Rivals Redemption

chapter 16 : Almost there

Tina Diaz

As we prepped to move the weapons out of the warehouse, my mind spiraled into the details of everything we'd uncovered. Each revelation had been like a punch to the gut, making me question everything I thought I knew about my father’s rivalry with Rowan’s family. It wasn’t just business anymore; it was personal, twisted in ways we hadn’t realized.

The truth about Kevin Jonas hung over us like a dark cloud. He had been the one pulling the strings, planting false allegations against Rowan’s father, Mr. Reginald Cortez, to ruin his reputation and his company. It felt surreal to think about it, knowing that for so long I had blamed Reginald for the tensions between our families. I had pictured him as the villain, the driving force behind my father’s warnings, when in reality, he had been a victim, too.

Reginald was trying to protect his company, just like my father. All this time, I had viewed him through the lens of my father’s disapproval, not realizing the innocent lives caught in this power struggle. The truth about Kevin’s manipulation was finally coming to light, and I couldn’t shake the guilt gnawing at me. I had let my biases cloud my judgment and had failed to see the truth.

I glanced over at Rowan, his face set in determination as he coordinated our escape. I wanted to tell him how sorry I was for ever doubting his father, how I regretted the way I had let my father’s beliefs influence me. But right now wasn’t the time for that. We were on the brink of exposing Kevin Jonas, the real culprit behind this chaos, and I could feel the urgency of the moment pushing us forward.

“Tina!” Nash’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “We need to move! Now!”

I nodded, forcing the weight of my guilt aside. The adrenaline kicked back in, propelling me into action. As we secured the weapons, the reality of our situation settled heavily upon me. This was our chance to turn the tide, to not only save Rowan’s family but to also reconcile the rift between our two families that had been festering for years. We could finally expose Kevin for what he truly was.

The next moments unfolded in a blur. We loaded the weapons into the back of a van that Aiden had parked nearby, each of us working in silence, the tension palpable. I felt Rowan’s presence beside me as we finished, his shoulder brushing against mine, igniting a spark of connection that reminded me why we were fighting this fight together.

But as we prepared to leave, a thought gripped my mind. “What if Kevin finds out we’re onto him before we can expose him?” I voiced my concern to the group, glancing at everyone’s determined expressions.

“We can’t let that happen,” Grace replied, her gaze sharp. “We need to make our move quickly. The longer we wait, the more time he has to cover his tracks.”

Nash nodded. “We need to get to the main server room where the records are kept. If we can retrieve the evidence of his manipulation, we’ll have everything we need to bring him down.”

Rowan turned to me, his expression intense. “Tina, I know this is risky, but we can’t back down now. If we don’t stop Kevin, this whole situation could spiral even further out of control.”

I could feel the weight of his gaze, a mixture of fear and determination reflecting in his eyes. He was right. This wasn’t just about our families anymore; it was about standing up against the corruption that had taken hold of our lives. We had come too far to turn back now.

“Okay,” I said, steeling myself. “Let’s do this.”

We sprinted towards the exit, adrenaline pumping through my veins as we prepared for the next phase of our mission. As we moved through the streets, I could feel the urgency and the importance of our actions weighing heavily on my heart. We weren’t just fighting for ourselves; we were fighting for the truth.

The path to the server room was littered with obstacles, but with each step, I could sense the walls closing in on Kevin. We were almost there, almost ready to expose him for the deceitful manipulator he was. I just hoped that we could do it before he had a chance to slip through our fingers.

As we approached the building housing the server room, I took a deep breath, the air heavy with anticipation. This was it. This was the moment we had been waiting for. But as we neared the entrance, a nagging doubt crept in—what if we were too late? What if Kevin was already one step ahead?

I exchanged a glance with Rowan, and in that fleeting moment, I knew we were in this together. Whatever happened next, we would face it side by side. I wouldn’t let the past dictate our future any longer.

With resolve solidifying in my chest, I pushed open the door. The battle for our future—and the truth—was about to begin.