Chapter 11 - The Chase in the Shadows
The heavy footsteps echoed closer, the rubber soles squeaking against the polished concrete floor of the garage. Mariana held her breath, her heart pounding so hard against her ribs she was certain the intruder could hear it. Tears streamed silently down her face as she squeezed her eyes shut, praying for a miracle.
"Mariana!" a frantic voice called out into the cavernous space. "Mariana, where are you?!"
It wasn't Diego. It was Lucia.
Mariana stumbled out from behind the concrete pillar, nearly collapsing onto the floor from sheer emotional exhaustion. Lucia ran toward them, her white lab coat disheveled and her stethoscope swinging wildly around her neck.
"Lucia!" Mariana sobbed, sinking to her knees as Lucia caught her. "Is he... where is he?!"
"Officer Vance got him," Lucia gasped, catching her breath as she knelt beside her friend. "Diego tried to bolt for the balcony, but Vance tackled him and got the cuffs on him. Backups are arriving at the front lobby right now. It's over, Mariana. He's in custody."
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Mariana buried her face in Sofia's neck, crying uncontrollably as the reality of their survival washed over her. The monster who had inhabited her life for five years was finally bound in steel chains.
👉 Read PART 12 to see what the police found when they searched Diego’s office!
