Chapter 21
The Standoff
The heavy silence that fell over the ruined apartment was far more terrifying than the pounding of the door had been. The man in the black trench coat stood perfectly still, his imposing silhouette framed by the flickering hallway lights. His cold, piercing eyes locked onto Daniel with a predatory intensity that froze the air in the room.
"Who... who are you?"
Daniel stammered, the arrogant sneer completely wiped from his face. He instinctively took a step back, the heel of his shoe moving away from Elena's bleeding fingers.
Beatriz collapsed to her knees, her hands trembling as she clutched her chest.
"Alejandro," she whispered, her voice cracking with a fear so profound it sounded like a death rattle. "It's impossible. You were supposed to be dead."
"You paid a lot of money to ensure that, didn't you, mother?"
Alejandro’s voice was smooth, yet laced with a lethal edge. He slowly lowered the old, yellowed photograph, tucking it into his coat pocket. He stepped fully into the apartment.
Daniel, realizing his entire stolen life was crumbling before his eyes, let out a desperate, feral scream. He lunged forward, retrieving the fallen hunting knife from the floor.
"This is my house! You get nothing!"
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Daniel slashed wildly at the stranger. Alejandro didn't even flinch. With the terrifying speed and precision of a man forged in survival, Alejandro sidestepped the blade, grabbed Daniel’s wrist, and twisted it sharply. A sickening crack echoed through the room.
Daniel shrieked, dropping the knife as he fell to the floor, clutching his broken arm. Alejandro stepped over him without a second glance and sprinted toward the balcony, his eyes fixed on the pregnant woman hanging over the abyss.
