Chapter 17
The first light of dawn broke across the horizon, piercing through the darkness before sunrise. The helicopter was already running, its blades chopping through the salty, damp air with a deafening roar.
The Special Operations Unit had arranged a private flight to escort the wealthy passengers safely back home. Those who had survived wore exhaustion and relief on their faces-except for one man who refused to board.
“Captain, everyone’s on board except Jason Gardner…”
“He insists on seeing Crimson Hawk. No matter what we say, he won’t leave.”
Silver Wolf said this to Sean, but his eyes were flicking toward me. Not wanting to make things harder for my comrades, I agreed to face Jason one last time.
“It’s time to get on the helicopter, Mr. Gardner,” I said in a cool, official tone.
“I’m not leaving. I finally found you, so please let me stay with you. I won’t cause any trouble.” He stepped closer, eyes filled with a determination I didn’t want to see.
I fixed him with a sharp stare, my voice cold as ice. “No.”
Even after my blunt refusal, Jason wouldn’t back down. He took another step toward me. “Scarlet, I just want to clear up the misunderstanding between us. Please… forgive me.”
As he moved closer, my comrades tensed, their hands instinctively hovering near their weapons. I raised a hand to signal them to stand down. After all, this was personal, so there was no need to drag them into it.
A man like Jason wasn’t worth staining their guns over.
“There’s no misunderstanding and there’s nothing left to say. Get out of my sight, Jason.”
I turned to leave, but he grabbed my wrist.
I frowned at the touch and yanked my arm free. “Don’t touch me,” I said through clenched teeth, my right hand already resting on my weapon.
His eyes immediately darkened with pain. “Scarlet… give me a chance. Let me prove my love for you. Please.”
I gave a cold laugh. “Your love, Mr. Gardner, is something I can’t afford. Save it for someone else.”
I strode toward the helicopter, wanting this farce to end. But his footsteps followed close behind. I spun around, grew my gun and aimed straight at his chest.
“One more step and I won’t hesitate to end you myself,” I said in an eerily calm voice, my finger tightening on the trigger.
He froze, staring at me with a heartbroken expression, bitterness filling his eyes.
“Do you hate me that much?” His voice was hoarse, heavy with sorrow.
“Hate?” I gave a short, cold laugh. “Hate takes effort. All I feel for you is disgust.”
His face went white, as if my words had cut deeper than any bullet. Then, suddenly, he did something no one expected. He seized my hand holding the gun, forced the barrel aside and
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before I could react, he pressed down on my finger.
The gunshot cracked through the air.
Blood burst from his left shoulder, staining his white down jacket red. He stumbled but managed to stay upright, sweat beading on his forehead, lips trembling from the pain.
“I know you’re angry at me, that you resent me, hate me,” he panted, voice weak but still stubborn. “If you want my life, take it. Maybe then your anger will stop and you’ll forgive me?”
I watched the blood dripping from his arm, pooling into dark red spots on the ground.
“Pathetic,” I sneered. “If you’ve got guts, aim for your heart, not your shoulder.”
He swayed as if struck, blood streaming faster from the wound.
“You really want me dead?” His voice cracked with disbelief and pain.
“Yes.” The word came from my lips like a knife, cold and piercing.
My comrades finally couldn’t stay silent anymore. They didn’t know all the details of my past, but after helping me blow up the Gardner villa three years ago, they had guessed enough.
“Nice performance, Mr. Gardner. That little self-sacrifice act was almost convincing.” “Yeah, right. Funny how you didn’t show this much devotion when you were hurting Scarlet for another woman.”
“Now you show up on this island to put on a show? Don’t you think you’re ridiculous?”
“I used to think that saying about ‘late love is cheaper than trash’ was just a joke. Guess now I’m seeing it live.”
They sneered openly, but Jason seemed deaf to their jeers, staring only at me.
“I know I deserve to die, but let me spend the rest of my life making it up to you, proving it to you…” His voice grew weaker yet his intent was still clear.
“You’re not worthy of it,” I cut him off, putting away my gun. “If you won’t leave, then stay here
alone.”
I turned without hesitation and walked to the helicopter. My comrades followed behind.
Sean gave Jason one last glance. Grabbing his chin, he warned coldly, “Don’t bother Scarlet again, or you’ll regret it.”
The helicopter lifted off, whipping up clouds of dust.
Through the window, I saw Jason finally collapse to one knee, still looking up at the helicopter, one hand pressed to his bleeding shoulder. His figure looked impossibly small and lonely.
If you’ve known everything would end like this, why start it at all?
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