The Betrayed Oath

Chapter 13: Wounds and Hope

"Sophia... it's not over. Not yet."

The room spun around me as I tried to keep my vision focused. Alex's words echoed in my ears, but they felt distant, as if they were spoken from a place far beyond me.I couldn't breathe.His blood, my God, so much blood, seeped through my fingers. Panic clawed at my chest, but I held on, pressing harder against his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. My hands shook uncontrollably, but I refused to let go.He couldn't die. Not like this.No. I won't let him go.

"Please, Alex, stay with me,"

I whispered, my voice barely a breath.He didn't respond, his eyes fluttering, the edges of his vision blurring with each passing second. But he was still there, still breathing. I could hear the raggedness in his breath, and it gave me hope, however small it was.Suddenly, the door slammed open, and I jerked my head up, startled. The footsteps that followed were heavy and rapid.Who the hell, ?A shadow filled the doorway. I didn't need to see their face to know it was Liam. The fury in his eyes, the way his chest heaved with every step, it was unmistakable.

"You think you're the hero now, Sophia?"

His voice was like venom, dripping with contempt. But even as his words hit me, a strange calmness settled in my chest. I couldn't let him see how scared I was.I stood up, stumbling slightly, unwilling to let Alex face this nightmare alone.

"What do you want, Liam?"

My voice was firm, but my heart pounded so loudly in my ears I could hardly hear myself.His lips curled into a cruel smile, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw something more than hatred in his eyes, something darker. Something that made me shiver.You have no idea what you're dealing with. You think you can stop Elise and me? You're just a pawn in this game.

"I swallowed, trying to shake off the doubt gnawing at me. He wasn't wrong. Not entirely. Elise's web of lies, her control over Liam... It all ran deeper than I could have ever imagined."

You'll be sorry, Sophia. I always keep my promises.

"And just like that, the warning bells went off in my mind. I didn't have time for this.I took a step back, glancing at Alex's pale face, knowing I couldn't afford to waste another second. His life depended on me, and there was no time to deal with Liam. But then, as I turned my attention back to him, I saw something that made my blood run cold.His hand. The one that had once been holding Elise's knife... It was empty now."

Liam, where's the, ?

"But before I could finish the sentence, Liam turned and dashed out the door, moving too quickly for me to react.The silence that followed was suffocating, and for a split second, I was frozen, wondering if I had imagined it all. Had I just let him go? Did I even have the right to stop him?"

Alex," I whispered, my voice breaking as I rushed back to his side. "I'm sorry. I couldn't stop him.

"His lips parted in an attempt to speak, but no sound came out. I could see the effort it took for him to even open his eyes.Suddenly, the weight of everything hit me all at once. The betrayal. Elise's cruelty. Liam's escape with the evidence that could destroy everything."

It's not... over yet," Alex whispered, though his voice barely reached me.I couldn't speak. The words were stuck in my throat, suffocating me.I should have stopped him. I should have fought harder.But I didn't. And now Liam was gone. And Elise's victory was closer than ever."Sophia...

"His voice was weaker now, the edges of his words fraying as though the thread holding him together was about to snap. But I wasn't going to let it."

Don't... don't do this," I said, my voice almost a plea. "You promised me.

"He nodded weakly, but his grip on my hand loosened once again. The light in his eyes was fading, and my world tilted dangerously toward the dark abyss."

Finish this... You have to. For both of us.

"Those words, those few words, hit me harder than anything else. They were a plea. A call to arms.And somehow, I knew that if I didn't act now, I might never have the chance again.I stood up, my knees shaking, but my resolve hardening like steel."

I will. I promise.

"I don't know how much time passed before I finally caught my breath again. The world felt like it was collapsing around me, but I was done being afraid.I wasn't going to let Liam or Elise win. Not after everything."

Sophia," Alex's voice was barely a whisper. "You have to stop them. It's... it's not just me they'll hurt.

"I nodded, but inside, I was already on my way to something darker. Something that would end this once and for all.But the question lingered in my mind like a shadow: could I really stop Liam, Elise, and the twisted path they had set in motion? Or had I already lost more than I was willing to admit?"

I'm sorry... I failed you," I whispered, not sure if he could hear me.But there was no time for apologies. There was only one thing left to do.And I wasn't sure if I was ready for what was coming next.But I had no choice."I'll finish this. I'll make sure they don't win."The room was heavy with the silence of that promise, but I knew one thing for certain: it wasn't over. Not yet.And I wasn't going to let it be.