The story broke 48 hours later.
It didn't explode—it *detonated*. An anonymous whistleblower exposed a sweeping ring of high-value art fraud, naming names Ava barely believed were real: politicians, gallery directors, socialites. The story was everywhere—broadcasts, articles, whispered in high-end circles with panic.
Julian watched it unfold from the safehouse, his jaw locked tight.
Ava sat beside him on the couch, scrolling through a flurry of posts, each one messier than the last. "You just pulled the pin on an empire."
"She'll move now," he said. "She has no choice."
Ava looked at him. "And you're ready for that?"
"No." He turned toward her. "But I'm not scared anymore."
That night, it rained again—thick, heavy, violent.
Ava couldn't sleep. Not when every crack of thunder felt like a countdown. She stepped outside, barefoot on the wet porch, wrapped in Julian's hoodie.
He joined her a few minutes later, barefoot too. "Cold?"
"Not compared to what's coming."
Julian slipped his hand into hers. "We could still disappear. You and me. New names. New place. No more shadows."
"You forget, Julian," she said, voice cooling. "I made you. I gave you everything you had."
"And you nearly destroyed me."
"*Nearly*." Her eyes flicked to Ava again. "But now I see you've rebuilt. On shaky ground. I'd hate to watch it crumble again."
Ava stepped forward. "If you're going to threaten us, do it clearly."
Noura's smile returned. "No need, darling. I don't have to *threaten*. I just *wait*. He'll choose survival again. He always does."
She turned, started for the door.
Paused.
Then, softly, "I'll give you three days. After that, I stop asking nicely."
And just like that—she was gone.
***
Julian didn't speak for a long time.
Ava didn't push.
Finally, he said, "She's bluffing. She doesn't know if the original exists."
"But she's right about one thing," Ava whispered. "We're on shaky ground."
He turned to her, pain in his eyes. "I wanted to keep you away from this."
"You didn't," she said. "And I don't want to be away from it. But you have to decide, Julian. Are we going to fight her—or just survive her?"
Julian
Here's the final part of *Chapter 9* — it continues right from Ava's question.
---
Julian looked at her, really looked.
Rain slid down the windows behind them. The fire inside had dimmed to embers, but Ava's eyes—those he couldn't look away from—were burning.
"I'm done surviving," he said at last. "It's time she learns what it feels like to lose control."
Ava stepped closer. "Then let's finish this."
He took her hand, gripped it tight—not for comfort, but for anchor.
Because the next move would change everything.
No more shadows.
No more running.
They were going to bring Noura down.
Together.