131All eyes turned to Darien, who stood tall and defiant amidst the crowd. Camila's heart skipped a beat as she watched him step forward, her breath catching in her throat. "Mr. French, no," she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. "You can't be serious. You can't possibly stand a chance against Cobra. He's too dangerous!" Gasps filled the air as everyone turned to look at him, astonishment written on their faces.Tegan's brow furrowed in disbelief as he stared at Darien, his expression a mix of concern and disbelief. "Are you out of your mind?" he scoffed, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Cobra will tear you apart in seconds. You're no match for him."But Darien remained resolute, his jaw set in determination. He turned to face Amelia, meeting her gaze with unwavering determination. "I can do this," he insisted, his voice firm and steady. "Trust me."Amelia's heart swelled with pride as she looked at Darien, seeing the fire burning in his eyes. She knew he was strong, but she

133He then charged at him, fist up, Darien saw the blow coming but knew he didn't have enough energy left to dodge. As Cobra's fist flew towards his face, Darien steeled himself for the impact, knowing this might be the end.But at the last second, Darien mustered his remaining strength and threw himself into a roll, Cobra's fist narrowly missing its target. Darien sprang back up behind Cobra, using the last of his momentum to deliver a sharp kick to Cobra's back that sent the larger man stumbling forward.The crowd let out a collective gasp. Tegan's eyes narrowed in surprise and irritation. Camila and Amelia clutched each other, hope flooding back into their gazes.Cobra whirled around, pure rage twisting his features. "You'll pay for that!" he screamed, launching himself back at Darien.Darien braced himself, realizing this would have to end now once and for all. As Cobra closed in, Darien gathered all his energy and focus into one final attack. At the last possible moment, he spun

135Sometime later, the sun began setting behind the mountains. Amelia and her convoy were traveling through a fork in the road when a large bus came barreling toward them.The bus driver hit the brake and drifted to a horizontal stop, blocking the entire road.A bunch of assassins covered in black immediately swarmed out from both sides of the woods, quicklyencircling the convoy of cars.In the midst of a chaotic ambush orchestrated by Marco DeSilva, the bodyguards of the Fairchild family swiftly rallied to protect Amelia and Camila. "Protect the ladies! Keep them safe at all costs!" one of the guards shouted, his voice filled with urgency as he ushered the women behind the cover of their vehicles.Amelia's heart raced as she assessed the situation, her mind racing with thoughts of strategy and survival. "Stay low, stay together," she instructed, her voice calm but authoritative. "We need to hold our ground until help arrives."Camila's anger flared at the audacity of their attacker

137Three subordinates pulled out their knifes, ready to finish with Darien. Amelia, her voice quivering with anger, stepped forward, her eyes ablaze with defiance. "You have no right to accuse him like this," she protested vehemently, her fists clenched at her sides. "Who are you to pass judgment without any proof?"Titania, her expression stern and unwavering, met Amelia's gaze head-on. "I am the head of security for your family," she declared firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "It is my responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone here."Amelia's jaw tightened with frustration as she struggled to find the words to refute Titania's authority. "But Darien is my loyal and honest friend," she insisted, her voice tinged with desperation. "He would never betray us."Camila, her heart heavy with concern, stepped forward to join Amelia. "It's true," she interjected, her voice filled with conviction. "Darien just saved our lives from that despicable Marco DeSilva. You don't

139With a swift move, Darien retaliated against Titania's attack, delivering a powerful blow to her abdomen, sending her crashing onto a nearby vehicle. Camila, her heart pounding with fear, rushed to Titania's side, her eyes wide with concern. "Titania, are you alright?" she gasped, her voice trembling with worry.Titania groaned in pain, clutching her stomach as she struggled to catch her breath. "I'm fine," she spat, her voice strained with defiance. "Just get him!"But Darien, his expression hardened with determination, ignored Titania's orders as he turned his attention to Camila. "Miss Fairchild, what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.Camila shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I couldn't stand by and watch you two fight," she confessed, her voice choked with emotion. "She's family, sir French."Darien's eyes softened as he reached out to comfort Camila, his hand gently resting on her shoulder. "I know," he murmured, his voice filled with u