Fifty-Four.

I wait for the knife to make contact with my chest and pierce my heart, which is hammering relentlessly. My rapid breathing drowns out the sounds in my immediate vicinity.

I feel Trent's body leave mine.

The weight of my troubles is abruptly lifted from my torso and I can take my next breath with ease.

Long and deep which fills my lungs with salty air.

I open my eyes and shock washes over me as I watch Aydem dragging Trent across the sand with his forearm wrapped tightly around Trent's throat.

Aydem releases Trent, shoving him forward.

Trent staggers forward until he regains his balance. He turns to confront Aydem and is surprised to see him lunge forward and tackle him to the ground. He lets out a loud grunt as Aydem hits Trent in the face with his closed hand.

Aydem does it again and again, and the horrific sound of flesh smashing flesh surges through the air between us with each time his knuckles make contact with Trent's face.

As I push myself off the ground and ascend to my feet, a faint, distressed groan escapes my lips. I look down at my torso and notice blood trickling down the sides of my sand-covered body.

I sway, taking two steps forward and I scan our surroundings looking for Castello. But, he is nowhere to be seen.

I pick up the knife Trent dropped, gripping it fiercely in my hand as if my life depends on it.

"Castello, he's gone." I croak out, reaching Aydems side on trembling limbs. "Sandro." I whimper.

Aydem looks up at me with eyes filled with wrath, anger and vengeance. He stops his brutal attack on Trent, breathing heavily as he stands upright, towering over Trent who is falling in and out of consciousness with a grin smeared across his devil infused face.

Aydem wipes his nose with the back of his hand, closing his eyes and he leans back, tilting his head up towards the sky as he lets out a blood-curdling roar like a beast that he has succumbed to.

I flinch, experiencing his pain of frustration as his roar seeps into my heart.

"Aydem," I whisper, gently touching his shoulder as I don't want to startle him.

He runs his palm across his face, gradually peeling apart his eyelashes to expose his beautiful emerald green irises with amber specks.

As his gaze finds mine, his eyes soften while he lets out a raspy breath. "Askim," [My love] he mutters, peeling his shirt from his body. "You're hurt." His eyes examine my body with a scowl on his face.

"I'm fine." I sigh, allowing him to help put his shirt on me. "I'll survive." I wince when my arms fall at my sides creating a surge of pain to course through my body.

I gnaw on the inside of my cheek, masking the groan that coaxes the back of my throat.

[No] "Hayir, your not. You need medical attention." His voice is laced with concern.

I shake my head.

Sandros face flashes before me.

"Sandro, you need to go to Sandro," I whisper, reaching up to wipe Trent's blood off his cheek.

I watch as he swallows thickly, "Neriman has him. It's why this useless piece of bok [shit] is out in the open." He turns and looks back at Trent's immobile body.

I absent-mindedly find myself straddling Trent's torso with the knife he previously possessed in my hands. I tear his t-shirt open, exposing his battered physique and I press the tip of the blade against his chest.

My hand trembles as I wield the knife, and I attempt to stabilise it by placing my other hand over the top of the knife's handle.

"Are you certain you want to do this, askim?" [My love.] Aydem asks me with hesitation coating his words. "The second you walk down this path, there is no turning back."

I nod my head, determined to end Trent's life so he will never be able to haunt me ever again or hurt another innocent soul.

"I have to do this." My voice quivers. "If I don't, I know I will regret it forever," I say with determination. "Please tell me I won't lose my soul if I take his life. Tell me I am doing the world a favour and I will live a long prosperous life afterwards."

I clamp my eyes shut, building the courage to drive the knife deeply into Trent's godforsaken rhythmic beating heart.

I sense Aydem crouching beside me, his hands covering mine. "Whatever you decide, Mila. I will always remain by your side." He whispers in my ear. "You are my mine, and I will always take care of you and our son." His lips brush across the shell of my ear. "Together, askim. [my love] We'll take his life together."

I turn my head and gaze into his eyes with a mine full of tears and I gasp as he presses down on the handle, plunging the knife deeply into Trent's heart.

I look down at Trent and see the agony on his face. His body contorts beneath me as Aydem gradually withdraws the knife from Trent's heart, he pushes the tip of the blade against the side of Trent's neck and plunges it into his throat.

I witness Trent taking his last breath and I exhale a trembling breath as tears stream down my relieved face.

It's over.

He can not hurt me or Sandro anymore.

I face Aydem, a sob slips past my lips and he pulls me into his embrace. The fear that has been eating at my body, heart and soul vanishes in one swift motion.

"It's over." I whimper. "Is it really over?"

Aydem combs his fingers through my hair, "It is." He says gently as he presses a feather-light kiss on the top of my head. "He can not physically hurt you anymore." He hums against my hair.

Allowing myself another minute or two to rest in his embrace, I lay my head against his chest and listen to the rhythm of his hammering heart, finding solace in it.

"You came for us?" I say as I look up to meet his gaze. "I mean, you came for us and didn't just send Neriman."  I sniffle, wiping the tears from my face.

A sly grin spreads across his handsome face. "I would walk to the ends of the earth to save you, Mila." He mutters, rubbing the pad of his thumb against my cheekbone. "That ring you possess on your finger isn't just for decoration. I told you once and I will tell you again," he growls. "I want you and Sandro to bear my name and our marriage will be exclusive." His lips crush mine as a low fierce growl vibrates from the back of his neck.

I gradually start to feel light-headed and short of breath. I withdraw from our kiss and open my mouth, but nothing comes out and I unexpectedly find myself consumed by darkness....

"Askim-" I vividly hear Aydem call out to me.

[My love-]