Chapter 58: Evelyn’s Ultimatum

Chapter 58: Evelyn’s Ultimatum
Evelyn’s POV 

A shift happened when the lights flickered and the countdown stopped. The atmosphere transformed into something denser and more alive with an indescribable energy. I was uncertain about who stood behind the door but the sight of Victor startled me like a ghost while I sensed his shaken confidence throughout my body.

I remained motionless with my hands bound and feeling the ropes gouge my skin. I kept silent about the pain my body felt from staying seated too long in this chair. His gaze remained fixed on me across the room but he had lost his smug and relaxed demeanor. His eyes moved to the door repeatedly because he believed a monster might break through at any moment. And maybe he did. 

I broke the silence with a whispered observation of his fear.

He didn’t answer. He remained motionless while his gaze fixed upon the steel door as though it could utter words once more.

You believed you were in control but the situation has shifted beyond your control now. Who is it, Victor? Who’s on the other side?” 

Still nothing. A twitch in his jaw revealed what he was trying to hide.

I’d never seen Victor shaken before. He was the sort of person who made others feel weak, who always thought three steps ahead, and who could smile when threatening you. His face suddenly lost its power as if someone had pressed an internal switch that drained his strength away.

The silence extended between them until the faint ticking of a malfunctioning countdown on the screen broke through.

What do you want to discuss about the past? “Let’s talk about choices. We should discuss how you and Serena destroyed countless lives and abducted children to support their twisted belief system.

Victor pivoted with eyes that remained icy yet lost their former serenity. “Don’t act like you were innocent, Evelyn. You knew. You hid it. You picked silence when you had the chance to stop it.

My stomach turned, but I didn’t flinch. “Yes. I stayed quiet. I tried to protect them. But I didn’t drug people. I provided truthful information regarding paternity and used real identities. I remained faithful to my principles and never traded my soul to become a god.

He moved closer as he spoke in a quiet tone. “You think you’re better than me? You’re not. You’re nothing but another coward who couldn’t withstand facing reality.

“No,” I snapped. The moment of truth hit me when I understood that Adrian and Damien were stripped away from their lives along with a family and trust and everything they rightfully earned. And now they’ll never be the same.” 

A clamp held my throat but I pushed through to speak.

You’ll never get my forgiveness for what you inflicted on them.

Victor examined me closely as though he was weighing whether my words held true meaning. I did. Every word. The suffering those boys experienced was beyond my ability to heal but I remained committed to fighting for them. The confrontation began by identifying my enemy who was positioned only inches from me.

After waiting for several seconds Victor said "I won’t ask you for forgiveness." “It was never about forgiveness.” 

“Then what is it about?” I asked. 

He retreated and picked up the tablet from the desk surface. “Legacy.” 

A file opened. Names. Pictures. The files showed pictures of children where I recognized some faces but most remained unfamiliar to me.

He declared that his creation surpassed any biological family connection. “I created evolution. You all clung to morals. I built futures.” 

I examined the screen before turning to meet his gaze. “You built graves.” 

The steel door took another hit which produced a louder noise.

Victor jerked his head toward it. His eyes narrowed. 

The voice returned softer than before but maintained its firmness. “Open the door, Victor.” 

His fingers hesitated over the security panel. His hand trembled. 

“Who is it?” I asked, voice sharp. “Who did you forget?” 

He stared at me first then looked toward the door before his gaze returned to me.

“He shouldn’t be alive.” 

The fur on the back of my neck stood up.

The keypad emitted a red buzz and became locked from the outside before I could ask anything further.

Victor swore under his breath. “That’s not possible.” 

Perhaps your creation picked up some skills along the way.

I strained to move my wrists while shifting in my seat but the ropes maintained their firm grip. My temple wound pulsed painfully while thick blood clung to my skin. But I had to stay alert. Something was coming. My survival depended on my readiness.

Victor started pacing, fast and frantic. He muttered to himself—words I couldn’t catch. The labels "A-3" and "the final step" were familiar terms I had seen in archived documents. I knew he had others. Experiments. Children. Ghosts. 

I questioned him quietly about his actions. “Who did you leave behind?” 

He didn’t answer. His eyes remained fixed on the screen as each camera faded into darkness.

Then something unexpected happened. 

The lights turned off completely. 

Total darkness. 

I held my breath. 

And then, a hum. This deep vibration resonated inside your chest in an unnatural way.

A blue light shone from the door’s edge as if energy crept along the frame.

Victor backed away. “No. No. He doesn’t have the access code. He shouldn’t be able to—” 

The steel door slid open. 

A figure stood in the doorway. Not Kieran. Not the boys. 

He was tall. Dressed in black. Hood low over his face. I noticed the distinct shape of his jaw. Sharp. Young. Familiar. 

Victor stared, frozen. 

"You were supposed to be dead," he whispered, barely audible.

The figure stepped inside. 

And spoke one word. 

“Father.” 

My heart dropped. 

I looked between them, the room spinning. 

Victor’s lips parted in horror. “Ezra…” 

The figure pushed back his hood. The man’s youthful appearance suggested he was twenty or perhaps a few years younger while his eyes revealed nothing at all. Not angry. Not kind. Just… nothing. 

Victor asked through a cracking voice what brought him there.

Ezra didn’t answer. He moved with deliberate slowness to the control panel while completely disregarding Victor. Victor did not function as either the mastermind or the creator.

Like he was just… background noise. 

“Ezra, stop,” Victor tried again. “You don’t understand. You weren’t ready—” 

“I understand enough,” Ezra said. 

He pressed something on the panel. 

Suddenly, my ropes loosened. 

I let out a sharp gasp as I released my arms and massaged my wrists. Blood rushed back to my fingers. 

Victor spun toward him, panic clear now. “What are you doing? !” 

Ezra turned to him slowly. “Finishing what you started.” 

The lights flickered back on. 

Every screen displayed a countdown. 

Five minutes. 

A distorted voice emerged through the speakers which didn’t sound like Ezra.

“This facility will self-destruct in five minutes. Please evacuate.” 

Victor leaped at the control panel while Ezra intercepted his wrist movement.

“You made me obey,” Ezra said. “But you forgot to make me forget.” 

Ezra pushed Victor back with such force that he slammed into the table behind him and was left gasping for air.

I didn’t wait. 

I ran. 

My legs protested with pain but I kept running. I didn’t look back. 

The alarms began to blare when I opened the hallway door while feeling the walls getting hotter.

Ezra had flipped the game. 

As I rounded the corner and approached the stairwell I spotted him once more.

Ezra. 

Standing at the end of the hall. 

His hand was still on the detonator. 

Someone else moved into the light beside him.

I froze. 

It was a woman. 

And she looked just like Serena.