.
A guard rushed from behind a pillar.
Ethan reacted instantly.
One shot.
The guard dropped.
Another group appeared near the staircase. They fired rapidly, forcing Ethan and Luca to take cover behind a wall. Dust and small debris fell as bullets hit the surface.
"Right side," Luca said.
Ethan nodded.
They moved together.
Luca stepped out first, drawing attention. Ethan followed a second later, taking down two guards in quick succession. The rhythm of the fight stayed in their control.
Step.
Aim.
Fire.
Move.
They didn't panic. They didn't hesitate.
The deeper they went, the stronger the resistance became. More guards. Better weapons. Tighter defense.
But Ethan didn't slow down.
His mind stayed clear.
Only one goal.
Richard Blackwood.
They reached the upper floor after clearing the main hallway. The air felt heavier here. Quieter, but more dangerous.
A final group of guards stood outside a large office.
The last line.
Gunfire started again, louder than before. The space was tighter, making every move more risky. Luca took a hit on the shoulder—not deep, but enough to slow him for a second.
"I'm fine," Luca said quickly.
Ethan didn't respond.
He stepped forward.
Faster now.
More direct.
He pushed through the remaining guards one by one. The last man tried to block the door.
Ethan didn't stop.
One shot.
The path cleared.
He opened the door.
Inside, Richard Blackwood stood near his desk, panic visible on his face. The powerful CEO who controlled so much now looked like a man who had run out of options.
"Wait—" Richard started.
Ethan didn't let him finish.
He raised his gun.
For a second, everything felt still.
Then—
One shot.
Richard Blackwood fell.
Silence followed.
Heavy and final.
But they weren't alone.
Behind them, far in the hallway, someone had been watching. Hidden. Careful. A phone held low, recording everything.
The shot.
The fall.
Ethan standing there.
The person turned and ran.
Fast.
Quiet.
Gone before Ethan noticed.
Inside the office, Ethan lowered his weapon slowly. His face showed nothing. No anger. No relief. Just emptiness.
"Let's go," Luca said.
Ethan nodded.
They left immediately.
—
They reached a safe house not far from the location. It was small and empty, prepared in advance. Inside, everything was quiet again.
Ethan walked straight to the bathroom.
He turned on the shower.
Water ran over him, washing away the blood stains from his clothes and skin. The red faded, disappearing down the drain, but the weight of the day stayed.
He changed into clean clothes.
Dark.
Simple.
Controlled.
When he stepped out, Luca was already ready to leave.
"11 PM," Luca said, checking the time.
Ethan nodded.
They didn't talk about what happened.
They didn't need to.
—
By the time they reached home, it was 11:56 PM.
The building was quiet again.
Just like the night before.
They stepped inside.
And everything felt different.
Yuna was there.
Waiting.
The moment Ethan entered, she walked straight to him and wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug.
"Welcome back," she said softly. Then she looked up at him and smiled. "Happy birthday, Ethan."
Her voice was gentle.
Real.
"I love you."
Ethan froze slightly.
He didn't pull away.
But he didn't respond either.
Inside, something shifted.
He wanted to say something.
Anything.
But the words didn't come.
He didn't understand what he was feeling.
Before the silence grew too long, Elena stepped in with a smile. "Happy birthday, my dear brother," she said, breaking the moment.
Luca added casually, "Yeah, happy birthday."
Ethan gave a small nod.
Still quiet.
Yuna looked at him for a second longer, then smiled again, softer this time. "Let's sleep," she said. "I don't want dark circles today. I'm planning a party for you."
She looked at everyone. "If we forget someone, we can call them tomorrow. After 8 or 9 hours."
No one argued.
They were all tired.
Everyone started heading to their rooms.
But Yuna stopped Ethan.
"Wait," she said.
He turned back.
She looked at him, a small smile on her face. "Pick me up."
Ethan paused for a second.
Then he stepped forward and lifted her easily into his arms.
She relaxed instantly, her arms loosely around his neck.
He carried her upstairs.
Slow.
Steady.
Inside the room, he placed her gently on the bed.
But before he could step away—
She grabbed his shirt.
Pulled him closer.
And kissed him.
Soft.
Quick.
Then she smiled. "Happy birthday once again, Ethan."
Ethan stayed still for a second.
Then he leaned forward slightly and returned the kiss, just for a moment.
Nothing more.
No rush.
No intensity.
Just something quiet.
Something real.
He pulled back.
She looked at him carefully, then said softly, "We can't do anything more today."
Ethan nodded.
No argument.
No pressure.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead instead.
A simple gesture.
Then he lay down beside her.
She moved closer, resting against him.
He wrapped an arm around her.
They stayed like that.
Silent.
Tired.
But together.
And for the first time that day—
Ethan closed his eyes without thinking about the mission.
Without thinking about his father.
Without thinking about anything.
Just the quiet.
Just the moment.
And slowly—
They fell asleep.
The room stayed quiet long after the lights were turned off, the soft glow from the city slipping through the curtains and settling across the floor. Yuna's breathing grew steady within minutes, her body relaxing completely against Ethan as if she trusted that nothing could reach her there. One of her hands rested lightly against his chest, rising and falling with each breath he took.
But Ethan didn't fall asleep as quickly.
His eyes remained open, fixed on the ceiling, unfocused yet heavy with thought. The events of the day didn't come back in flashes the way they usually did. There was no replay of movement, no calculation of what could have been better. Instead, there was only a strange quiet in his mind.
And that unsettled him more.
He shifted slightly, careful not to wake her, his gaze dropping to Yuna. Even in sleep, there was a faint tension in her expression, like she carried things she never said out loud. He noticed it now in a way he hadn't before.
Her words from earlier echoed faintly.
I love you.
He exhaled slowly.
The words sat somewhere in him, unfamiliar and heavy—not uncomfortable, but not easy either. He didn't know what to do with them. Didn't know how to respond to something that wasn't built on control, expectation, or strategy.
Carefully, he adjusted the blanket around her shoulder.
A small, quiet action.
Almost instinctive.
Outside, the city continued moving, unaware of the line that had been crossed that day, unaware of the life that had ended and the consequences that would follow. Somewhere out there, evidence already existed. A recording. A witness. Something that would not stay buried forever.
But inside the room—
None of that reached them yet.
For now, there was only stillness.
Only warmth.
And for the first time in a long time, Ethan allowed himself to close his eyes—not because everything was under control, but because, just for this moment, he chose not to think about what came next.