"Say it again."
Ava's voice was low.
Unstable.
Rayan didn't move.
"I heard you," she added. "I just… need you to say it again."
Rayan exhaled slowly.
"This isn't going to change anything."
"It already changed everything," Ava replied.
Silence.
"Say the name," she demanded.
Rayan looked at her.
Then—
He said it again.
Ava froze.
"No."
Her head shook immediately.
"No, that's not possible."
Rayan didn't argue.
"They wouldn't do that," Ava continued. "You're wrong."
"I'm not."
"You have to be."
Rayan's voice stayed calm.
"I checked it twice."
Ava stepped back.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"You are!"
Her voice broke.
"That's my—" she stopped mid-sentence.
Rayan filled it in quietly.
"Your brother."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unreal.
Ava laughed weakly.
"No… no, he wouldn't…"
Rayan didn't look away.
"He put your name on the list."
Ava's breathing got uneven.
"Why would he do that?"
"I don't know."
"Find a reason!"
Rayan's jaw tightened.
"I'm trying."
Ava turned away, running her hands through her hair.
"This doesn't make sense… he's all I have…"
Rayan stepped closer.
"You had me too."
Ava looked at him.
"That's not helping right now."
He nodded slightly. "Fair."
Ava's voice dropped.
"He protected me my whole life."
Rayan replied quietly, "Or controlled it."
She snapped back. "Don't say that!"
Silence.
Rayan raised his hands slightly. "I'm not attacking him. I'm telling you what I know."
"What you think you know."
"What I confirmed."
Ava stared at him.
"You're asking me to believe that my own brother tried to have me killed."
"I'm asking you to consider it."
A pause.
Ava shook her head slowly.
"No… there has to be something else."
"Like what?"
"I don't know!"
Rayan stepped closer again.
"Then let's find out."
Ava looked at him.
"You'd go after him?"
"I'd go after the truth."
She hesitated.
"That's dangerous."
"So is everything else in my life."
Ava let out a shaky breath.
"This feels like a trap."
"It probably is."
She blinked. "And you're okay with that?"
"No," Rayan said. "But I'm used to it."
Ava almost smiled through the tension.
"You really are messed up."
"You're just noticing?"
A tiny moment of relief—
Then gone.
Ava crossed her arms.
"If we do this… we do it together."
Rayan nodded. "Agreed."
"And no more secrets."
"Agreed."
"And no disappearing without telling me."
Rayan hesitated.
Ava narrowed her eyes. "Rayan."
"…Agreed."
She pointed at him. "You hesitated."
"I was thinking."
"You were planning something."
"I'm always planning something."
Ava sighed. "At least you're honest about that."
Rayan's tone shifted.
"We need to move."
"Where?"
"To him."
Ava froze again.
"You want to go straight to my brother?"
"Yes."
"That's a terrible idea."
"It's the fastest one."
"And the most dangerous."
"Also true."
Ava looked at him carefully.
"You're serious."
"I always am."
She paced a little.
Thinking.
Processing.
Fighting herself.
"If he really did this…" she said slowly, "I want to hear it from him."
"You might not like what he says."
"I already don't like any of this."
Rayan nodded.
"Then we go."
Ava stopped pacing.
"Wait."
Rayan looked at her. "What?"
"If this is true… then I've been living a lie."
He didn't respond.
"And if it's not true… then you're wrong."
Rayan met her eyes.
"Then I'll take responsibility."
Ava studied him.
"You would?"
"Yes."
No hesitation.
No doubt.
That mattered.
Ava took a deep breath.
"Okay."
Rayan raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"
She nodded.
"We go."
A beat of silence.
Then—
Ava added softly—
"But if you're wrong…"
Rayan didn't look away.
"I won't be."
Ava sighed. "You're very confident."
"I have to be."
She gave a small, nervous smile.
"I hate that about you."
"You don't."
"…Yeah, I don't."
A brief pause.
Then Ava stepped closer.
Very close.
"Just don't lie to me again," she said quietly.
Rayan's voice softened.
"I won't."
Their eyes locked.
For a moment—
Everything else faded.
Then—
Reality came crashing back.
"We should go," Rayan said.
"Yeah."
They started walking.
Together.
But this time—
It felt different.
Not just danger.
Not just survival.
Now—
It was personal.
Ava spoke again after a few steps.
"If he really did this… I don't know what I'll do."
Rayan replied calmly.
"You won't be alone."
Ava looked at him.
"Promise?"
He didn't hesitate.
"I promise."
And this time—
She believed him.
But neither of them knew—
The truth waiting ahead—
Was worse than anything they imagined.
🔥