Pearl raised the gun slowly, steady despite the trembling in her hands. The barrel pointed directly at Mayra, who clutched her bleeding chest, eyes wild but fading.
Pearl's voice was cold, cutting through the chaos like a blade:"This is the end, Mayra."
She took a slow, deliberate breath, her eyes never leaving Myra's."It's not my fault that I got everything."
Her tone softened, just a flicker of pity breaking through the steel."I feel sorry for you. For all you lost."
A pause. The weight of all their broken pasts hung heavy between them.
"But that doesn't mean you get to take my life."
The gun didn't waver.
"Not now. Not ever."
Mayra's breath came ragged, pain sharp in her chest, but her eyes burned fiercely, refusing to yield.
She laughed—a harsh, broken sound that echoed with sorrow and rage.
"You think this ends with a gun pointed at me?" Her voice cracked but held venom. "You think I'm the villain here?"
She coughed, blood spotting her lips, but her glare never faltered.
"No, Pearl. The real cruelty… was forgetting."
Her voice dropped to a whisper, raw and hollow."You forgot what we lost. What I lost."
For a moment, the fire in her eyes flickered—something closer to pain than hate.
Then, with a bitter smile, she whispered, "Maybe… this is the only way to end it."
She lowered her gaze, as if surrendering to a fate neither of them wanted but both had to face
Before Pearl could react, Vansh voice cut through the thick silence—low, fierce, resolute.
"No more."
In a heartbeat, Vansh moved faster than anyone expected.
His hand closed around the gun, steady despite the shaking around him.
A sharp crack split the air.
Myra's body jerked violently, eyes wide with shock and something like relief—then she crumpled to the ground, the fight finally draining from her.
Vansh stood over her, chest heaving, voice heavy with pain and finality.
"It's over."
He looked down at Pearl, his eyes softening for the first time in what felt like forever.
"We're free."
Pearl's voice cracked as she stared at Vansh, eyes wide with disbelief and hurt."No, Vansh… I don't know who you are after what you've done."
Her hands trembled, tears spilling over."Take her to the hospital. Now. Or I don't know what I'll do with myself."
Vansh expression faltered for a moment, then he nodded silently, urgency flooding his movements.
They rushed Myra through the storm-slick streets, the tension thick and suffocating.
Hours later, in a sterile hospital room, a doctor's calm voice cut through the silence."Mayra has suffered severe trauma. However…"
Pearl and Vansh leaned in, breath held tight.
"She has retrograde amnesia. She's lost her memories—her recent past and perhaps much more."
The words hung heavy, leaving a fragile space where the past was wiped clean, but the future remained uncertain.
Pearl exchanged a glance with Vansh—both shaken, uncertain, but somehow, still tethered by what they shared.
Pearl sank into the hospital chair, exhaustion washing over her. She glanced at Vansh, who was leaning against the wall, eyes tired but thoughtful.
A fragile calm settled between them.
Pearl let out a shaky breath, voice quieter now:"Maybe… maybe it's a good thing she lost her memory."
Vansh nodded slowly, a small, weary smile touching his lips."We can start fresh. Tell her she's my cousin. Someone she can trust."
Pearl met his gaze, relief flickering in her eyes."If she believes that, maybe she won't hurt us again. Maybe we can all find some peace."
Vansh hand brushed hers briefly—a silent promise amid the uncertainty.
"We protect her. And ourselves."
Outside, the storm softened, rain slowing to a gentle patter, as if the world itself was holding its breath—waiting to see what came next.