Gio was being driven far away from Ashvale—farther than he realized. The journey dragged on for hours with no sign of stopping.
His head was covered, his hands and feet tightly bound. His aging body could barely endure the strain anymore. Every bump, every turn weighed on him heavier than the last.
He lay limp, knowing he wasn't ready to face whatever waited ahead, yet there was no escape left.
Running was no longer an option. In his mind, this felt like the end of his life.
A bitter chuckle slipped from his throat, mocking himself. How foolish he'd been. If only he had been firmer with Kiera, maybe all of this could have been avoided.
As if she would have listened—he snorted at the thought.
"Kiera…" His voice cracked as he whispered her name.
"Look what you've done… I wanted a quiet life. That's all. But you… you were greedy."
His words dissolved into sobs. "Look where you've dragged me…"
He wailed openly, grief pouring out of him.
