Chapter 172 CHAPTER 172:THE SHOT
The night air around the isolated house was heavy with tension.
Police vehicles were hidden among the trees, their engines silent, lights off. Officers moved carefully through the darkness, surrounding the property one position at a time.
No one spoke loudly.
Only quiet whispers through radios.
Inside one of the vehicles, Wayne stared at the house.
Four days.
Four endless days of imagining every terrible possibility.
His hands clenched into fists.
“She’s in there,” he murmured.
The lead detective beside him nodded.
“Our surveillance confirmed two people moving inside. One male, one female.”
Wayne’s chest tightened.
Elara.
He could almost see her through the walls.
He imagined her sitting somewhere inside, scared but strong, her hands resting over their baby.
His jaw tightened.
Hold on. I’m here.
The detective lifted his radio.
“All units ready?”
One by one, quiet responses came through.
“Unit one ready.”
“Unit two ready.”
“Perimeter secured.”
The detective gave a final nod.
“We move in.”
Upstairs, Elara stood slowly near the door of the room Calvin had kept her in.
Her body ached.
Her back hurt constantly.
Her stomach felt tight with pressure.
But something deep inside her felt different tonight.
Her instincts screamed that something was about to happen.
Downstairs, Calvin zipped up the last bag and grabbed a pistol from the table.
Elara saw it as he came back upstairs.
Her heart dropped.
“Why do you need that?” she asked quietly.
“Insurance.”
“You don’t need a gun.”
Calvin gave her a look.
“Your husband is looking for us.”
“And you think shooting him will solve anything?”
“I think it will stop him.”
Her breath caught.
“You wouldn’t.”
Calvin didn’t answer.
Instead, he walked toward the staircase.
“Let’s go.”
Outside, officers positioned themselves around the house.
Weapons ready.
Eyes focused.
The detective raised his hand.
“Three… two… one…”
The front door exploded open.
“POLICE!”
“DROP YOUR WEAPON!”
“FREEZE!”
The house erupted into chaos.
Calvin spun around instantly, his instincts kicking in.
“Elara, move!” he snapped.
But Elara was already frozen.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
Downstairs, armed officers flooded the living room.
Calvin grabbed Elara’s arm and pulled her toward him.
“Back up!” he shouted.
The officers aimed their weapons.
“Drop the gun!”
“Now!”
And then
Wayne stepped through the doorway.
The moment Elara saw him, her breath caught.
“Wayne!”
His eyes found her instantly.
“Elara!”
Relief crashed through both of them in the same second.
But Calvin’s grip tightened.
“Don’t come any closer,” he warned.
Wayne’s eyes locked onto his brother.
Four days of rage burned in them.
“It’s over, Calvin.”
Calvin laughed bitterly.
“You always think you win.”
“It doesn’t have to end like this.”
“It already did.”
The room was silent except for the heavy breathing of everyone present.
Wayne took a slow step forward.
“Let her go.”
Calvin’s arm tightened around Elara’s shoulder.
“She was supposed to choose me.”
Elara shook her head, tears in her eyes.
“Calvin, please stop.”
Wayne raised his hands slightly.
“Look at her.”
Calvin didn’t move.
“She’s pregnant,” Wayne continued. “You’re pointing a gun at a pregnant woman.”
For a brief moment, Calvin’s expression flickered.
Then hardened again.
“You took everything from me.”
“No.”
“Yes!”
“You’re doing this to yourself.”
Calvin’s hand tightened around the gun.
Wayne took another step forward.
“Put the gun down.”
“Stay back!”
The officers tensed.
Wayne’s voice softened.
“Calvin… it’s over.”
Calvin’s face twisted with rage.
“No.”
And suddenly
He raised the gun.
And fired.
Everything happened in less than a second.
Wayne barely had time to react.
But Elara did.
Her instincts moved before her mind could catch up.
She stepped forward.
Right in front of Wayne.
The gunshot echoed through the room.
And then—
Elara gasped.
Her body jerked violently.
The bullet hit her in the back.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Then she collapsed.
“ELARA!”
Wayne’s scream tore through the house.
Calvin stood frozen for a split second.
Then officers rushed forward.
“DROP THE GUN!”
“GET ON THE GROUND!”
Several officers tackled Calvin to the floor, ripping the weapon from his hand and forcing his arms behind his back.
“YOU’RE UNDER ARREST!”
Handcuffs clicked around his wrists.
But Wayne didn’t see any of it.
He was already on the floor beside Elara.
Blood spread across her back quickly.
Too quickly.
“Oh God… Elara… no… no…”
His hands trembled as he lifted her slightly.
“Stay with me,” he whispered desperately.
Her breathing was shallow.
Pain flickered across her face.
“Wayne…” she whispered weakly.
“I’m here.”
His voice cracked.
“I’m here, baby.”
Her hand moved weakly toward her stomach.
“The baby…”
Wayne’s heart shattered.
“The baby’s okay,” he said quickly, though he didn’t know yet.
“Just stay with me.”
Blood soaked through his hands.
“MEDIC!” he shouted.
“WE NEED AN AMBULANCE NOW!”
Officers rushed to call emergency services.
But Wayne barely heard them.
His world had narrowed to one thing.
Elara.
Her skin was pale.
Her breathing shaky.
Her fingers weakly clutched his shirt.
“I didn’t want him to shoot you,” she whispered faintly.
Tears filled Wayne’s eyes.
“You shouldn’t have moved.”
“I had to.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Her lips trembled.
“I couldn’t lose you.”
Wayne pressed his forehead against hers.
“You’re not losing me.”
His voice broke.
“But you might lose me.”
“Don’t say that!”
Sirens wailed in the distance.
But Wayne felt like they were miles away.
Too far.
Too slow.
“Elara, listen to me,” he said urgently.
“You stay awake.”
“I’m trying…”
“Look at me.”
Her eyes fluttered open again.
“Our baby needs you,” he whispered.
“And I need you.”
More blood seeped across the floor.
Wayne pressed his hand against the wound, trying to stop it.
“Hold on,” he begged.
“Just hold on.”
The ambulance lights finally appeared outside.
Paramedics rushed in with a stretcher.
“She’s losing a lot of blood!” one of them said.
“We need to move her now!”
They carefully lifted her onto the stretcher.
Wayne followed beside them, refusing to let go of her hand.
Her fingers squeezed his weakly.
“Wayne…”
“Yes.”
“If something happens”
“Nothing is happening!”
His voice cracked again.
“You hear me?”
Her eyes softened.
“I love you.”
Wayne felt his chest shatter.
“I love you more.”
The paramedics rushed her into the ambulance.
Wayne climbed inside immediately.
The doors slammed shut.
And as the sirens screamed into the night, Wayne held Elara’s hand tightly.
Praying desperately that he hadn’t found her only to lose her.
And praying even harder that their baby was still alive.