Hendrix's whole body trembled, his voice hoarse with fury.
"Enough!" he roared. "Vienna, how far are you going to go?"
"Leila is gone! She's dead! No amount of revenge will bring her back!"
I lifted my sister's framed photo and placed it between us. My smile was more painful than tears.
"Then do it," I said softly. "Shoot me, right here, in front of Leila."
"You broke your promise once already—what's one more time?"
Cassidy crawled to Hendrix's legs, clutching them desperately.
"Shoot her! What are you waiting for? As long as she's alive, my child and I will never be safe!"
The room fell silent.
Hendrix's gaze locked on my sister's smiling face in the photo. For a long time, he didn't move. Then, with a heavy breath, he lowered the gun.
His voice was quiet but resolute. "Vienna don't make any more mistakes."
"If Leila were still alive, she'd never want to see you like this," Hendrix added.
I laughed so hard that tears streamed down my face. "You have no right to mention her name."
He sighed, the sound heavy with defeat. "What do you want, Vienna? As long as you don't hurt innocent people, I'll agree to anything."
Before his words faded, a sharp pain exploded in my waist.