Chapter 25: The Breach-1
The sun had nearly vanished beyond the trees, casting long, skeletal shadows across the cabin
walls.
Upstairs, Beckett stood motionless by the window, head tilted slightly as he peered through the
curtain.
Nothing.
Just trees.
Just the last breath of light bleeding from the sky.
But… something tugged at the edge of his awareness.
A sound? A shift? A whisper in the stillness?
He squinted harder, eyes scanning the fading treeline. For a moment, he thought he saw movement-something soft and unnatural against the branches.
But when he looked again, the woods were undisturbed.
Just wind. Just nerves.
Or so they wanted him to think.
His jaw relaxed as his smile twisted into something wild, triumphant.
“You’re nothing compared to me, Blackwood! I outsmarted you! My plan is solid. I won!”
Downstairs, Maya crouched behind the couch, her fingers locked so tightly around the cold fireplace poker that her knuckles burned white.
Her knees dug into the floor, her breathing shallow, controlled.
The temperature in the room had dropped with the setting sun. Shadows now pooled in the corners. The fire had long since died. But the cold that crept in wasn’t just from the air.
It was the kind that came with knowing something terrible was about to happen.
And then… Click.
The door at the top of the stairs opened.
Footsteps.
Slow. Calculated.
The Areny 1
Beckett descended like a man walking into a dream of his own making, the last slivers of sunset catching the edge of the syringe in his hand. His smile was serene.
“Oh, honey…” he purred, voice thick with something foul. “Are you ready?”
Maya’s breath caught. She didn’t move. Not yet.
Beckett moved to the center of the room, gesturing grandly with the syringe like a magician about
to reveal a final trick.
“Did you know the transfer story was actually true?” he said, laughing bitterly. “But it’s bullshit. Imagine this: out of nowhere, the director tells me l’offended someone’-” he raised two fingers in mocking air quotes-“and suddenly I’m being reassigned. Humanitarian mission. Pfft. As if I’d waste my brilliance on that crap.”
His laughter rang sharp and ugly.
“They wanted me gone before sunrise, Maya. That’s what they said.” He leaned in slightly, his eyes gleaming. “But guess what? I’m not some pushover. I paid someone to take that flight-using my
identity.”
He stepped closer to the couch.
“And eventually, I figured it out. It all made sense. Blackwood.”
Her stomach clenched.
“You told your man-whore about me, didn’t you? That some good-looking doctor was chasing you? And of course, his ego couldn’t take it. He probably realized I’m better than him in every way. So he pulled strings. Had me erased. Ordered out.” Beckett spat the words.
“Hah! In his dreams!”
He licked his lips. “I always get what I want, Maya. And this time-it’s YOU.”
He was pacing now, unhinged, manic.
“You were so easy. I told you it was goodbye-and you believed me. God, you even smiled! Hahahaha… you sweet, tired little fool. All I had to do was turn on the AC. You didn’t even notice.”
He tapped his temple.
“I put something in the airflow. Enough to knock you out. Admirable, though-considering how sleep-deprived you were, I expected you to be out in minutes. But no-you fought it. I had to drink four liters of water just to keep myself upright!”
He howled with laughter.
D
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ipte 25. The Breach 1
“You’re something else, Maya. Really. Didn’t expect you to sleep seven hours! SEVENI
His steps grew slower, darker.
“But now… it’s time.” His voice dropped. “Don’t worry-I’ll be gentle. I promise.”
He took one more step forward-
And Maya sprang from behind the couch with a cry of pure instinct, swinging the poker with everything she had.
Crack!
It connected hard with his thigh.
Beckett let out a monstrous, guttural scream, stumbling to the side and dropping the syringe.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.