Sandra paced her room, glancing at her phone every few seconds. The silence was thick, heavy on her nerves. She'd been waiting over an hour since Derek dropped her off. All she wanted was confirmation that Evelyn had been captured. Hatred burned within her; she craved Evelyn's utter humiliation and death.

She clenched her fists, finally dialing the number. The line rang twice before the hitman answered, "Yes?"

Sandra's tense voice barely concealed her irritation. "Any news?"

A pause. Then, the hitman's calm but cautious voice: "If I had, I'd have called. As I said, she's still at the reunion. We're waiting for her to leave. We'll get her at the right moment."

Sandra's jaw tightened. "I hope so. I want to see Michael," she demanded. "Send me a video, or better yet, a video call." She needed at least one part of her plan to go smoothly.

The hitman grunted. "Give me a minute." The line went quiet; Sandra heard faint shuffling. She paced to the window, drumming her fingers against the sill, her eyes narrowing as she watched the night sky.

The call switched to video. The image flickered: a dimly lit, musty storage room in a warehouse. The camera tilted down, revealing Michael slumped in a chair. His wrists were bound to the armrests with thick rope; his head hung low, chin to his chest. Duct tape covered his mouth; he appeared unconscious, his body limp.

Sandra leaned closer, her eyes gleaming with cold satisfaction. "Did you knock him out?" she asked, her voice low and almost amused.

The hitman nodded, adjusting the camera. "Just enough to keep him quiet."

Sandra smirked. "Good. But don't lose focus. Get Evelyn tonight. I'll be waiting for your call." Her voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "And make sure she's in worse shape than he is. Do whatever you want just don't kill her until I arrive. I want her last sight to be my face. I want to be there for the final moment."

The hitman nodded curtly. "Understood."

Satisfied, Sandra disconnected, her wicked sparkle fading as she let out a cold sigh. She tossed her phone onto the bed, a twisted anticipation rising as she imagined Evelyn's terror.

Unable to stay still, she changed into less conspicuous clothes and grabbed her car keys. She would watch Evelyn's abduction.

Elsewhere, Evelyn stepped out of the bakery, the cool night air a contrast to the warm chatter inside. She wrapped her arms around herself, glancing back. It had been a night of laughter and nostalgia, but a quietness settled over her now.

"Hey, wait up!" Rayna called, hurrying over with a bag of leftover desserts. She slipped her arm through Evelyn's as they walked toward the parking lot. "I packed you some sweet treats."

Evelyn smiled. "Thanks. If I'm not careful, I'll become obese soon," she said, taking the bag. Rayna laughed softly.

"I doubt that. So, you're telling Derek tonight, right?"

Evelyn offered a soft smile. "Yes, Ray. I will," she said, though her stomach fluttered.

Rayna squeezed her arm. "It'll be fine, Evie. Derek loves you more than anything; he'll be thrilled."

Evelyn hugged her back. "Yeah. I know. Thank you, Ray."

"No need to thank me," Rayna said, scanning the nearby cars as they reached Evelyn's car.

Her brows furrowed as she spotted a familiar-looking car across the lot.

"By the way, Ethan called Derek; he's going back to sea," Evelyn said. Rayna looked away from the car.

"Good for him. Good luck to him," Rayna said as they reached Evelyn's car. She leaned over, rapping her knuckles on the driver's window.

The window slid down, revealing Evelyn's bodyguard. "Just wanted to be sure it's you," Rayna said with a smile, turning to Evelyn.

"Safe ride," Rayna said, relieved. She gave Evelyn one last smile. "Call me when you're settled, okay?"

"I will," Evelyn promised, waving as Rayna stepped back onto the sidewalk, watching until the car pulled away.

Rayna waited until the car disappeared before turning to lock up the bakery. But as she turned, she saw the car she'd noticed earlier slowly rolling forward, its headlights dim, picking up speed.

By the time she registered it, the car was accelerating toward her. She froze, petrified.

A figure darted from the shadows, sprinting toward Rayna. In a split second, he shoved her out of the way. The force sent her sprawling; she narrowly avoided the vehicle. But he had no time to dodge; the car clipped him with a brutal thud.

The impact threw him backward, his body crumpling onto the pavement. The vehicle sped off before he even hit the ground. Rayna, recovering from her shock, scrambled to her feet, rushing to his side. Her heartbeat pounded; her hands shook as she reached for him, horror twisting her insides at the sight of his unmoving form.

"Ethan!" Rayna's voice broke the silence, raw and panicked, as she saw his face.