The rain fell in thick, dramatic sheets now, turning the tarmac into a shimmering mirror of chaos. Theo pressed forward, his soldiers fanning out around him, a rich formation meant to cut off Salvatore's men from all exits.
A shot flew past Theo's shoulder — close enough to draw a rich bead of blood — and Ava cried out, not in fear but in rage. "They tried to take you from me… from us… NO MORE."
Ignoring Theo's protective arm, Ava raised her pistol and fired back — a rich crack against thunder — dropping the soldier who'd tried to harm her king.
Suddenly, a voice called from the rooftop — a voice Theo recognized immediately. His most trusted lieutenant, Marco, stood there… alongside Salvatore.
"Betrayed from within." Theo whispered, rich disbelief battling pure rage. "Marco… you…?"
Marco nodded, a dramatic silhouette against the thunderous heavens. "Your reign made me rich… but not rich enough. I made a deal… a future without you."
For a moment, silence fell — rich, heavy, oppressive — as Theo and Ava faced the greatest betrayal of all: their own.
The showdown was no longer about power; it was about loyalty… about the soul of their empire… about love and revenge in its rawest form.