Dominique said calmly, his voice steady despite the pain. "She’s more beautiful than you’ll ever be. Inside and out. You, on the other hand, are just a walking pile of insecurities wrapped in a cheap suit. That’s what really keeps you up at night, isn’t it? Knowing that no matter what you do, you’ll never be half the man she deserves."

Nicolas lunged forward, grabbing Dominique by the collar and shoving him against the railing. The metal dug into Dominique’s back, cold and hard, pressing against his spine painfully. The impact sent a fresh wave of pain through his body, and he gritted his teeth to keep from crying out.

The wind whipped around them, howling like a living thing, tugging at their clothes and hair with fierce, invisible hands. The night sky stretched above them, cold and indifferent, scattered with stars that seemed to watch the scene unfold with silent detachment.

Nicolas screamed, his voice cracking with fury. "I’m going to throw you off this balcony! I want to see you die! I hate you more than anyone in this world, Dominique! I want to watch you fall and hear your bones break on the stones below!"

He tried to push him over.

But the safety rail was high and solid, a barrier of iron and stone that refused to yield. Nicolas, weakened by the drug and the blood loss, couldn’t get enough leverage. His arms trembled with the effort, his breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps. His muscles strained and bulged but Dominique didn’t budge.

Dominique looked at him, his eyes glinting with dark amusement despite the blood and the pain. A slow smile spread across his lips, cold and mocking, as if he found the entire situation absurdly entertaining.

Dominique asked, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Having trouble? All that rage, and you can’t even push a bleeding man off a balcony? That’s honestly embarrassing. I’m secondhand embarrassed for you."

Nicolas snarled and pushed harder, his face contorted with effort. His muscles screamed in protest, but he refused to give up, his pride refusing to let him admit defeat.

Dominique didn’t move.

Dominique said, his tone light, almost playful, as if they were discussing the weather. "You know what I think? I think you’ve always been this weak little man. All those years of trying to tear down everyone around you, it’s just because you’re scared. Scared that someone, somewhere, might realize you’re nothing. That you’ve always been nothing."

Nicolas screamed, his voice cracking with fury. "Shut up!"

"Or what? You’ll push me harder?" Dominique laughed, the sound rasping and bloodied. "Please. My grandmother could do better, and she’s been dead for twenty years."

Nicolas screamed in frustration, slamming his fist against the railing. The metal rattled but it didn’t give. The sound echoed through the night, swallowed by the howling wind.

Dominique shook his head slowly, a mocking smile still on his lips. "All this effort. All this energy. And you still can’t get what you really want. Hazel doesn’t love you. She never did. She never will, and no amount of murder, no amount of scheming, will ever change that. You’re just a sad little man throwing a very expensive tantrum."

Nicolas shoved him again, his movements wild and desperate.

Dominique stumbled, his back hitting the railing, but he caught himself. He looked at Nicolas, his eyes sharp despite the pain. Blood dripped from his neck, staining his collar, spreading across his chest in a dark, growing stain.

"You’re going to die," Nicolas hissed.

"Probably," Dominique agreed, his voice calm. "But not tonight. And not by your hand, little man."

He shoved Nicolas back, hard.

Nicolas stumbled, crashing into the wall. His eyes were wild, his chest heaving. Blood dripped from his forehead, mixing with the sweat on his face, creating dark, ugly streaks across his skin.

Dominique straightened, his hand still pressed to his neck. His vision was darkening at the edges, the world swimming in and out of focus but he forced himself to stay upright. His legs were shaking but he refused to fall.

"Leo’s coming," he said, his voice like he was saying cringey filmy dialogue. "And when he gets here—"

He didn’t finish the sentence.

Leo stood in the doorway, his gray eyes cold, his jaw tight. Behind him, Bella gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Her eyes were wide, filled with shock and fear as she took in the scene before her.

Dominique smiled, his lips stained with blood.

"Took you long enough brooooo ahhh!" he said and collapsed. His body crumpled to the floor, his hand still pressed to his neck, his eyes fluttering closed.

"Dommmm!!!" Bella shouted as she rushed to his side, her eyes wide with horror as she saw the blood pooling beneath him, the gash on his neck still oozing, his face pale and drained of all color. She knelt beside him, her hands hovering over his wounds, trembling.

"Oh my God, Dom—stay with me—stay with me!" Bella cried, her voice cracking with desperation.

He was barely conscious, his eyes fluttering, his breath shallow and uneven. But he managed a weak smile, his lips twitching despite the pain.

"Bella Bell... you came..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Of course I came! Just stay awake! Don’t you dare close your eyes!" Bella’s voice was fierce, her eyes burning with unshed tears.

She pulled out her phone, her fingers shaking as she dialed. "I need an ambulance! Now! At the Nicolas vale estate—he’s bleeding badly—hurry!"

Bang!

Suddenly, a deafening, sharp sound rang through the room.

Bella’s head snapped up.

Leo stood a few feet away, his arm still extended, the gun smoking in his hand. His gray eyes were cold, his expression unreadable. Nicolas lay on the floor, clutching his chest, blood seeping through his fingers, his face twisted in shock and pain.

Leo had shot him.

Near his heart.

But not to kill. Just enough to make him hurt. Just enough to make him remember.