Chapter 84: Not anymore

The night felt suffocating, the oppressive silence broken only by the sound of Alex's heartbeat pounding in his ears. He could feel the weight of Evelyn's words still hanging in the air like a poison, slowly seeping into his thoughts. This was far from over. The game she had played with him was only beginning, and it would come with a price—a price he was unsure he was ready to pay.

"Do you think you can run from this, Alex?" Evelyn's voice echoed in his mind. "You can't hide. This city is mine, and you're just another casualty in the making."

Alex clenched his fists at his sides, trying to shake off the dread that had settled over him. He had made it this far, hadn't he? He had survived the lies, the betrayals, the endless manipulation. He couldn't let her take him down now, not after everything he'd fought for.

"Stay close," Max said in a low, urgent tone, pulling Alex back from his thoughts.