The soldiers remained silent and stiff as Theo and Ava crossed the tarmac, the rich silence heavy with anticipation. Salvatore stood at their center — taller, more threatening than Theo remembered — a dramatic silhouette against the purple-black heavens. His piercing grey eyes glimmered with a dangerous mixture of rage and satisfaction.
"It's time we settle this once and for all, Harper." Salvatore's voice was gravelly, rich with years of rivalry. "Your reign is over. Whatever peace you believed you made… it was a temporary illusion."
Ava pressed herself against Theo's side. Her pulse quickened, not from fear but from a rich, elemental resolve. She was not the sheltered wife waiting on the sidelines — she was his queen, his equal in power and danger.
"For us, it's not over." Theo said quietly, a rich thread of confidence tying together every word. "It's just beginning."
Suddenly, soldiers from both sides raised their weapons — a dramatic showdown about to explode under the purple-black heavens — the future of their empire, their marriage, their family all resting on the rich moment about to unfold.