Haynes was actually going to choose her?


    Ste felt a strange sense of surprise, but also inevitability. She could only chalk it up to Haynes being the same cold and calcting person he''d always been.


    Suddenly, she felt a burning, resentful re fixed on her.


    Turning her head, Ste saw Rachel biting her lower lip until it almost bled, her eyes rimmed red.


    Rachel had never imagined that, when forced to choose between the two of them, Haynes would actually pick Ste.


    He''d divorced Ste for her sake, hadn''t he? Why would he choose Ste now?


    A cold, mocking smile tugged at the corner of Ste''s mouth.


    Rachel had always used her illness to win Haynes'' sympathy and attention, carefully crafting her image as the sweet, selfless girl in front of everyone. Now, she was reaping what she''d sown.


    Ste felt no joy at being chosen. She knew it was nothing more than a calcted decision—a matter of weighing pros and cons.


    Lind watched the scene unfold with an air of amusement. "So, Mr. O''Brien, your choice... is your ex-wife, Ste?”


    Haynes paused for a moment before answering. "Yes."


    Jasper''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Haynie!"


    The metallic taste of blood filled Rachel''s mouth as she bit through her lip.


    Ste, that witch-she deserved to die!


    Haynes ignored Jasper and fixed his gaze on Lind. "I''ve made my choice. Now, will you let them go?"


    "Of course," Lind replied smoothly. "Ms. Cameron, you''re free to leave."


    Ste moved toward Keen, reaching out to take his hand-but in that instant, chaos erupted.


    "Watch out!" Haynes suddenly shouted, his face twisting with rm.


    With her back to Lind, Ste couldn''t see what was happening behind her. But the moment Haynes'' warning rang out, a gunshot split the air.


    Bang!


    Ste''s instincts kicked in. She threw her arms around Keen and rolled them both across the floor, shielding him with her body.


    A momentter, Rachel''s desperate scream sliced through the confusion.


    "Keen, run! I''ll hold him back!"


    Rachel lunged out of nowhere,


    clinging fiercely to Lind''s arm andet


    screaming at the top of her luet


    her voice cracking with pan


    Lind''s eyes went cold. He pped Rachel across the face, hard.


    Smack!


    Rachel''s head snapped to the side, but she didn''t loosen her grip. It was as if she couldn''t feel the pain.


    Annoyed by her defiance, Lind grabbed her and flung her to the ground with full force.


    Ignoring her own injuries, Rachel scrambled to her feet and grabbed Lind''s leg, clinging to him with everything she had.


    Everyone in the room was stunned by Rachel''s ferocity, frozen in shock.


    Seeing Lind''s attention fixed on Rachel, Ste seized the moment. She scooped Keen into her arms and bolted for the door.


    Haynes reacted instantly, moving to shield Ste and Keen behind him.


    The sound of gunfire had drawn Benson and his team, who burst onto the scene. Haynes spoke in a low, urgent voice. "Get them to safety. Now."


    Lind''s


    Koonot had thrown


    ...


    into chaos. As Ste hustled out, Ste


    a deafening explosion


    behin


    let


    her.


    Hospital.


    While Ste and Keen underwent a full medical exam, Rachel had already been rescued and was now


    да


    rushed to the emergency


    Watching as Rachel, covered in blood, was wheeled past on a stretcher, Ste


    frowned with concern.


    "How is Rachel?"


    Haynes and Jasper were too preupied to answer her.


    It was Foreman, pausing beside her, who exined how everything had unfolded.