Antonio's POV
Everything had led to this.
Ayra sat beside me in the surveillance van, her eyes locked on the screens, fingers lightly tapping her thigh in rhythm with her nerves. We'd planned every detail for weeks—every alley watched, every camera synched, every officer briefed. Victor wasn't just a shadow from Selene's past anymore—he was a threat that had to be erased.
And today, justice would meet him face to face.
"He's moving," Ayra said suddenly, pointing to the screen where Victor's figure slipped into the hospital's rear entrance. "Just like we predicted."
Selene was safe at home under police protection—though she didn't know the exact plan. We told her enough to keep her aware, but not afraid. This wasn't her burden anymore. It was ours.
"Team Alpha, confirm position," I said into the mic.
"Alpha in position. Rear corridor covered."
"Bravo?"
"All exits secured. He won't get out."
Victor strolled through the hallway like he owned it, unaware of the quiet storm behind the walls. Unaware that every step was being tracked, recorded. This time, there would be no running. No hiding behind smirks or twisted excuses.
"He's texting someone," Ayra murmured. "It's her. Still trying to lure her."
I clenched my jaw. The audacity.
Then I gave the signal.
"Move in."
The response was immediate. Tactical boots hit the tiled floor. Radios buzzed. And before Victor could react, he was pinned—four armed officers surrounding him, their badges gleaming.
He snarled, tried to fight, but there was no escape. The team was trained, swift, and merciless in precision. His phone was seized. Everything recorded. All the proof needed.
"You're under arrest for stalking, harassment, unlawful access to private property, and violation of restraining orders," one officer read, voice firm.
"And attempted blackmail," Ayra added softly, stepping into the corridor.
Victor's eyes landed on her—and for a second, fear flickered in them.
"You," he spat.
"Yes," she replied calmly. "Me. And guess what? You lose."
Two weeks later
The courtroom was cold, but justice blazed.
Evidence stacked. Screenshots, recordings, past restraining orders, statements from staff who'd witnessed his behavior. Selene never had to testify—Antonio made sure of that. Ayra did, though. And she did it with power.
Victor stood handcuffed, lips curled in a defeated sneer.
The judge's voice cut through the silence.
"Given the overwhelming evidence, including prior offenses and patterns of obsessive behavior, I hereby sentence the accused to twenty-five years of imprisonment without parole, with immediate transfer to high-security federal custody."
The gavel struck.
And with it—peace.
Victor was led away, eyes hollow, silenced at last by the very justice he thought he could outwit.
Later, Antonio stood with Ayra just outside the courtroom.
"It's over," she said.
He nodded, then looked up at the sky.
"No. It's just beginning."
Because now… Selene's life could finally begin again—without shadows.
And Antonio couldn't wait to live every second of it with her.