Edward straightened his jacket.
He smoothed the fabric over his chest. He adjusted his cuffs. The movement was slow. Deliberate. He was rebuilding his composure. Piece by piece.
The warehouse was quiet. The crew watched him. Weapons ready. Fingers on triggers. But Dante did not move. He stood in the center of the light. His hands were at his sides.
Edward looked up. His eyes were dry now. The emotion was gone. Buried behind a wall of ice.
"I have one offer," Edward said. His voice was calm. Stable.
Dante waited.
"Walk away from Sophie," Edward said. "Let me disappear. Tonight." He took a step forward. "No more contracts. No more hunters. No more fire." Edward stopped. He was five meters away. "This ends now. You let me go. I let her live."
The air in the warehouse felt heavy. The crew waited for Dante's response. Kisuke shifted his weight. Eikichi's hand hovered near his holster.
Dante did not hesitate.
"No."
The word was flat. Absolute. Edward nodded. Slowly.
"I expected that."
He did not look angry. He looked resigned. Like a man who had tried every door and found them all locked.
"You think love is enough," Edward said.
"I know it is not."
"Then why fight."
"Because she is mine to protect."
Edward smiled. It was a thin smile. Cold.
"She is not a thing to be owned, Dante."
"No. She is a choice."
Edward's eyes narrowed. "And she will choose differently," he said. "When she knows."
Dante's muscles tensed. Just slightly. "Knows what."
"Everything."
Edward stepped back. Into the shadow of the container. "She knows you are a killer. She knows you lied." Edward's voice dropped. "But she does not know what you are."
(Kairo): "He is threatening exposure."
(Mūn): "He knows about the memory loss. He knows about the demons."
(Dante): "Silence."
"When she learns that every time you use your power, you forget her," Edward said. "When she learns you are a vessel for things that are not human." He paused. "She will not stay. She will leave you to save herself."
Dante's hand curled into a fist. "That is not her choice to make," Dante said.
"It is the only choice that matters."
Edward turned toward the back of the warehouse. "Think about it, Dante. While you still remember her name."
The words hit hard. They landed in the silence like stones.
(Mūn): "He is trying to break you."
(Kairo): "It is working."
(Dante): "No."
Dante stepped forward. "Edward."
Edward stopped. He did not turn around.
"This is not over," Dante said.
"No," Edward agreed. "It is just beginning."
He raised his hand. The large metal door at the back of the warehouse groaned. It opened from the outside. Light flooded in. Silhouettes stood in the doorway. Armed men. Heavy gear. Edward's guards. They had been waiting.
The crew tensed. Weapons raised.
"Hold," Dante said. His voice was low. But it cut through the tension.
Kisuke hesitated. "Dante. We have him."
"No. We do not."
Edward walked toward the door. He did not look back. He passed through the light. Into the night. The guards closed the door behind him. The lock engaged with a heavy thud.
The warehouse was silent again. Kisuke lowered his knife. He let out a breath.
"Letting him go was a mistake," Kisuke said.
"No," Dante said. "It was a choice."
"He will come back."
"I know."
Dante turned away from the door. He walked toward the exit. "Pack up," he said. "We leave in ten."
The crew moved. Efficient. Quiet. But Dante did not watch them. He pulled out his phone. He checked the screen. No messages. No calls.
Sophie was safe. For now. But Edward's words lingered. *When she knows.*
Dante put the phone away. He walked out into the night. The air was cold. The city lights of Heukseong blinked in the distance. He got into his car. He did not start the engine. He sat in the dark.
(Kairo): "He was right about one thing."
(Dante): "Which."
(Kairo): "The truth will cost you."
(Dante): "Everything costs."
Dante closed his eyes. He tried to remember Sophie's voice. It was clear. For now. He started the engine. He drove toward Jōkan.
***
The safehouse in Jōkan was quiet.
Sophie sat on the couch. A book lay open on her lap. She was not reading. She was looking at the window. The rain had stopped. The glass was dark. Her phone sat on the table. Silent. She watched it. She had a feeling. A weight in her chest.
It rang. The sound was sharp in the silence. Sophie looked at the screen.
**UNKNOWN NUMBER.**
She did not hesitate. She swiped to answer. She put the phone to her ear. She did not speak.
The voice on the other end was familiar. It was smooth. Calm.
"Sophie."
Her grip on the phone tightened. "Edward."
There was a pause. A slight shift in the breathing on the other end. "It has been a long time," Edward said.
Sophie did not answer. She waited.
"I thought you should know," Edward said. "He is lying to you."
Sophie's eyes narrowed. She looked at the door. "About what."
"About everything."
Edward's voice softened. It sounded almost kind. "But we will talk about that later."
"Where are you," Sophie asked.
"Somewhere safe."
"Come out."
"I will. When the time is right."
Edward paused. "Take care of yourself, Sophie. Until then."
The line went dead. Sophie lowered the phone. The screen went dark. She sat in the silence. The weight in her chest grew heavier. She looked at the door.
Waiting.
Author Note: Special Message to My Amazing Readers,
I want to share something personal with you. My ultimate dream is to take my writing and digital art to a professional level and build a full creative studio. To achieve this, I have a long-term goal of raising $10,000 for professional equipment and stability.
I know this is a big number, but you can help make it happen! If you enjoy my story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Even just $1 means a lot to me and brings me one step closer to my dream.
You can support me here: ko-fi.com/ysign
I am forever grateful for your presence and support. Thank you for believing in me and for being part of this journey!
With all my gratitude,
YSiGn_優瑟夫