A day later...
The wheels of the private jet screeched softly against the runway, the craft gently coming to a halt as the sun dipped beneath the horizon, leaving the sky stained in hues of deep amber and purple. Blaze Baldwin sat in silence by the window, his sharp jaw clenched, his mind far from the bustling airport grounds of the States. His hand twitched once on his lap as the engines powered down.
Home.
But it didn't feel like it.
Outside the jet, Arthur waited, the ever-loyal shadow by his side. As Blaze descended the stairs, the warm wind of the evening brushed across his face. He inhaled deeply, but the air carried no peace with it. Only tension.
They slid into the back of a sleek black car that rolled away from the tarmac without any delay. The lights of the road blurred into a mix of red, gold, and white, but Blaze barely noticed. His gaze was distant, lost in a place that felt quieter, yet more painful.
"Are you sure about this, boss?" Arthur finally broke the silence.
Blaze didn't look at him. He just hummed low in his throat. A sound of finality.
Arthur hesitated, then tried again. "Can't we just-"
"We can't," Blaze replied, his voice steady but firm. "This needs to happen. One way or another."
There was a weight to his words, a depth that left no room for questions. So much more than Arthur could challenge. So much more than Blaze could articulate.
The silence enveloped the car again until the tall gates of the Baldwin estate came into view.
But they weren't closed.
They stood wide open.
Arthur's brow furrowed instantly, and before the car had even come to a complete stop, he was out, scanning the surroundings. Blaze followed slowly, his eyes narrowing at the scene before him. The front yard wasn't just filled with his usual men—it was teeming with unfamiliar figures in plain clothes, their stances too alert to be casual. Law enforcement.
An unfamiliar black vehicle was parked right in front of the stairs leading into the mansion. Blaze's gaze flicked over it. He knew what this was.
The storm had arrived.
He adjusted the cuffs of his black coat, maintaining his usual calm demeanor. Maybe a bit too calm. Arthur shot him a nervous glance.
"Boss?" Arthur's voice dropped, uncertainty creeping in.
Blaze didn't reply. He was already striding toward the mansion.
Just as he was about to step onto the stairs, two men stepped into their path.
"Mr. Baldwin?" one of them asked, his tone sharp.
Blaze didn't say a word—just nodded. That was all it took.
Without hesitation, the officer pulled a pair of handcuffs from behind him. "You are under arrest for the abduction of a child and for operating an illegal covert operation under the guise of your technology company."
Arthur stepped forward. "Wait what?! You can't—!"
But Blaze raised a hand, a silent command to stop.
Arthur froze in place.
The second officer moved closer to him and simply said, "You're under arrest too," before snapping the cuffs onto his wrists.
Blaze didn't resist. No protests. As the cold metal clamped around his wrists, his gaze drifted elsewhere. He was scanning. Searching.
For her.
He knew she was here. He could feel it, like a heartbeat beneath his skin.
Then he saw it. A small crowd gathered by the stairs just inside the mansion. Uniforms. Detectives. Officers.
And there at the top of the steps-stood Savannah.
His Ana.
She looked like a shadow of her former self—her hair a tangled mess, her eyes rimmed with tears and fury. Her shoulders shook, gently supported by the man beside her. Elijah.
Just seeing him there made Blaze's stomach churn.
He instinctively stepped forward.
"Ana!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos like a knife.
The crowd turned. Savannah's gaze locked onto him.
And then she moved.
She charged down the stepswith fierce, determined strides. Her anger was palpable, her face etched with grief. As she drew closer, the tension in the air thickened.
Then—
CRACK.
Her palm connected with his cheek in a resounding slap that echoed louder than any siren. His head turned slightly from the force, a red mark blooming on his skin.
But Blaze didn't react.
He just looked at her.
And smiled.
A broken, tragic smile that only infuriated her more.
"You disgusting monster," Savannah spat, her voice hoarse, cracking. She grabbed him by the collar, yanking him closer. Tears streamed down her cheeks, hot and bitter. "I hope you never find peace. I hope you never find happiness in this life. I hope you're left all alone, choking in your silence, with no one left to even mourn you."
Her words were venom, each syllable soaked in pain.
But Blaze he didn't flinch.
He just looked at her. Quiet. Still. His eyes saying everything his lips refused to.
I'm sorry.
You don't know everything.
I never wanted to hurt you.
I love you.
I always did.
But all that escaped his lips was a single whisper.
"Ana."
It shattered something inside her. That voice. That nickname. The way he said it like it still meant something. Like they weren't standing here as enemies.
Savannah shoved him back and turned away, sobbing silently as Elijah stepped in to support her. Blaze's eyes stayed on her even as the officers began dragging him toward their car.
Arthur looked at his boss one last time, his own face full of disbelief and pain.
And Blaze?
He didn't fight.
Didn't scream.
Didn't explain.
He just let them take him away.
Because he knew-
The real punishment wasn't the arrest.
It was losing her.
It was losing his Ana.
**The End**
Author's Note :
And this marks the conclusion of the novel:)
Thankyou all for joining me on this incredible journey from beginning to end.<3
Your support means the world to me, and
I can't express my gratitude enough!
Remember, the story may be over, but the
memories will last forever.
Here's to new adventures ahead!<3
See you soon!
Have a good day/night<3<3