SIENNA POV
"We have to go after him!" I'm already grabbing my keys when Mara grabs my arm.
"Are you insane? Dad said to stay here!"
"Your dad is walking into a trap!" I pull free, heading for the door. "I'm not sitting here while he gets killed!"
"Then I'm coming with you." Mara's face is set. Determined. "He's still my father. Even if he's a lying, teenage-girl-kissing disaster."
We run to my car. I'm driving before my seatbelt is even buckled. The marina is ten minutes away. Julian left five minutes ago. We might already be too late.
"What if we're wrong?" Mara asks, gripping the dashboard. "What if it's really someone trying to help?"
"Then we apologize for interrupting." I press the gas harder. "But I don't think we're wrong."
My phone buzzes. Unknown number. I answer on speaker.
"Sienna." Lyra's voice fills the car. "Going somewhere?"
"How are you—" I start.
"Tracking your phone? Please. I've had access to all your phones since you arrived. I know everywhere you go. Everything you do." She laughs. "Turn around. Go home. Let Daddy handle this."
"So you CAN kill him?" I snap. "Not happening."
"I'm not going to kill him, you idiot. I'm saving him. From himself. From you. From all the terrible choices he keeps making." Lyra's voice goes cold. "But if you show up at that marina, everything changes. I'll release every photo. Every recording. Every dirty secret. And I'll make sure everyone knows YOU seduced him. That YOU planned this. That YOU destroyed this family."
Mara looks at me. Scared. Waiting.
I make a choice.
"Do it," I tell Lyra. "Release everything. I don't care anymore. Your father's life is worth more than my reputation."
I hang up. Keep driving.
"That was really brave," Mara says quietly. "Or really stupid."
"Probably both." My hands are shaking on the wheel. "Mara, I'm sorry. For everything. I never meant to hurt you."
"I know." She's quiet for a second. "I'm still mad. But I also—" She stops. Starts again. "I saw how you looked at him. When you pulled him from the lake. You were terrified. Really terrified. That's not how someone looks when they're just trying to seduce someone."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying maybe you actually care about him. Like, really care." Mara's voice breaks. "Which somehow makes this worse. Because I can't even hate you properly."
We reach the marina. My headlights catch the scene immediately.
Julian. On the dock. Hands raised. Backing away from someone.
Marcus. Holding a gun.
"Oh my God," Mara breathes. "Marcus? Why does Marcus have a gun?"
I don't answer. I'm already out of the car, running. Stupid. Reckless. But I can't watch Julian die.
"STOP!" I scream.
Both men turn. Marcus's eyes go wide when he sees me.
"Sienna, get back in the car!" Julian yells.
"Not happening!" I keep running toward them. "Marcus, put the gun down!"
"I can't do that." Marcus swings the gun toward me. "I told Julian—anyone who interferes dies. I meant it."
Mara gets out of the car. "Uncle Marcus? What's going on?"
Marcus's face twists. He's known Mara since she was born. Watched her grow up. And now he's pointing a gun at people she loves.
"Get back in the car, Mara," Marcus says. His voice is shaking. "This doesn't involve you."
"You're pointing a gun at my DAD! How doesn't this involve me?"
"Because he deserves this!" Marcus shouts. "Do you know what it's like? Working for someone for twenty years? Building HIS business? Making HIM rich? While I get scraps? While I stay in his shadow?"
"So you teamed up with his ex-wife to destroy him?" I ask, trying to get closer. Keep him talking. Distract him. "That's your big plan?"
"It's a perfect plan. Vanessa gets Julian back. I get his money. Everyone wins."
"Except Sarah," Julian says coldly. "The woman you just murdered."
Mara gasps. "What? Uncle Marcus killed someone?"
"She was going to ruin everything!" Marcus is unraveling. The gun waves around wildly. "She wanted money. Real money. More than Vanessa promised me. I couldn't let her—"
A gunshot cracks through the air.
Everyone freezes.
Marcus looks down. Blood spreads across his shoulder. He drops the gun, stumbling backward.
Another shot. This one hits the dock beside his feet.
We all spin around. Someone's standing at the far end of the marina. Holding a rifle.
Lyra.
"Nobody threatens my father," she says, walking closer. The rifle is steady in her hands. Professional. "Not Vanessa. Not Sarah. And definitely not you, Marcus."
"Lyra?" Julian's voice is strangled. "You just—you saved me?"
"Don't sound so surprised." She keeps the rifle trained on Marcus. "I wanted to make you suffer, not die. There's a difference." She glances at me. "Call the police. Now."
I pull out my phone. My hands are shaking so badly I can barely dial.
Sirens in the distance. Someone already called. Maybe Sarah's body was found. Maybe someone heard the shots.
Marcus is on his knees, holding his bleeding shoulder. "This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this—"
"You betrayed your best friend," Lyra says flatly. "You murdered my mother. You threatened a teenage girl. What did you THINK was going to happen?"
Police cars screech into the marina. Officers pour out. Guns drawn.
"Drop the weapon!" they shout at Lyra.
She puts the rifle down carefully. Hands up. "The man bleeding is the murderer. Check the water. You'll find his victim."
Everything happens fast after that. Marcus is arrested. Divers find Sarah's body. Lyra is taken for questioning but she's clearly defending us, not attacking.
Julian pulls Mara and me close. His whole body is shaking.
"It's over," he whispers. "It's finally over."
But I know better. Because Vanessa is still out there. With her photos. With her blackmail.
And then I see her. Standing at the edge of the parking lot. Watching. Smiling.
She holds up her phone. Points at it. Mouths: "Sunrise. Don't forget."
Then she's gone.
Julian saw her too. His face goes gray.
"It's not over," he says. "Marcus was just one piece. Vanessa is still out there. Still has the photos."
"Then we deal with her," I say firmly. "Together."
"Together?" Mara asks. "You mean like—you're staying? Even after all this?"
I look at Julian. At this man who's been betrayed by everyone. Who nearly died tonight. Who's still standing despite everything.
"I'm staying," I say. "If you'll have me."
"Sienna—" he starts.
"I know. I know all the reasons why you shouldn't. But I'm done pretending I don't care. I'm done running." I take his hand. Right in front of Mara. Right in front of the police and witnesses and everyone. "I choose you, Julian Cross. Even if it ruins me."
Mara looks between us. Sighs. "You guys are so dramatic."
"Is that—are you saying—" Julian can barely speak.
"I'm saying I'm not going to LIKE this. And you both owe me like, a million apologies. But—" Mara's eyes fill with tears. "But I almost lost my dad tonight. And life's too short to waste time being mad."
Julian hugs her. Tight. She hugs back.
I stand aside, giving them their moment. My phone buzzes.
A text from Lyra: "Nice speech. Very romantic. But you're forgetting something. I still have copies of those photos too. And unlike Vanessa, I don't want Julian back. I want him destroyed. Sleep well."
My blood runs cold.
We stopped Marcus. We survived Vanessa's first attempt. But Lyra—smart, angry, betrayed Lyra—is still out there.
And she just reminded us she's the real threat.
A police officer approaches. "We need statements from all of you."
We follow him to the station. Give our statements. It takes hours. By the time we're done, the sun is rising.
Sunrise. Vanessa's deadline.
My phone buzzes. So does Julian's. So does Mara's.
We all check at the same time.
Photos. Our photos. Sienna and Julian kissing. Sienna and Julian in the office. Close-ups. Damning. Everywhere.
Posted to every social media platform. Sent to every news outlet. Tagged with Julian's business accounts.
And the caption: "Local architect Julian Cross grooms teenage daughter's best friend. Full story inside."
We're too late. Vanessa released everything.
Julian's phone starts ringing. And ringing. And ringing. Clients. Partners. News stations.
His life is over.
And it's all my fault.