Chapter 77 Chaos And Baits
The barrel of the gun remained locked against Julian’s forehead, yet the hand holding it wavered. Seraphina’s fingers trembled violently, the metal quivering against his skin, every faint touch louder than a gunshot in the look suffocating silence of the room. Her breaths came shallow and uneven, as though her lungs were fighting not to close down.
Julian did not flinch as he waited for the gun to come.
“I’m right here,” he murmured, voice low but sure. “Do it.”
Seraphina’s lips parted, but no sound came. Her throat worked helplessly, her gaze fixed on him as though trying to reconcile the man before her with the truth that had shattered her world. Her child’s father was also her father’s killer.
Her finger twitched on the trigger.
The room held its breath.
Balto leaned against the wall, savoring the spectacle as though the world itself had been arranged for his amusement. Talia, frozen, eyes darting between the pair, was consumed by a bitter storm of shock and jealousy.
Seconds stretched endlessly as Seraphina’s lips trembled. Her finger tightened, and then faltered.
A broken, quiet devastating sound escaped her throat.
The gun slipped from her hand. Metal clang against the floor, echoing loudly.
Julian’s eyes flew open.
Seraphina staggered backward as if drained of all strength. Her hands lifted, trembling, as though no longer her own. She looked at him, her gaze fractured.
Her voice came hollow and thin “Why…”
She shook her head, stepping back, distance forming like an invisible wall.
“Why did you make me feel for you?” she whispered, tears slipping soundlessly down her face. “Why didn’t you just leave me alone?”
Julian’s chest tightened. He instinctively stepped forward. She flinched and held a hand up to stop him. It struck him harder than any bullet ever could. He froze, regret swallowing him whole in that moment.
Seraphina looked at him with huge disappointment, “Why did you do it?” She asked silently.
Julia said nothing.
Balto decided to speak then.
“Well,” he drawled, “that was far more interesting than a gunshot.”
“Shut the fuck up, Balto.”
Balto’s gaze melted into mockery. “Hurt that the woman you came to save was ready to kill you at the first chance she had?”
“You ordered me to kill her father.” Julian said silently and everywhere grew colder.
Seraphina swallowed bitterly, her gaze flicking to Balto.
Balto didn’t deny it. Instead, he added, “You forgot to mention- and your father. We both wanted Richard dead. We both ordered you. And have you forgotten? Richard killed my wife. And now…” Balto’s gaze narrowed at Seraphina, his voice switching fully into a devilish tone. “I’m going to have fun killing her daughter.”
Julian immediately picked the gun Seraphina dropped on the floor and pointed it at Balto, but Balto’s gun was already pointing at him before he straightened back up. “Not so fast, Superman.”
Seraphina looked around to see that Balto’s men were now pointing guns at her and Julian. They were crowded
Talia’s gaze flickered, stunned by the scene before her. “Well, before you hurt them, don’t you think we have to find a way to Ope my father’s vault? What if she knows how?”
“Shut up, Talia. You aren’t leaving this place alive as well.” Balto revealed, but focus still on Julian.
One of Balto’s men was now pointing a gun at Talia. She trembled on her heels, betrayal slicing through her raw. Seraphina met her gaze and a small sad smile curled her lips.
“I would have loved to be the one to end you, Bastard.” She spat at Talia. But Talia was too shocked to feel insulted.
“Please Balto, don’t…dont do this to me. This…wasn’t the plan.” Talia’s lips quivered.
“Let Seraphina leave.” Julian said to Balto, his voice angry but also pleading.
Balto smirked. “Say please.”
Julian swallowed his pride. “Please.”
“I’m sorry. But I’m killing her first.” Balto said then cocked his gun at Seraphina within the twinkle of an eye. Julian’s eyes widened. Seraphina closed her eyes. Then the sound of gunshot filled the place.
It took a moment to realize that the shot hadn’t come from Balto, but someone else at the entrance. And it wasn’t shot at anyone, but shot to buy time.
Their gazes flicked to the entrance of the abandoned room to see who it was. Vincent. Julian hadn’t cherished Vincent’s loyalty in his life as he did in that moment.
He had warned him to stay back. But Vincent had showed anyway. He was flanked by men, a teenage girl in front of him, and a gun to head. Julian recognized her. Balto’s daughter.
Balto’s eyes widened.
The girl’s trembling voice rang out, “Dad, don’t let him kill me!”
Balto’s smirk faltered totally, forgetting he was about to kill Seraphina in that moment. “Don’t…you dare.” Balto’s voice broke for the first time since anyone got into that room.
Vincent’s eyes locked on him with lethal action.
“Put the gun down. It’s simple. You release Julian and Seraphina, and nobody gets hurt.”
Balto’s lips twisted, eyes on his son. “I’m very sorry, princess. You’ll be safe soon.”
Julian’s gaze sharpened incredulously. “So you are willing to protect your daughter, but expected me to give you my own son to sell him away?”
Balto’s daughter watched the scene in horror. “Dad? What…what is he talking about? How come…you are involved with this kind of people? Is it your money they want?” His daughter asked naively. Balto closed his eyes, hurt vivid in his features.
Vincent lowered his head into the girl’s ears and said, “Your father sell kids and kill innocent people for a living, girl.”
She shook. “Liar! You are lying!” Her gaze flicked to Balto again, her voice shaky. “Dad please…tell me he’s lying.”
Vincent cocked the gun, steady. “Let go, Balto.”
Balto’s men raised their weapons. Vincent’s reinforcements appeared behind him, guns now aimed at Balto, his men, and Talia.
Talia trembled, whispering sharply, “If I knew…”
Balto ignored her. He signaled his men to lower their guns. They obeyed.
A tense beat passed. Then Balto, in a flash, raised his weapon toward Vincent. Julian, reacting instantly, shoved him aside.
Chaos erupted and gunfire split the air. Vincent’s men fired; Balto fell and hit the floor even though the bullet didn’t meet him. He was weakened by the idea of his teenage daughter that he’s been protecting from his dark world getting to know about what he did beyond being a very wealthy business tycoon.
But when he looked around, all his men had been shot dead. The ones who weren’t dead yet were badly hurt and groaning on the floor.
Julian lunged forward then, seizing Balto by the neck, then pressed a gun to his temple.
“I dare you to come for my son or my wife in your afterlife. This bullshit ends now,” he growled.
Just when he was about to pull the trigger, Seraphina’s voice cut through, “Don’t!”
Julian looked up at her. “Why?”
“If you kill him,” she said, her voice strong despite trembling, “it shouldn’t be for me…or for our son. We are not part of this! Leave my son out of your bloody life!”
Julian’s chest ached at her words. He frowned. “If you now hate me so much,” he delivered quietly, “then maybe you should have killed me when you had the chance moments ago.”
Sera sobbed, shaking violently. Julian was now distracted, andfocused on her while Vincent still had the teenager in his arms. Talia was now rooted in a corner, shivering hard.
Balto didn’t waste time. One moment, he was pretending to be cowering, but now that he sense Julian’s distraction, he slowly removed a gun from his pocket.
“Watch out!” Vincent shouted when it was almost too late. But Seraphina wasn’t late. She had caught the action faster than anyone else, and before any action could take place, she had fired the gun in her hand- at Balto’s neck.
Everybody stilled. Even Seraphina’s hands shook terribly, the gun dropping from her hands. It clattered to the floor.
Julian’s eyes widened in stunned relief.
Balto crumpled, groaning as he palmed his neck, blood pumping out of the wounded nerves.
The teenage girl screamed in Vincent’s arms, “Dad!” Her voice almost broke, then she collapsed in his arms. Talia had fled while everyone else was focused on Balto.
The room stank of gunpowder and thick tension.
Seraphina covered her lips with shaky hands, shocked at the fact that she had taken a life for the first time in her life. And it was to save the man who killed her father. Julian Thorne.