The silence around Jiyoo shattered when his phone suddenly vibrated against the piano bench. He flinched, startled by the intrusion, and stared at the screen. His heart skipped. He answered immediately. "Bryan? What is it?"
Bryan's voice came through strained and urgent, barely controlled. "Jiyoo, listen to me carefully. You have to come now. We're at the church."
Jiyoo straightened, dread creeping up his spine. "What happened?"
There was a sharp inhale on the other end. "Valerie's in danger. Something's wrong—someone's moving, and we think it's connected to Si-woo. Security's compromised."
The world seemed to tilt. Jiyoo was already on his feet, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "What do you mean in danger?" he demanded.
"We don't have time to explain," Bryan snapped. "Just get here. Now."
The call ended.
Jiyoo stood there for half a second, phone clenched tightly in his hand, his chest pounding violently. All the quiet acceptance he'd forced on himself moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by raw panic and resolve.
"...Damn it," he muttered, grabbing his jacket.
Without another glance at the piano, Jiyoo rushed out of the room, his footsteps echoing through the mansion as he bolted for the exit. Regret, fear, and determination collided inside him, but one thought burned louder than the rest.
Not today. Not now. Not her.
Whatever it took, whatever lines he had sworn not to cross anymore, Jiyoo knew one thing with absolute certainty.
If Valerie was in danger, he would not let history repeat itself.
Jiyoo didn't hesitate for another second. He burst out of the mansion doors, the cool air hitting his face as adrenaline surged through his veins. Parked just outside was his motorcycle, sleek and waiting as if it had known this moment was coming.
He grabbed his helmet, pulling it on with practiced urgency, the strap snapping into place beneath his chin. His jaw clenched as Bryan's words echoed in his mind. Valerie's in danger.
"Hang on," he muttered under his breath, more a promise than a prayer.
The engine roared to life as he swung his leg over the bike. In one smooth motion, he revved the throttle and shot forward, tires screeching briefly against the pavement before gripping hard. The city lights blurred past him as he sped through the streets, weaving between cars, every second feeling unbearably slow.
Wind whipped past him, pounding against his helmet, but his focus never wavered. The church loomed in his thoughts—Valerie in her wedding dress, Eugene waiting at the altar, everything about to shatter if he didn't make it in time.
"Please be okay... just hold on," Jiyoo whispered as he leaned into a sharp turn, accelerating harder.
The motorcycle surged forward, cutting through the night like a blade. Whatever awaited him at the church—danger, chaos, or confrontation—Jiyoo was already racing toward it, driven by one unshakable truth:
He was not going to lose her again.
As Valerie finally reached the altar and turned to face Eugene, everything else seemed to fade into a soft blur. The towering arches of the church, the rows of guests, even the gentle music in the background dissolved into silence the moment their eyes met.
She looked at him warmly, her lips curving into a tender smile, though her hands trembled slightly as they rested in front of her. Her heart raced—not from doubt, but from the overwhelming reality of it all. I'm really about to marry my best friend, she thought, a mix of joy and nerves swelling in her chest.
Eugene noticed immediately. He offered her a reassuring smile, subtle but steady, his eyes filled with love and quiet devotion. He leaned just enough to whisper, "I've got you," his voice barely audible but grounding her completely. Valerie let out a small breath, nodding almost imperceptibly.
The priest stepped forward, his calm presence filling the sacred space. "Let us pray," he began, his voice echoing gently through the church. The congregation bowed their heads as the priest recited the prayer, asking for guidance, protection, and blessings over the union about to be sealed.
Valerie closed her eyes briefly, listening to the words wash over her. She felt Eugene's presence beside her—steady, familiar, safe. Whatever storms waited beyond this moment, she knew they were standing here together, by choice.
As the prayer came to an end, the church fell into reverent silence. The priest lifted his gaze toward them, signaling that the moment they had been waiting for—the vows—was finally about to begin.
The priest folded his hands gently and looked out at the congregation before turning his attention back to Valerie and Eugene. His voice was calm, warm, and steady, filling the church with a quiet authority.
"Dearly beloved," he began, "we are gathered here today in the presence of God and these witnesses to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony."
He paused, then looked directly at Eugene.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxm9kf9dIN
"Marriage is not a moment," the priest said, "but a lifetime of choosing one another. It is built not only on joy, but on patience, sacrifice, and faith."
His gaze softened as he turned to Valerie.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNJ4ydklCK
"Love is not the absence of hardship," he continued, "but the courage to stand together when hardship comes."
The priest lifted his hands slightly in prayer.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8VT7TJbms
"Let us pray."
He bowed his head, and his voice lowered.
"Heavenly Father," he said, "we thank You for bringing Valerie and Eugene together—two souls who have walked separate paths, yet were guided to this moment."
He glanced at them again. "Grant them wisdom when they are unsure," he prayed aloud. "Give them strength when the world feels heavy, and gentleness when words fail."
The priest's tone grew more solemn.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQjrOACu5p
"Protect their hearts, Lord. Guard their love from fear, from harm, and from anything that seeks to divide what You are joining today."
Valerie swallowed softly, her hands trembling slightly as Eugene squeezed them in reassurance.
"Teach them to forgive quickly," the priest went on, "to listen deeply, and to choose love every day—even when it is difficult."
He looked out toward the pews once more. "May their home be filled with peace, honesty, and faith. May laughter find them in joyful days, and may hope hold them together in sorrow."
Then he turned back to them, his voice gentle but firm. "Valerie and Eugene, remember this: marriage is not about perfection. It is about promise."
He nodded slowly.
"And now," the priest said, "having asked for God's blessing, we are ready to hear the vows you have prepared for one another."
A quiet hush fell over the church as he concluded softly. "Amen."
He paused, allowing the weight of the moment to settle.
"Marriage is not merely a contract, nor is it a fleeting emotion. It is a sacred covenant—one built on love, trust, sacrifice, and faith."
The priest turned slightly toward Valerie.
"Valerie, love will ask much of you. It will ask you to forgive when it is difficult, to remain patient when you are weary, and to trust even when fear whispers otherwise."
Then he looked at Eugene.
"And Eugene, love will call you to protect, to lead with humility, and to give of yourself without expecting anything in return."
He clasped his hands together again.
"Today, you stand here not because life has been easy, but because love has endured. You have walked through trials, uncertainty, and pain—and yet you chose each other."
The priest lifted his gaze upward.
"Love is not proven in perfect moments, but in the storms that test it. And faith is what anchors love when the world tries to shake it."
He addressed them both now.
"If either of you believes that love is only about happiness, let this moment remind you—it is also about commitment. To stay when it would be easier to leave. To speak the truth when silence feels safer."
The priest's voice softened.
"God is love, and where love is sincere, He is present. May your marriage be a place of refuge, a testimony of grace, and a reminder that even in brokenness, something holy can still be built."
He nodded gently.
"And now, having reflected on the meaning of this union, we will proceed to the vows you have prepared for one another."
Valerie took a slow breath, her fingers tightening around Eugene's hands, as the priest stepped back, signaling that it was time for them to speak from their hearts.
Valerie took a shaky breath as the priest nodded to her. The sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting soft colors over her face as she looked up at Eugene. Her eyes were glassy, but her smile was genuine—full of love, fear, and certainty all at once.
She said softly. "Eugene..." And then she paused with her voice trembling slightly as she steadied herself. "I've known you as my best friend long before I ever imagined standing here like this."
A soft chuckle rippled through the room as she smiled through her tears.
"I promise to love you not only when life is kind to us," she continued, "but when it is cruel... when things don't make sense... and when fear tries to take over my heart."
She squeezed his hands gently. "I vow to trust you, even when I am scared. To lean on you when I am weak. To be honest with you, even when the truth is hard to say."
Her voice cracked, but she didn't look away. "You saw me when I was broken... when I doubted myself... when I didn't think I was enough. And you stayed."
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
"So today," Valerie said softly, "I choose you. Not just as my husband... but as my partner, my safe place, and my home."
She smiled through her tears. "I promise to walk beside you, wherever life takes us. I promise to love you faithfully, fiercely, and freely... for all the days of my life."
Eugene exhaled slowly, blinking rapidly as he fought back his own tears. The priest nodded, then gestured gently for him to speak.
Eugene lifted Valerie's hands and looked at her as if the world around them no longer existed. He said lovingly. "Valerie..."
His voice was low, thick with emotion. "I never planned to fall in love with my best friend. But somehow, you became the person my heart kept choosing—over and over again."
He swallowed. "I promise to protect you... even when I am afraid. To stand between you and the world when it tries to hurt you."
His jaw tightened for a moment before he continued. "I vow to listen to you, even when I don't understand. To respect your strength, your faith, and your heart."
He smiled softly. "You remind me what hope looks like. You remind me why love is worth fighting for."
Eugene leaned his forehead closer to hers, just slightly, careful not to break the moment.
"I promise to be patient with you... to grow with you... and to choose you every single day, even when life tests us."
His voice steadied. "I give you my loyalty, my honesty, and my life. Not because I am perfect... but because I am yours."
He squeezed her hands. "From this day forward, you are my wife, my best friend, and the love of my life."
A hush fell over the church—broken only by quiet sobs from the pews—as the priest smiled warmly, witnessing the depth of their promises.
When their vows ended, the priest let a brief pause linger, honoring the weight of the promises they had just exchanged. Then he spoke again. "Having heard your vows, do you now take one another freely and wholeheartedly, in love and in faith?"
They answered together, voices soft but certain. "I do."
A gentle murmur moved through the guests and the priest nodded once more. "May the rings be brought forward."
The rings were placed into his hands, cool and gleaming under the church lights. He blessed them quietly.
"These rings are a symbol of an unbroken circle—without beginning or end—just as your love is meant to be." He handed one ring to Eugene.
"Eugene, place the ring on Valerie's finger and repeat after me."
He did so, but his hands were slightly unsteady but careful. "With this ring, I give you my promise. I choose you, today and always."
The priest then handed the second ring to Valerie.
"Valerie, place the ring on Eugene's finger."
Her fingers trembled as she slid the ring on. "With this ring, I give you my heart. I choose you, now and forever."
The priest smiled, his voice warm with finality. "By the power vested in me, and before God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
A beat of silence passed.
The priest gestured them forward. "Eugene, you may now kiss your bride."
As he was leaning in, the moment felt fragile and eternal all at once beautiful, yet unknowingly suspended on the edge of something unseen, where danger still loomed beyond the church walls.
His eyes shifted past Valerie's shoulder.
At first, it was subtle—the faint glint of metal, the way several figures near the back of the church and outside the roof stood too stiff, too alert. His gaze sharpened, scanning quickly. One by one, he noticed them: hands tucked beneath jackets, earpieces barely visible, eyes sweeping the room with practiced precision.
Gunmen.
His breath caught.
Eugene didn't kiss her. Instead, his grip tightened around Valerie's hands, just enough for her to feel something was wrong.
Valerie frowned slightly, her voice barely a whisper. "Eugene...?"
His jaw clenched as his eyes lingered on a man near the aisle—then another by the pillar—then two more closer to the exits.
Active shooters. Surrounding them.
The priest sensed the sudden shift and hesitated, confusion crossing his face. "Is... is something wrong?"
Eugene didn't answer him. His focus stayed razor-sharp, his instincts screaming.
He leaned in close to Valerie, his lips barely moving.
"Don't turn around," he murmured urgently. "Stay calm."
Valerie's heart began to race. "What is it?" Her breath trembled, but she forced herself to remain still, her eyes fixed on Eugene as fear crept into her chest.
Around them, the guests remained unaware—soft murmurs, shifting seats, someone quietly sniffing back tears—completely oblivious to the danger tightening like a noose.
Eugene straightened slightly, masking his tension behind a controlled expression. His eyes met one shooter's for a split second.
The man didn't look away.
Eugene swallowed hard.
This wasn't a coincidence. This was a message.
His mind raced. "Si-woo... They followed through."
Eugene's expression hardened in an instant.
In one swift, practiced motion, he released Valerie's hands and reached into his inner pocket. The movement was so fast, so precise, that only those watching closely would notice. Metal caught the light as he drew his gun and raised it—not in panic, but with deadly control.
Gasps rippled faintly through the front rows.
Eugene stepped half a pace forward, placing himself subtly in front of Valerie as he aimed straight down the aisle.
His target stood unmoving.
A man in a black suit standing outside the main doorway.
Tyler Kwan.
Their eyes locked and Tyler's lips curled into a slow, knowing smile, as if he had been expecting this exact moment. He didn't reach for his weapon—not yet. He simply raised his hands slightly, mockingly calm.
Guests screamed and scrambled, shoving pews out of the way as they tried to flee. Women clutched their children; men grabbed whatever valuables they could hold while retreating toward the exits. The once serene space of stained-glass and polished wood erupted into chaos.
"Everyone, get out! Hurry!" Guest one panicked.
"Stay calm! Stay calm—just move!" Guest two shouted over the noise.
Valerie's eyes darted around, heart pounding in her chest. She could hear footsteps pounding, gasps, and the metallic click of weapons being readied.
"...So you noticed," Tyler grinned at his rival.
The priest staggered back, his voice breaking. "G-Gun—? Eugene, what is—"
Eugene instructed sharply. "Everyone, please leave, including you as well, Father Kim..."
His voice carried authority—cold, commanding, unshaken.
Valerie stood frozen behind him, her breath shallow. "Eugene... please..."
Without looking back, he spoke softly to her. "Stay behind me. No matter what happens."
Tyler took a slow step forward, the echo of his polished shoes cutting through the silence of the church.
"Relax," he said lightly. "This is a holy place. I wouldn't ruin the ceremony... unless I had to."
Eugene tightened his grip on the gun, finger steady on the trigger. "You brought armed men into a church. You think that absolves you of anything?"
Tyler chuckled under his breath. "You really do believe you can protect her from all of this." He tilted his head slightly. "From them."
Eugene's eyes flicked briefly to the exits—more men shifting, hands inching toward concealed weapons. "Call them off. Now."
Tyler's smile faded, replaced by something colder. "You don't give the orders here."
Suddenly, a sharp metallic click echoed as one of the men near the pews cocked his gun.
Valerie gasped softly.
Eugene didn't flinch. His aim never wavered, saying lowly and lethal. "Take one more step... and I swear, Tyler, this ends with you on that floor."
For the first time, Tyler's eyes darkened—calculating, measuring how serious Eugene truly was. His polished black shoes tapped lightly against the floor as he stepped closer, his grin widening into something sharper, more sinister. He tilted his head, letting his eyes linger on Valerie, studying her like a predator examining prey.
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"Ah... Valerie. Always playing the perfect girl, aren't you? Always so innocent, so holy, so untouchable in everyone's eyes... Soon to be a loving bride, but we both know who you really are, don't we?"
Valerie's breath hitched. She instinctively took a small step behind Eugene, her hands clutching his arm instinctively.
Tyler smirked and circled slowly. "All those mistakes... all those choices you thought you could hide... running from the truth, hiding from your past... It's all here now. Right in front of you." He paused, letting his words hang like poison in the air. His eyes glinted cruelly. "Do you think standing here in a wedding dress changes anything? Do you think anyone forgives what you've done or who you really are?"
Eugene's jaw tightened. His gun remained trained on Tyler, unwavering, but his eyes flickered to Valerie, gauging her reaction.
Valerie's voice trembled, yet firm. "I... I am not the mistakes I've made. I am who I choose to be, and I will never let the past define me."
Tyler chuckled, sharp and bitter. "Bold words for a girl who's been running away from danger her entire life. Tell me, how's your conscience holding up, hmm? Afraid someone will finally catch up to you?"
Eugene's hands gripped the gun tighter, his knuckles white. He warned him coldly. "Back off, Tyler. One more word, and it won't just be your tongue you'll regret moving."
Tyler leaned back slightly, feigning compliance, but the glint in his eyes promised he wasn't done. "Oh, don't worry, Eugene. I haven't even started."
Jiyoo leaned forward on his motorcycle, the wind whipping past his face as he tore through the streets at high speed. Every pulse of the engine echoed the racing of his heart. His eyes were sharp, scanning every alley, every side street—calculating the fastest route to the church.
"She's in there... she doesn't even know what's coming. I have to get there before it's too late. I can't let anyone hurt her... not her, not now."
His hands gripped the handlebars tightly, knuckles white, as memories of Valerie flashed in his mind—her laugh, her resilience, the times she had stood strong even when everything was falling apart.
"She trusts Eugene... she thinks he's protecting her... but if he's hurt... if she's in danger... I can't let her pay for someone else's betrayal."
The highway cut through hills that rose sharply on either side, which blurred around him as he weaved past cars and obstacles. His mind was a focused storm, every second a calculation.
"The church... I have to reach her before Tyler does... before anyone else..."
His jaw clenched as adrenaline surged through him. The sound of sirens and distant gunfire reached his ears, confirming that the danger was already there.
"Almost there... hold on, Valerie. I'm coming..."
The motorcycle roared louder as Jiyoo pushed it to its limits, every fiber of his being focused on the one goal: getting to Valerie and pulling her out of the chaos. His mind blocked out everything else—pain, fear, hesitation—leaving only determination and the promise that he would not fail her.
As he climbed a particularly steep incline, the bike's headlight cut through the darkness, illuminating the twists of the highway ahead. The hills created sudden rises and drops, forcing him to lean further, gripping the handlebars with all his strength.
Every second counted. Every hill, every curve was a potential obstacle—and a potential shield. But for Jiyoo, the only thing that mattered was reaching Valerie. The highway through the hills became a dangerous, high-speed battlefield, with the night as his only ally and determination as his fuel.
The tension in the church thickened, each word like a strike. Valerie's heart raced, but beneath her fear, a fire began to burn—she had survived worse, and she wouldn't let this man's words break her today.
Tyler's smirk widened, sensing the challenge, but Eugene's presence was a shield she could lean on and she would, no matter what came next. "You know... people who are born into this world... they don't get a choice. From the moment you take your first breath, you're part of the system. Enslaved to it. Bound by rules you didn't make, by expectations you can't escape... by people who think they own you." He stepped closer, the subtle tap of his shoes echoing in the hushed church.
"You were born, Valerie, just like everyone else. And no matter how hard you fight... no matter how much you try to rise above it... the world has a way of reminding you who's really in control," Tyler stated and continued on. "Idols... artists... celebrities. You think they're special? You think they're free?" He scoffed and looked straight at Valerie as his gaze hardened. "They're products. Carefully designed. Packaged. Sold to the public. Every smile, every tear, every scandal—manufactured or exploited. That's what people see. That's what they consume. And the funny thing is? They don't even belong to themselves anymore. Their bodies, their voices, their lives—it all belongs to the industry. To the money. To the people pulling the strings."
"I may be part of this world, Tyler. But I am not its prisoner. I make my own choices. I decide my own fate," Valerie said firmly, unwavering.
Tyler's grin twisted, sensing the defiance in her voice. "Ah... you really do have fire. That's cute. But fire burns out, sooner or later. And when it does... the system swallows you whole."
Eugene's grip on his gun didn't falter, his voice low, sharp, and dangerous. "Try testing her. One move, Tyler, and you'll regret it more than you can imagine."
Tyler laughed softly, leaning back with casual arrogance, but there was a glint in his eyes—a silent acknowledgment that Eugene wasn't someone he could toy with lightly. He was cold and calculated mostly. "Very well... but don't forget, Valerie. Life doesn't forgive anyone for thinking they're above it. Not even you. Eugene... Do you really think you know her? Do you really think you understand what she's capable of?"
Eugene's hand tightened on the gun, his jaw set.
"Valerie... she's not the angel you see in front of you right now. She's someone who's survived more than you—or anyone—could imagine. She's clever, ruthless when cornered, and capable of decisions most wouldn't dare to make."
Eugene's eyes narrowed, warning clear, but Tyler pressed on.
"You think this wedding, this perfect moment, changes her? No. She's been dancing on the edge of darkness long before today. The people she's fought... the enemies she's made... she's already embraced a version of herself that most would call dangerous. Vengeance has shaped her, Eugene. And deep down, she knows it."
Eugene's grip on the gun never wavered, but his expression flickered with anger and disbelief.
"Remember the times you weren't there? The people she took down when it seemed hopeless? The calculated risks she made when she had nothing to lose? That's who she really is. That's who she was about to become before you swooped in to 'save' her."
Valerie flinched slightly at Tyler's words but did not speak. Her hands clenched at her sides, her knuckles whitening.
Eugene's voice was deadly calm, razor-sharp. "She's not defined by what you say, Tyler. She's not your creation, she's not your victim. And if you think she'll become what you're describing, you're dead wrong."
Tyler tilted his head, amused, almost taunting. "Ah, Eugene... that's exactly why she's so terrifying. You think she's yours to protect. But in reality... she's already her own weapon. And sooner or later, she'll show you just how far she's willing to go. Valerie is nothing but a heartbreaker and a vengeful person. Face it. She will become the rebellious killer she's always sought to be. That's what she has been chasing all along... Vengeance."
Valerie froze, the words striking her like cold steel. Her chest heaved as if she couldn't catch her breath. Her hands shot up to cover her face, shielding herself from both the words and the fear they stirred inside her. Quiet sobs escaped through her fingers.
Her knees buckled beneath her as the weight of Tyler's words—and her own realizations—hit her all at once. She sank to the floor, her wedding dress pooling around her, and she covered her face with shaking hands.
"No... no, that's not true..."
Eugene's jaw tightened, his gun still trained steadily on Tyler, but his other hand reached toward Valerie, trembling slightly as he tried to comfort her without breaking their defensive stance. "Don't listen to him, Valerie. None of that is true. You're not what he says you are. You're stronger, braver, and better than his lies."
Tyler let out a cruel chuckle, circling slowly, savoring the effect of his words. "Is that what you tell yourself? That all the choices you've made, all the pain, all the destruction around you... doesn't define you?"
Valerie shook her head beneath her hands, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I... I won't be like that. I won't let myself become that person."
"You don't get to touch her. Not with your words, not with your plans, not with anything. Say one more word, Tyler, and I'll make sure you regret it."
Tyler's grin didn't falter. If anything, it widened—dark, calculating, like a wolf testing the limits of its prey. "Ah... but the fire inside her... that's what makes her so dangerous. She'll either consume herself—or everyone around her. I just made it clear which path she's heading toward."
Valerie inhaled shakily, squeezing her eyes shut, as Eugene kept his gun trained on Tyler. Her heart raced, but amidst the fear and despair, a tiny ember of resolve sparked within her.
"I am not him. I am not what he says I am."
Tyler stepped closer to Valerie, his voice low, sharp, and taunting, cutting through the chaos like a blade. Even with Eugene wounded behind her, Tyler's presence felt suffocating. "Did you know, Valerie...?" His dark eyes glittered as he let the words sink in. "Eugene and Si-woo... they made a deal. A deal to stop the chaos between the Narrow Squad and the CEOs."
Valerie's hands trembled, gripping her wedding dress, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Yes... in order to keep the system stable, to prevent the destruction of their precious little empire... Eugene had to agree to marry you."
Her breath caught, and she took a step back, as if the words physically pushed her.
"What... what do you mean?" Her voice was shaking, barely above a whisper.
"Think about it. The Narrow Squad is hunting them, exposing their lies, threatening everything they've built. So Eugene... your beloved Eugene... agreed to this wedding. Not for love, not for you... but to save himself, to save Si-woo, to buy peace from chaos."
Valerie's knees weakened again, her hands clutching at her chest. The world around her seemed to tilt. "No... that can't be true... Eugene would never..."
"Oh, it's true. That's the reality, sweetheart. The reason he stood at the altar today... The reason you wore that dress... was all part of a deal. A bargain. A trap wrapped in pretty words and vows."
"Val... listen to me... it's not like that... please... trust me..." Eugene's voice strained, barely audible.
Valerie's tears blurred her vision as Tyler laughed softly, the sound cruel and mocking. "You can see it now, can't you? Now that your perfect little wedding... was never really about love. It was about control. About saving them... at your expense."
Her hands trembled, curling into fists at her sides. She looked up, her gaze sharp despite the tears. "I won't let anyone—no one—get away with this. Not him, not you, not anyone who thinks they can manipulate me or destroy what I care about!"
Eugene's eyes widened, a flicker of guilt and conflict crossing his face. He wanted to speak, to explain, to reach her—but Tyler's presence, the other gunmen, and the chaos around them kept his voice from reaching her heart in the way he needed it to.
Tyler, in contrast, leaned back slightly, a dark smile spreading across his face as he observed Valerie unravel. "Ah... finally. The righteous fury. The tears. That's the side of her you'll never tame, Eugene. That's why she's dangerous... and why the world can't control her."
Suddenly, the sharp crack of a gunshot echoed through the church, making Valerie flinch and gasp. Eugene stumbled backward, clutching his side as blood began to seep through his fingers. His eyes widened, shock flashing across his face, but he didn't fall immediately—he refused to give Tyler the satisfaction.
"Val... stay back..." Eugene gritted his teeth, struggling to stay upright in his spot.
Valerie froze, tears mixing with rage and fear, her hands trembling as she tried to comprehend what just happened.
Tyler smirked, stepping closer, confident that the chaos was under his control. "See? This is the cost of trying to play the hero, Eugene. Maybe now she'll finally understand..."
But before he could take another step, the doors of the church burst open. The sound of engines and hurried footsteps filled the room. Taeyun, Bryan, and the other K-East members, along with the members of the Narrow Squad, stormed in—alert, ready, and armed.
"Everyone stay down! Tyler—this ends now!" Taeyun shouted.
Members of the Narrow Squad fanned out quickly, covering the exits and neutralizing the armed men that had followed Tyler.
"Get them out of here! Now!" Bryan instructed.
The church stood suspended between vows and violence, between love and bloodshed—while outside, fate raced toward them at full speed and fever pitch. Screams echoed off the high ceilings, pews were overturned, and shards of stained glass scattered across the floor. Eugene's eyes darted rapidly, spotting the shooters among the fleeing guests.
"Cover the exits! Take them down!" Bryan shouting over the gunfire.
Gunshots erupted in rapid succession as Bryan fired at Tyler and his syndicate, hitting several of the assailants. Even Taeyun, trying to intercept, was grazed and forced to take cover. The church had transformed into a war zone.
Amidst the chaos, Jiyoo burst through a side entrance, his eyes locking on Valerie. Without hesitation, he dove to her side, grabbing her by the arms and pulling her off the floor. Valerie scrambled to her feet, still trembling and tears streaming down her face nonstop. Her dress was snagging on the pews, as Jiyoo guided her through the church's hallways. Gunfire ricocheted around them, the shouts of the assailants and panicked guests blending into a deafening roar.
Jiyoo didn't respond verbally, but his focus never wavered. They burst out of the church doors and into the cool night air. The sound of engines revving met their ears as he quickly swung her onto his motorcycle. Valerie wrapped her arms tightly around his torso, holding on as he started the engine with practiced ease.
The motorcycle roared to life, tires kicking up gravel as Jiyoo sped away from the chaos. The flashing lights of police and Narrow Squad backup illuminated the night, but the danger was still close behind.
As they weaved through narrow streets and dark alleys, Valerie's heart pounded—not just from the ride, but from the realization that the life she thought she knew, the people she trusted, and the wedding she had dreamed of, had all been shattered in a single night. Yet, clinging to Jiyoo, she felt the first spark of hope amidst the terror: they might just make it out alive.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnAZBt3oLp
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