Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)
Chapter 2034

Raiden's gaze was somber and stormy, his brows furrowed in frustration. "Can't let go, huh? You can't let go of all the materialism, the love affairs here, so you'd even betray your own team, right?" "No!" Estelle shook her head in panic, her voice trembling. "That's not true!"

"All this is fake, an illusion, blinding you!" Raiden spat out the words with fierce urgency. "It's your own inner demons. You have to resist the temptation and get back to your team, now." Tears choked Estelle as she nodded. "I will. I'm going back right now!"

She glanced down at the gun in her hand, slowly lifting it, pressing the barrel against her chest.

"Ella! You made a promise to me, a vow to never leave my side! I love you!"

The man's deep, affectionate voice echoed relentlessly in her mind. Estelle's face twisted in anguish, her heart wrenching painfully, her hand holding the gun shaking slightly.

I can't leave him!

I won't leave him!

"Still can't bear to leave?" Raiden's voice carried a note of disappointment as he raised his own firearm. "If it's so hard for you to decide, then let me help you on your way!" Estelle looked at Raiden, closed her eyes, and felt her life force ebbing away, her will to survive growing fainter.

"Bang!"

A gunshot rang out, a bullet racing straight towards Estelle's forehead.

"Estelle!"

A furious roar filled with dread broke the silence, and a man threw himself in front of her, taking the bullet in his shoulder. He collapsed to the ground, cradling Estelle. Estelle's eyes flew open, and she saw blood spurting from his shoulder, her consciousness snapping back into focus.

"Xavier!"

Estelle pressed her hand against his wound, then looked up sharply at Raiden, who stood not far off.

Xavier's breath came in ragged gasps as he too glared at Raiden, his voice hoarse and cold. "You really want her dead that much?"

Raiden looked on impassively. "Doesn't she deserve to die?"

"She's innocent!"

A bitter, mocking laugh escaped Raiden as he pointed the gun at them. "Because you survived, you think she's innocent!"

Xavier slowly got to his feet. "Wolf, this isn't how we were meant to meet."

Raiden's eyes were icy, his voice laced with venom. "That's because you never thought I was still alive! But I've played this scene over in my mind a thousand times, and in every single one, she dies by my gun!"

Estelle's eyes reddened as she met his gaze. "Wolf, is it really you?"

"Surprised?" Raiden's voice was cold.

"Very," Estelle replied sorrowfully. "To think the upright and honorable Wolf would one day become a tyrant's lackey!"

"You think you're representing justice? Like some kind of hero?" Raiden sneered, pulling out a smartphone and scrolling through web pages. "Look at yourself. You fight and die for your so-called beliefs abroad, while back home you're ridiculed for being a sell-out. You're the joke!"

"I'm not a joke!" Estelle declared firmly. "We don't need anyone's approval for what we do!"