Before she could react—
A firm hand covered her mouth.
Cutting off her breath.
Cutting off her voice.
Her body stiffened instantly.
Fear shot through her veins.
She struggled.
Tried to twist away.
Tried to break free.
But his grip—
It was unbreakable.
"Easy…"
That voice.
Low.
Dark.
Right beside her ear.
"Don't fight it."
Her breath came out uneven against his hand.
Her heart hammered violently.
"No—"
The word barely formed.
Because something changed.
Her strength—
It faded.
Not instantly.
But gradually.
Like her body was betraying her.
Her limbs felt heavier.
Her vision blurred.
Her resistance slowed.
Her fingers, which had been clawing at his arm—
Weakened.
Her knees buckled slightly.
And he caught her.
Of course he did.
A quiet, satisfied breath left him.
"Good girl…"
he murmured.
Her eyes fluttered.
Trying to stay open.
Trying to understand.
Trying to fight.
But everything around her began to dissolve.
Sounds grew distant.
Voices faded.
Even her own heartbeat—
Slowed.
The last thing she felt—
Was being lifted.
As if she weighed nothing.
Her head fell against his shoulder.
Her body completely limp now.
Gone.
—
He adjusted his hold on her easily.
One arm supporting her back.
The other beneath her knees.
Secure.
Possessive.
His gaze dropped to her face.
Soft.
Unaware.
Defenseless.
A faint smirk curved his lips.
But it wasn't mocking this time.
It was something else.
Something darker.
Something claimed.
He leaned slightly closer.
His voice dropping to a whisper.
"Sorry, little bird…"
A pause.
"But you were never meant to stay in that cage."
—
Behind him—
The mansion burned in chaos.
His men had done their job well.
Explosions.
Distractions.
Confusion.
Every guard occupied.
Every system disrupted.
Exactly as planned.
He didn't rush.
Didn't panic.
Because he knew—
He had time.
Just enough.
And that was all he ever needed.
—
Outside—
The night air hit his face.
Cool.
Sharp.
Free.
A stark contrast to the suffocating tension inside.
The ground trembled slightly.
The sound of rotating blades filled the air.
The helicopter descended quickly.
Controlled.
Precise.
Landing at the edge of the mansion grounds.
Wind whipped around him.
But he didn't slow down.
Didn't hesitate.
His grip on her tightened slightly.
Protective.
Possessive.
Victorious.
He stepped forward—
And climbed inside.
The door shut behind him instantly.
Sealing them in.
Safe.
Gone.
—
Inside the helicopter—
He settled into the seat.
Carefully.
Deliberately.
Placing her across his lap.
One arm wrapped around her securely.
As if even in unconsciousness—
She might slip away.
His thumb brushed lightly against her cheek.
Almost absentmindedly.
His eyes never left her face.
"You're quieter like this…"
he murmured.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"But I prefer you fighting."
Outside—
The helicopter lifted.
Slow at first.
Then faster.
Rising above the mansion.
Above the chaos.
Above everything.
—
Inside the mansion—
Adrian heard it.
That sound.
The blades.
The escape.
His entire body went rigid.
"Elena."
Her name left his lips like a warning.
Like a prayer.
Like something he refused to lose.
Then—
He ran.
Faster than he ever had.
Through the corridor.
Through the chaos.
Through his own men.
Ignoring everything.
Everyone.
Because nothing mattered now.
Nothing—
Except her.
He burst through the main doors.
Just in time—
To see it.
The helicopter.
Already in the air.
Already leaving.
Already—
Taking her away.
"No…"
The word came out raw.
Uncontrolled.
His chest heaved violently.
His eyes locked onto the aircraft.
Unblinking.
Unforgiving.
His hand moved instinctively.
Gun raised.
And then—
He fired.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Bullets tore through the night.
Sharp.
Relentless.
But useless.
Too far.
Too late.
The helicopter didn't slow.
Didn't falter.
Didn't fall.
It kept rising.
Higher.
Further.
Out of reach.
Adrian kept shooting.
Even when he knew—
It wouldn't work.
Even when the gun clicked empty.
Even when there was nothing left to fire.
His arm dropped slowly.
The weapon slipping from his grip.
Hitting the ground with a dull sound.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Crushing.
He stood there.
Breathing hard.
His chest rising and falling violently.
His eyes still fixed on the sky.
On that fading dot.
That carried everything he refused to lose.
And then—
His knees gave in.
He fell.
Hard.
The impact didn't matter.
Nothing did.
Because for the first time—
In his entire life—
Adrian Volkov felt something he had never allowed himself to feel.
Helplessness.
His fists clenched against the ground.
His jaw tightened painfully.
His eyes—
Glassy.
Unfocused.
Still searching the sky.
As if he could pull her back just by looking.
"She…"
His voice cracked slightly.
Barely audible.
"They took her."
Alex reached him moments later.
Breathing hard.
His expression tense.
"Boss—"
But Adrian didn't respond.
Didn't move.
Didn't even blink.
Then slowly—
Very slowly—
Something changed.
The helplessness…
It didn't stay.
It burned.
Twisted.
Transformed.
Into something far worse.
His fingers dug into the ground.
His shoulders tensed.
And when he finally spoke—
His voice wasn't broken anymore.
It was cold.
Terrifyingly calm.
"They think…"
A pause.
His head lifted slowly.
His eyes—
Completely dark now.
"…they can take what's mine."
Alex stiffened slightly.
Because he knew that tone.
Too well.
Adrian stood up slowly.
Every movement controlled.
Every breath measured.
But beneath it—
Rage.
Pure.
Unfiltered.
Deadly.
"Prepare everything."
His voice came out low.
Sharp.
"We're going after them."
Alex nodded immediately.
"Yes, boss."
"But not yet."
Adrian added.
And that made Alex pause.
Confused.
"Boss?"
Adrian's gaze lifted to the sky again.
But this time—
There was no helplessness.
Only calculation.
Only strategy.
"They didn't just take her."
His lips curved slightly.
Not a smile.
Something darker.
"They invited me."
Alex's brows furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Adrian turned.
His eyes locking onto Alex's.
Burning.
Cold.
"They want a war."
A pause.
His voice dropped.
Deadly.
"So I'll give them one."
—
High above the city—
Inside the helicopter—
The man leaned back slightly.
Relaxed.
Victorious.
Elena rested against him.
Unmoving.
Unaware.
Safe.
For now.
His fingers traced lightly over her hair.
Slow.
Possessive.
"You're finally mine…"
he murmured softly.
His eyes gleamed in the dim light.
Satisfied.
Certain.
But then—
A sound interrupted him.
A faint beep.
From the control panel.
He frowned slightly.
His gaze shifting toward the pilot.
"What is that?"
The pilot hesitated.
Then spoke quickly.
"Sir… we're being tracked."
The air shifted instantly.
The man's expression darkened.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
"That's not possible."
His voice came out low.
Cold.
"We wiped everything."
The pilot swallowed.
"Still… the signal is locked on us."
A pause.
Then—
Another voice crackled through the communication system.
Unfamiliar.
But chilling.
Low.
Controlled.
Deadly.
"You should have checked twice."
The man's grip tightened around Elena instantly.
His eyes narrowed.
Because he knew that voice.
Adrian.
"And now…"
the voice continued.
"I know exactly where you're going."
Silence filled the helicopter.
Heavy.
Explosive.
Because the game—
Had just changed.
And this time—
No one was in control anymore.