Page 51 of Surrendering to the Obsession

The final bullet remained in his palm. He held it up between two fingers, smirking. Then he slid it into the cylinder.

He spun the chamber—hard. It whirred until the bullet was lost in a blur. He snapped it shut with a single, sharp click.

Every man in the room watched him.

James held his breath.

Then, without hesitation, the kidnapper pressed the gun to his own temple.

Mia’s eyes locked on him.

…click.

Empty.

A slow, confident smile curled on the kidnapper’s lips.

“Your turn.”

He held the gun out to her.

Mia reached for it.

Her fingers closed around the cold metal—her hands steady, but her pulse pounding so violently she felt it in her throat. She lifted the gun, slowly raising the barrel toward her own forehead.

Her breath hitched.

Behind her, James lost control.

“MIA—STOP!” His voice cracked, raw and shaking. He pulled against the ropes until the veins in his arms bulged, until theskin of his wrists tore. “You’re going to die! realise that?! You’re going to die if you do this! Mia—don’t—PLEASE don’t—!”

She didn’t look at him. Her eyes stayed on the kidnapper.

Then Mia inhaled, slow and deep.

And pulled the trigger—

The silence that followed was so sharp it almost rang in the air.

Even the kidnappers stared at Mia—wide-eyed, stunned, looking at her like she was something unreal.

“Mia, leave!” James barked, voice cracking with panic. “Get out of here! NOW!”

His entire face was twisted—jaw clenched, eyes wild, veins standing out like cords along his neck. He had never looked like this in his life. Not even close. Rage, terror, disbelief—they all crashed through him at once.

“You’re going to die for real! This is not a damn game!” he shouted, voice shaking so hard it barely held together.

Inside him, everything spun out of control. ‘Why is she doing this? Why the hell is she risking herself for me? Wasn’t it money she always cared about? Wasn’t that why she married me? For a title? For the Sinclair name? Then why—why would she be willing to die for me?’

But Mia didn’t even glance at him.

Her fingers tightened around the gun until her knuckles turned white.

“Let’s finish this quickly,” she said, breath uneven but her voice steady. “I don’t have all day.”

The leader’s eyes widened a fraction.

Then Mia raised the gun higher and murmured, “There are four bullets left… right?”