Ella's heart pounded in her throat as she crept through the quiet halls of the mansion. Shadows filled every corner, and the soft ticking of the grandfather clock sounded loud in the silence. She wasn't alone, she could feel it. Danger was close, but she moved anyway, holding the small flashlight she'd grabbed from a drawer.
Ben had gone ahead to confront Jasper. He hadn't told her his plan, he trusted her to follow when needed. Ella pressed herself against the wall, breathing shallow, peeking around the corner.
In the study, Jasper's voice was sharp, tense. "You shouldn't have done this, Ben." He paced, hands moving wildly. "Exposing her doesn't solve anything! It's never that simple!"
Ben stayed still. "It's enough. Rita's games are over. And you… you won't manipulate me anymore." His voice was steady, strong, but his eyes showed the rage, fear, and pain he'd held back.
Ella froze as she saw a folder Jasper had thrown across the room. Papers spilled: bank statements, emails, photos. Her pulse raced. These weren't just lies, these were detailed plans to control people, to ruin them.
Jasper noticed her. His eyes went sharp. "Ella. You weren't supposed to see this."
She forced herself to speak calmly. "I see it. All of it. And it's over."
He lunged, knocking over a chair. Ella stumbled back, heart in her throat. Ben's hand shot out from the shadows, grabbing Jasper's wrist and twisting it. Jasper hissed, swung his elbow, but Ben ducked, and Jasper hit the wall, gasping.
Ella's legs shook, but she stood firm. "This ends tonight," she whispered.
Jasper's eyes darted between her and Ben. He grabbed the folder and ran for the door. Ben chased, knocking him to the ground. Papers flew everywhere, some landing on Ella's flashlight.
"You have no idea what's coming! You think you can stop me? You think she's done?!" Jasper snarled.
Ben's jaw tightened. "You're done. All of it."
Ella grabbed the folder, flipping through it. Names, dates, events. Her stomach churned with anger and disbelief. Rita had been careful but not careful enough. Every lie had a trail.
She felt a flicker of unease. "Ben… this is bigger than we thought. She didn't act alone."
Ben's eyes darkened. "I know. That's why we end it now. Anyone helping her, we expose them."
Sudden footsteps in the hallway made them freeze. Slow, deliberate. They weren't alone.
"Ella… stay back," Ben murmured.
A figure appeared: tall, confident, expression sharp. It was Lucas. He smiled faintly, but there was no warmth. "Well, well… looks like I walked into a party," he said, voice smooth and sharp.
Ella's mind raced. She hadn't expected him. She glanced at Ben. Without words, they knew: trust had to be measured.
Lucas raised a hand slowly, not greeting. "I'm not here to fight… yet. I'm here so we understand each other."
Ben narrowed his eyes. "We understand that you're on the wrong side."
Lucas chuckled softly, humorless. "Wrong? Maybe just different priorities. She has her reasons. I have mine. And if you think exposing one thing will stop everything then you're underestimating her."
Ella clenched her teeth. "Then tell me why help her? Why not stay out of it?"
Lucas tilted his head, a faint shadow of a smile. "Because I want something she can't give me and she won't stop until she gets it. Right now… you're in my way."
Before anyone could react, he lunged, knocking over a desk lamp. Glass shattered, sparks flying. Ben grabbed Lucas, struggling. Ella dove, keeping the folder safe, but papers scattered everywhere.
The room was chaos: shouts, crashing furniture, glass underfoot, and Ella's heart pounding like it would burst.
Then, suddenly, silence.
Lucas was pinned against the wall by Ben, chest heaving. Ella stood among scattered papers, trembling but determined. She felt alive, every muscle tense.
Ben's voice was low, dangerous. "This ends tonight. One way or another."
Lucas smiled faintly, almost admiring. "We'll see… won't we?"
Ella bent to gather papers, heart racing. Every secret, every betrayal pressed on her. Yet she felt exhilarated, finally, the truth was surfacing.
Outside, the night air was cold. Inside, the room smelled of dust, candle wax, and tension. Somewhere, Rita was watching, planning her next move.
Ella looked at Ben, eyes hard and resolved. "We can't stop. Not now. Not ever."
Ben nodded, fists tight. "We finish this. All of it. Together."
In that moment, in the chaos and scattered papers, Ella understood something: nothing would ever be simple again, but now, they were fighting as one.