Aidan felt his blood chill at the sound. It was indistinct, muffled by distance but he could recognize it even when he was dead. It was Kate! Damn! Damn! He could not imagine the plight she must be in. It was only minutes since she had disappeared and Aidan had been looking for her like mad. He vowed not to let anyone harm her a second time.

When Kate had suddenly disappeared, he had tried hard not to panic looking around expecting to find Ryce missing too. But he was perplexed to find his best friend standing beside him looking as worried as hell.

And the only person missing had been Bryan Stafford. Oh holy shit! Ryce had nodded in his direction to confirm his doubt. It was the brother-in-law who had concocted such a conspiracy. No time to feel remorse for having doubted his best friend, they had immediately started to give each other instructions which way to go.

But not before asking Alex to stay with the rest of the women in the cottage. Nobody had guessed what was going on thankfully and now he feared the worst. Bryan would not spare Kate; not this second time.

Then he heard the sound again. Let me go! It was easier to discern now which told him that he was going in the right direction. Nearer to Kate; he just hoped he reached on time so that he could help her. His heart was as heavy as lead and he found it difficult to draw in his normal breath. Heaven knew what would happen to his Katie this time.

Finally, he caught sight of some movement not far across a deserted hill and without thinking he dashed towards the isolated place. And what he saw made his heart stop beating.

Bryan was holding Kate by her throat and she looked as pale as a ghost shaking with the effort to draw in a breath. The sight broke Aidan but he knew that he was dealing with a relentless murderer and he had to tread stealthily. However, he was unprepared for the third person already present there as he approached nearer.

There was Caitlin standing two feet away pointing a gun in the direction of Kate and his heart screamed at the sight. Without taking a moment to breathe, he dived in between the two sisters ready to take the bullet in the place of Kate. It would have been a perfect timing too had someone not pulled him from behind at the last second.

It was Ryce.

“Aidan!! What the hell are you doing?” his friend exclaimed getting up and extending a hand to help him get up.

But Aidan had no time to reply him. He leaned on the support to stand up and looked back at the body which laid slumped on the ground and he rushed to it feeling like it was the worst moment of his life. Kate had been shot by her own sister. Tears filled his vision and he vowed that if something happened to Kate, he would never ever be the same again.

Life would just end for him. As he rushed by the side of his beloved blinded by tears, he picked up the lifeless body unable to bear the pain. Kate was not responding and he was shaking her feeling desperate. He could no longer hear what was going on around him. All he cared about was his wife who laid lifeless in his arms and he wanted her back.

“Aidan!!!” Ryce was shouting. “Aidan, please control yourself.”

Aidan looked up at his friend without actually seeing anything. And he was not reacting; not until Ryce forcefully took Kate from his arms that he realized what was happening around him.

“What are you doing?” he screamed snapping out of his daze and watching Ryce cuddling his beloved in his arms.

“She’s alive. She needs medical attention. Get a grip!” Ryce rasped and at the same time Alex joined them rushing towards them on seeing the lifeless Kate. Her father bent to feel her pulse and confirmed that she was alive although somewhat weak.

It was then that Aidan realized that the bullet had hit Bryan and not Kate. Caitlin had aimed at her husband to protect her sister. Aidan had completely misunderstood the situation and had freaked out when he had seen Caitlin pointing a gun towards them. She had been aiming her husband and that was why Ryce had saved him. Bryan was lying on the floor with blood pooling around his body and Caitlin was down on her knees crying her heart out.

Aidan felt pity for her; it must have been hard for her to choose between her husband and her sister irrespective of how the husband was. But he was glad that she was not part of the conspiracy. It would have killed Kate if Caitlin had tried to kill her for money. Aidan was the only person who knew how little money counted for Kate.

Alex seemed to have picked up the situation moved towards his other daughter and kicked the pistol out of reach. Then he picked up the shell shocked Caitlin who was still crying like it was the end of the world. It was a heart wrenching scene but his attention was diverted as he heard a small coughing sound in his right. It was where Ryce was standing coming from Kate.

He rushed to her side at the first sign of life everything else forgotten. "Kate..."

"Aiiiiidan," she whispered weakly. And coughed again this time more roughly and he caressed her back while Ryce put her down on a nearby patch of grass.

"What happened?" she asked again and tried to get up when she saw Caitlin in the arms of her father. "Where's Bryan?"

Aidan shushed and asked her how she felt. The skin at her throat was rash and looked terribly sensitive. He wanted to caress it but he feared he might hurt her more. She looked frail and weak and Aidan wanted to take her to the hospital for medical attention.

But he knew how Kate were. It was going to be difficult to convince her to attend herself when her sister was in such a bad plight. And he was right. As soon as Kate caught sight of the depressed version of Caitlin, she sat up pushing away any support he was offering.

"Caitlin," she cried walking to her. "I'm so sorry."

Aidan had to suppress his concern for her which was not quite settling down with him. Not after he had seen his wife almost dead only a few minutes ago.

Why the hell was she apologizing? Wasn't her sister the one who should apologize for having such a lousy husband? Aidan knew he was being insensitive but all he cared about was that Kate at that moment. At her words, Caitlin stopped crying, sobbed once or twice but did not say anything. Kate's face was filled with guilt and Aidan feared that she was blaming herself for what had happened. He did not know how but he was sure it was some warped female logic again.

And he was starting to grow tired of all the drama. Every second there was something new which came up and he was not able to cope anymore. Just as he was looking for a way to cut off the drama that he was sure was going to trigger, there was a click sound in the air.

Everybody froze as the sound resounded through the silent scenery. Aidan saw Bryan who had gotten up when nobody was looking and had picked up the gun. Blood was oozing out of his left arm and Aidan had not thought to check where he had been hit. Damn!

But his game was over now. It would serve him no purpose to kill Kate now. There was no way Alex would make him the successor now that his true nature was out. However with the turn of events, Aidan could never be sure. So he moved towards Kate to protect her but Bryan pointed the gun in his direction.

"Don't move!"

"Okay!" he replied promptly. "Please don't shoot," he begged. He did not want anybody harmed. “Don’t shoot,” he repeated lifting his hands up as guise of surrender. He was not that stupid to endanger the lives of so many people around. But he remained alert in case Bryan got mad and decided to shoot after all.

“Bryan!” said Caitlin. “What are you doing?”

At the sound of his wife’s voice, Bryan stopped in his flight and looked back at where Caitlin stood with her father. “I’m sorry. I have to go. It’s too late for me to revert back. I already killed someone and I will not be acquitted.”

Caitlin gasped at his confession. And Aidan noticed that the other ladies had joined them too. Jade and June stood shocked while the Bigfoots looked angry.

“Why did you kill my son? What did he do?” asked Abigail speaking for the first time ever since she had joined them.

“I had no choice. I wanted to kill Kate but he was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Bryan said laughing dryly. “It was his bad luck,” he shrugged.

“You mean to say that I lost my son for a petty reason?” Abigail whispered in a low voice and Judith came from behind to support her friend. There was no comfort for them. What was done was done. Edward Bigfoot was no more because he had been the sacrificial lamb in some sort of way.

“Bryan, please stop!” pleaded Caitlin. “You can still repent. Think of the twins. Stop this madness for their sake. Please surrender to the police. I will wait for you. I promise.  ”

“Police? Never!! I will never spend my life in jail. Never. Do you hear me my dear wife?” Bryan shouted pointing the gun towards Caitlin and Alex now. “You are nothing what I thought you were. I thought you were a rich heiress when I married you. But you are nothing but a pale copy of your wonderful sister here!”

And Aidan gasped as he pointed the gun towards Kate again.

“How dare you!” shouted Caitlin. “How dare you say that you’ve married me for money and insult us in the same breath? You bastard!”

Aidan felt Ryce move and he knew that the latter was thinking along the same line as himself. It was futile trying to provoke Bryan when he had a gun. He could shoot someone anytime and it would be fatal. Instead, they should try to calm him down so that once he put the gun down it would be less dangerous.

“I would have kept you happy. You would never have known. But you were too busy playing the good sister instead of trying to help me out. I wanted so much for both of us but you spoiled everything Caitlin. Look at what you made me do.”

“I didn’t! I am not responsible for your actions. I always supported you even during the financial problems. Except that you expected me to tell my father about your failings. It’s not fair that he should be the one to cover up for your sorry ass.”

“And it’s fair that he should cover the failings of your elder sister? What about all the money that is being given to her?”

“Bryan, listen.” It was Kate. She had spoken for the first time and her voice was still husky but some of her original color was back in her face. “I will give you everything I have. Every penny. Please put the gun down. Please.”

It was so typical of Kate. She was the one generous enough to forgive him for all the misery her brother-in-law had inflicted on her for the sake of her sister.

“You will?” Bryan asked finally as if someone was getting to her.

“Yes. But you will have to surrender to the police. If you do so, I will transfer all my property in your name,” Kate told him getting nearer to him.

No, no, no Kate. Don’t do that. Aidan wanted to grab her but finally she stopped and Aidan realized that she had walked away from her sister and father so that if Bryan had a shot at her, the two would be spared. It was so clever of her but so foolish at the same time. What if she had flustered Bryan in the process. The latter was already freaking out as it was.

“No, no. I will never go to jail. You will have to forget the little incident and I will be ready to forgive you for all that you have done,” her brother-in-law replied back almost spatting the words as he spoke.

Wait a damn second! Bryan was being so magnanimous! He was the one ready to forgive Kate for having the gall to try to kill her. It was the world upside down, really. He wished Kate would not accept that he was to be forgiven. There was no way they could tolerate such a murderer in their family now that they’ve known the truth.

“Okay. Whatever you say,” gave in Kate and Aidan knew that she was doing everything for her sister’s sake.

And suddenly he guessed what Kate was trying to do. She was trying to make him out the gun down so that nobody else would be killed again. That was why she was agreeing to his every condition. He wished nobody protested as it would only spoil the game. But unfortunately, not everyone was as brilliant as his newly wedded wife.

“Kate!! Are you ready to forgive him for what he did to my son?” interrupted Abigail. “How can you do that?”

Damn that woman! He wished somebody would signal her that Kate was only trying to cajole Bryan so that he would put the gun down. Once he did that, then Ryce and himself would pounce on him like two predators. But apparently Abigail was so pent up with emotions that she was not able to see what Kate was trying to do. But Aidan could understand her plight; she had just discovered the killer of her son and it must not be easy for her to digest the fact that Edward was gone only because of a big mistake.

“Mrs. Bigfoot. I’m sorry but Bryan is family,” Kate said trying desperately to send her a warning look in her direction.

But Bryan seem to catch her look and he cursed loudly. “You’re playing me for a fool, you stupid bitch! I’m not wasting my time with you.”

And with that, he rushed in the direction of the cottage and Aidan deduced he was heading towards the car. Damn! They had to get to him before he got away. Without wasting time, Aidan dashed after him closely followed by Ryce ready to confront him now that the whole family was safe.

However, when they reached, he was already starting the white Rolls Royce and Aidan found the car keys missing in the other two cars. Damn! Damn! Damn! Bryan had managed to fool them. He was so clever that he had taken the two car keys before he took the fastest car. It was impossible for them to go after him now.

“Damn! He got away!” muttered Ryce looking as frustrated as he was feeling. And at that precise moment, Aidan felt so guilty to have doubted him in the first place. He was so glad to have an ally in such a situation. He decided to tell him the truth.

“Ryce I thought it was you who was trying to kill Kate.”

“What?!!” Ryce asked him staring at him like he had grown two heads. “Why the hell would I kill Kate? I love her as much as you do,” he protested.

“I know! I must have been out of my mind trying to figure out who was behind all this. I’m sorry bro; we had such a history that I thought you were still not in good terms with what happened. I’m really sorry,” he apologized. He vowed never to doubt Ryce again. He was the brother he never had. It was official.

“Never mind that. I know it has not been easy for you. Go find your wife; I’ll call the police to send them after Bryan’s trail.”

Aidan nodded and rushed back to the hill where the others were still gathered. Once he reached, he saw Kate and Caitlin hugging and he deduced that the two sisters had made peace. It was a relief to find that Caitlin held no grudge against her sister but he knew it was going to be difficult for her to manage the twins.

Life was a bitch sometimes. Caitlin was the sweetest person on earth and she so did not deserve such a terrible fate. Feeling bad for having doubted her too, he moved towards the two enlaced sisters.

“Where’s he?” Caitlin asked him as soon as she caught sight of him. Even in the worst situation, she was still worried about her husband. What a pity that the man was such a vile character. It was not going to be easy to oust him out of their lives despite the villainous role he had played. Bryan Stafford had been accepted as part as the Thornton family.

Aidan shook his head not really knowing how to disclose the news. “He got away.”

Kate gasped. Caitlin closed her eyes. Whether in relief or pain, Aidan could not make out. It was such a complicated situation for her.

Bryan looked unwilling to surrender himself to the police and there was no way they could accept him back for what he had done. Not after having already committed a murder and still not even repenting for it.

“I can’t believe it. We have been suffering from money problems for the past two years but I thought it was okay. I mean I would have stayed with him anyway. Even if he was poor. But lately he had been pestering me to talk to Dad about our state. Especially since he knew that Kate had inherited the company. I never thought that…”

She faltered and Kate squeezed her arms. “Nobody thought that he would do something like that. Hell, if I had known, I would have given him the money.”

“Nooo, it’s your money. You worked hard for it. I know how much you’ve studied and worked for that. It would have been so unfair for my husband to take everything from you. And I don’t think I would have liked to live with such a person.”

Aidan was so glad that Caitlin was not taking the side of her husband. It took a strong woman to be able to think rationally in the toughest times. But she was the only one who knew what was going on in her head at that moment.

“You’re right Caitlin,” her father intervened. “If he had tried to embezzle my money or something I would have forgiven him. But he had tried to kill, be it Edward or Kate. I can never forgive him for that. And I don’t think anybody can forgive him that. It would not be fair to Edward. He was part of the family too.”

“True,” said Judith still supporting her friend. It was sad that Edward had left them for absolutely no valid reason. Such a loss for nothing. “By God’s grace, we are still able to look after Caitlin rather than to leave her in the hands of such a murderer. She’s better off without him.”

All things said, Caitlin burst into tears again and everybody comforted her again. It was easier said than done. It was going to be a tough fight; fight against life but as Aidan stood to watch the undying support around her, he was sure that she would survive anything. Or at least he hoped so.