Chapter 81: Almost Killed

A few days after their romantic date night, Zack and Amy returned to their normal routines. Zack was busy managing his company, while Amy focused on taking care of the twins. However, behind their happy family life, an unforeseen danger loomed.

One night, as Josh and Aliah slept soundly in their nursery, Amy heard an unusual noise from downstairs. She woke up from her deep sleep and gently shook Zack awake.

"Hon, did you hear that?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear.

Zack opened his eyes slightly, frowning. "What? What did you hear?"

"It sounded like something broke in the kitchen," Amy replied, her voice lowering as if afraid someone might overhear.

Zack immediately got up and grabbed the baseball bat he kept under their bed. "Stay here. I’ll check it out."

"Zack, don’t go alone!" Amy protested, but Zack refused.

"Don’t worry, Hon. Lock the door and don’t open it until I come back," he instructed before heading downstairs quickly.

Each step Zack took down the stairs heightened the tension. The house was eerily quiet except for the soft rustle of the curtains in the wind. When he reached the kitchen, he saw broken glass scattered on the floor. He scanned the area but saw no one.

Suddenly, he felt a cold draft. He noticed that the back door was slightly open, immediately raising his suspicion.

"Who's there?" Zack shouted, gripping the bat tightly.

Silence. All he could hear was the pounding of his own heartbeat and the faint chirping of crickets outside. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow move behind the refrigerator. He quickly turned and raised the bat, ready to defend himself.

In an instant, a masked man emerged from the darkness, wielding a knife. The man lunged at Zack, but Zack’s reflexes were sharp. He struck the intruder with the bat, causing him to drop the knife.

"You picked the wrong house!" Zack yelled, furious as he wrestled with the man.

The kitchen turned into chaos—chairs and items toppled over, plates shattered, and the noise of their scuffle filled the air. Meanwhile, upstairs, Amy was restless. She could hear the commotion, and despite her attempts to stay calm, she couldn’t stop herself from getting up.

She grabbed her phone and called the police while cautiously making her way downstairs. When she reached the kitchen, she saw Zack grappling with the intruder. She quickly spotted the knife on the floor.

"Zack!" Amy screamed as another man suddenly appeared from behind the door, holding a gun.

Before she could react, she felt the cold barrel of the gun pressed against her head.

"Drop it, or she’s dead," the man holding Amy threatened.

Zack froze, fear and rage etched on his face. He dropped the bat and slowly raised his hands. "Let her go. Whatever you want, just let her go."

The man smirked. "You think I came here for money? No. This is personal."

"What do you mean?" Zack asked, struggling to recall who these men might be.

The man didn’t answer. Instead, he dragged Amy toward the back door.

"No! Let her go!" Zack yelled, helpless as he followed them outside. Waiting for them was a black van.

Amy struggled against her captor. "Zack, don’t follow them!" she shouted, but she wasn’t released.

Before she could be shoved into the van, a gunshot rang out from a distance.

"Police! Drop your weapons!" an officer shouted as he arrived at the scene.

The men were startled, and in their moment of confusion, Zack seized the opportunity. He charged at the man holding Amy and punched him with all his strength. Amy was freed, and Zack quickly pulled her to safety.

The assailants were subdued by the police after a subsequent gunfire exchange.

"Are you okay?" Zack asked Amy, holding her tightly.

"Zack, I was so scared," Amy said, still trembling as she clung to her husband.

"Shh, you’re safe now. I won’t let anything happen to you or the kids," Zack assured her, trying to suppress his own tears of fear and anger.

As the police questioned Zack and Amy, they learned that the intruders were former enemies of Zack, seeking revenge for a failed business deal.

That night, while the twins slept peacefully, Zack and Amy sat silently on the couch, still shaken by the ordeal.

"Zack," Amy said, holding her husband’s hand, "we need to be more careful. It’s not just our lives at stake anymore. We have the twins to think about."

"I know," Zack replied with determination. "I’ll make sure this never happens again. I’ll do everything to protect you and our family."

Later that evening, Amy noticed Zack making tense phone calls outside their room. Although she couldn’t hear the conversation clearly, she could sense the weight of the matter.

"Hon, are you okay?" Amy asked when Zack returned to the room.

Zack smiled, but his expression revealed unease. "Yes, Hon. Everything’s fine. Just handling some work. Don’t worry about it."

Before Amy could press further, the doorbell rang. They exchanged worried glances.

"Who could it be at this hour?" Amy asked.

"I’ll check," Zack said, getting up and heading for the door. Amy followed, unable to calm her nerves.

When Zack opened the door, they were met by a familiar face—Don Arsenio Quizon, Amy’s father.

"Dad?" Amy exclaimed in surprise.

"My child…" Don Arsenio’s voice was weak but emotional. Before Amy could approach, she noticed blood staining his arm.

"Dad! What happened to you?" Amy cried, rushing to his side.

"Amy, go inside!" Zack ordered, helping Don Arsenio into the house while ensuring their surroundings were secure.

"What happened, Dad? Who did this to you?" Amy asked as she helped her father sit on the couch.

Don Arsenio took a deep breath before speaking. "It’s them, Amy. The same people who’ve been targeting your family for years. They’re after you… and your kids."

Amy’s eyes widened. "What? Even my children? Why, Dad? What do they have to do with us?"

Before Don Arsenio could answer, they heard footsteps outside. Zack quickly retrieved a gun from a nearby drawer.

"Stay here," Zack instructed Amy firmly. "Lock the doors and don’t come out unless I say so."

"Zack, what’s happening?" Amy asked, her voice trembling.

"Just trust me, Hon," Zack replied before rushing outside to confront the threat.

As Amy clung to her father, she begged, "Dad, please, tell me the truth. Who are these people? Why are they after us?"

Don Arsenio sighed deeply before answering. "Amy, there’s something I’ve hidden from you for a long time. Our family—the Quizon family—has ties to a group that’s been in a power struggle with the Delgados for years. And now, they’re using you as a target to destroy Zack."

"Dad…" Amy whispered, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"I’m sorry, my child," Don Arsenio said. "I thought distancing you from this life would end it all. But it seems they won’t stop. You need to be strong, Amy."

Suddenly, a gunshot echoed from outside. Amy screamed, but her father held her back. "Amy, don’t go out!"

But she didn’t listen. She stood and ran outside, seeing Zack in the midst of a fight with two armed men.

"Zack!" Amy screamed, but before she could get close, a man charged at her.

"AMY!" Zack shouted as he aimed his gun at the attacker.

In an instant, the man fell to the ground after Zack fired a shot. Amy, trembling, clung to Zack. "Are you okay?!"

Amy nodded, tears streaming down her face. "Zack… I was so scared…"

Zack put his arm around her and quickly led her back into the house. He immediately called his security team to ensure their safety.

As Zack held Amy close, he could feel her trembling. "Hon, I won’t let anything happen to you or the kids. I promise you that."

But deep inside, Zack knew this wasn’t the end. He knew he had to confront their enemies to ensure his family’s safety.

That night, Zack and Amy realized that this battle was far more dangerous than they had anticipated. Yet, despite the odds, they remained united, ready to face any threat to keep their family whole.