CHAPTER 131: FRACTURED PROMISES

CHAPTER 131: FRACTURED PROMISES
"What kept you from telling me?" My voice trembled as I asked.

Damian averted his gaze, his jaw clenched. "I believed I was keeping you safe."

"Guarding me?" I sneered. "By lying? By maintaining secrecy?

He took a step toward her. "I didn't want to lose you, Ivanka."

With tears in my eyes, I said, "You lost me the moment you put the cause before us."

I retreated when he reached out. "Avoid it."

"Please, Ivanka," he begged. "I never intended to cause you harm."

"But you did," I said in a whisper. "Repeatedly."

He cast a sheepish glance down. "I believed I was acting appropriately."

"For whom? The uprising? Orion? You?” I insisted.

He looked directly into my eyes. "For everybody."

I gave a headshake. "Not for me."

A thick and agonizing silence loomed between us.

I whispered, "I had faith in you." "Although everything else crumbled."

He declared, "I still believe in us."

I looked away. "Perhaps we are now on opposing sides."

I whispered, "Goodbye, Damian," and turned away as he stretched out once more.

A chilly, familiar voice resonated behind me as I moved into the shadows.

"Ivanka, you're leaving so quickly?"

I went cold.

I cautiously turned and noticed a guy coming out of the shadows.

Ethan was the one.

alive.

Grinning.

“Miss me?” he asked.

I gasped. It felt as though my feet were cemented into the earth.

"Ethan?" I muttered. "You should be dead by now."

The shadows encircled his face like a mask as he stepped closer. He never stopped smiling. "Ivanka, I was never truly gone. Simply put, you weren't prepared to see me.

I made fists with my hands. My heart was racing. "You told us all lies. You took advantage of me.

He cocked his head. Did you use it? No, no, sweetheart. I made you.

My chest constricted. "That isn't accurate."

"It is," he murmured. "You were involved in the idea from the start. Not even Damian is all-knowing.

The ground tilted beneath me. "You're lying once more."

"Am I?" Ethan produced a tiny black gadget. "Are you familiar with this?"

Slowly, I shook my head.

"This is your mental key. I can make you forget who you are with just one press. can cause you to harm the people you care about.

My blood froze.

"You would not," I remarked.

Calmly, he responded, "I would." "Unless... you accompany me back." Right now.

He walked a step further. “Ivanka, you are mine.”

Then there was a sharp snap behind me. I turned around.

Damian. The gun went up. All eyes were on Ethan.

Damian said, "Touch her, and I'll put you down."

Ethan chuckled. "You believe I'm afraid of you?"

I moved between them. "Stop fighting."

Ethan lifted the gadget. He ran his finger across the button.

"Ivanka," said Damian, his voice breaking. "Don't pay attention to him."

My heart was split in two.

I turned to face Ethan. Next, at Damian. My head was hammering.

Everything turned black as Ethan's finger moved.

My ears rang with a loud noise. I dropped to my knees.

Ethan was gone when I opened my eyes.

Damian was, too.

And the gadget in my palm was blinking red, and I was by myself.

From it came a buzzing voice.

Welcome home, Ivanka.

The device's red blinking light became brighter. It still had the voice in it.

"Ivanka, welcome back home."

My hands trembled as I gazed at it. "This isn’t my home," I muttered. "Not anymore."

However, the voice chuckled. In addition to Ethan, it sounded like someone else. Like a ghost in the wind, a mixture of calm and chilly.

It repeated, "Ivanka, come back." "You belong here with us."

I tossed the gadget to the floor.

It remained intact.

Rather, like a warning, it blinked more rapidly—red, red, red.

I made a full circle. "Damian?" I made a call. My voice reverberated through the passageway. "Damian!"

No response.

I snatched up the gadget and took off.

There were just dim blue lights to guide me down the dark hallway. My boots slammed on the floor. I let out brief breaths of breath.

I had to locate him.

I had to know he was all right.

I turned and came to a stop. There was smoke in the air. I waved it off when I noticed something that broke my heart.

A path of blood.

new.

leading to a door that was broken.

"No." With wobbly knees, I took a step closer. "Please don't."

I opened the door with a push.

Damian was lying down.

Still.

bleeding.

I sat down next to him and shook his shoulders. "Hey! Get up! It's me!

His eyes opened a little. "Ivanka." He spoke in such a gentle tone. "He... he accepted it."

"Who?"

"He took the code, Ethan. The last component.

I took hold of his hand. "You'll be all right. I swear.

Damian, however, shook his head. You must put an end to him. Regardless.

My face was wet with tears. "I won't abandon you."

He gave me a direct glance. "You must."

The sound of heavy boots reverberated through the passageway behind me.

Nearer.

Nearer.

Then, "She's here," a deep voice snarled.

I gently turned around.

There were three soldiers present. The man in the center, however, was not wearing a helmet.

I let out a gasp.

Marcus was the one.

The elder brother of Damian.

The person who passed away five years prior.

He smiled at me.

"Hello," he said to Ivanka. "Do you miss me?"