Dawn came too quickly.
Sara woke in Adrian's arms, her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. For a moment, she pretended everything was normal. That they were just a normal couple waking up on a normal day.
Then reality crashed down.
The church. Midnight. Dimitri.
Adrian's arms tightened around her. "You're thinking too loud."
She smiled against his skin. "You can hear thoughts now?"
"Yours. Always." He kissed her forehead. "We don't have to do this."
"Yes, we do."
He was quiet for a moment. Then: "I know."
They lay in silence, holding each other.
The day was strange.
Sara visited Marta first. The older woman was sitting up now, her color better, her eyes sharper.
"You're going tonight," Marta said. It wasn't a question.
Sara nodded.
Marta reached out and took her hand. "Be careful, child. Dimitri is not like Adrian. He feels nothing. Loves nothing. He will use anything to hurt you."
"I know."
"Does Adrian know about the message? About his mother?"
Sara blinked. "You know about that?"
Marta's eyes were sad. "I've worked for this family for fifteen years. I know things. Secrets. Lies. Truths." She squeezed Sara's hand. "Adrian is a good man. The best of them. But he carries guilt that isn't his to carry. Remind him of that tonight."
Sara leaned down and kissed Marta's cheek.
"I will. Thank you, Marta."
Marta smiled—a real smile, warm and rare.
"Come back safe."
Sara's father was next.
He was sitting up, eating soup, looking better than he had in days. When Sara entered, his eyes found her immediately.
"You're going," he said. Same as Marta.
Sara sat beside him. "Dad—"
"I know I have no right to ask you anything. I failed you. Failed Tom. Failed our family." His voice was rough. "But I'm asking anyway. Please come back."
Sara took his hand. "I will."
"And that man—Adrian. Bring him back too." Her father's eyes were wet. "I see how he looks at you. Like you're the only thing in the world that matters. That's how I looked at your mother."
Sara's heart clenched.
"I misjudged him," her father continued. "Thought he was a monster. But monsters don't look at people the way he looks at you."
Sara hugged him tightly.
"Thank you, Dad."
"Just come home. All of you."
Tom was hardest.
He was in his room, pretending to do homework, but his eyes were red from crying.
"You're leaving," he said when Sara entered. "I heard the guards talking."
Sara sat on his bed. "Tom—"
"I'm coming with you."
"No."
"Sara, I can help—"
"No." She pulled him into her arms. "You're staying here. Safe. That's the only way I can do what I need to do."
Tom clung to her. "What if you don't come back?"
Sara's heart broke.
"I will come back. I promise."
"You promised before. Then Dad got hurt. Marta got hurt."
"And I came back. We all came back." She pulled back and looked at him. "I need you to be strong. For me. Can you do that?"
Tom wiped his eyes angrily. "I can try."
"That's all I ask."
Evening fell like a curtain.
Sara stood in her room, dressed in black—pants, shirt, jacket. A gun holster strapped to her thigh. Another at her ankle.
Adrian appeared in the doorway. He too wore black. He too carried weapons.
He looked at her for a long moment.
"You're beautiful," he said quietly.
Sara laughed—a surprised, broken sound. "I'm wearing weapons and about to walk into a trap."
"And you're still beautiful." He crossed the room and took her hands. "No matter what happens tonight—"
"Nothing's going to happen."
"Sara, listen to me." His eyes burned into hers. "No matter what happens, I need you to know that loving you was the best thing that ever happened to me. That you saved me. That you made me want to be a better man."
Sara's eyes filled with tears.
"And I need you to know that I chose you. Not because I had to. Not because of a contract. I chose you, Adrian Volkov. And I would choose you again. Every time."
Adrian kissed her—slow, deep, desperate.
When they broke apart, both were breathing hard.
"Ready?" he whispered.
Sara took his hand.
"Ready."
The church loomed in the darkness.
It was old, abandoned, stained glass windows shattered, doors hanging crooked. Moonlight painted the ruins in silver and shadow.
Their car stopped a block away.
"Wait for my signal," Adrian told the driver. "If you don't hear from us in one hour, you come in hot."
"Yes, sir."
Adrian turned to Sara. "Last chance to change your mind."
"Stop asking." She squeezed his hand. "Together, remember?"
He nodded.
They walked toward the church.
The doors creaked open.
Inside, candles flickered—dozens of them, lining the aisle, casting dancing shadows on the walls.
And at the altar, waiting with that terrible smile, stood Dimitri.
"Welcome, brother," he called out. "Welcome, dear sister. I'm so glad you came."
Behind him, tied to the altar, was a woman.
Sara didn't recognize her.
But Adrian's reaction told her everything.
He stumbled backward, his face going pale, his breath catching.
"Mother?" he whispered.
Sara's blood turned to ice.
Dimitri laughed—a horrible, empty sound.
"Surprise."
Questions for Readers:
Is that REALLY Adrian's mother? If yes, how is she alive after 20 years?
What do you think Dimitri's real plan is?
How will Adrian react when he finds out the truth?
What would YOU do if you were Sara right now?
Prediction time: Who makes it out of this church alive? 👀
Drop your theories in the comments below! And don't forget to VOTE if you want the next chapter faster! ⭐
See you in the next chapter! 💕