685: HOW IT ENDED

ARIEL'S POV The moment my eyes fell upon Janice, my heart swelled with a mixture of relief and terror. Tears streamed down my face as I took in the sight of my precious daughter – her mouth taped shut, her hands bound, and a gun pressed against her head. Every fiber of my being longed to run to her, to hold her close and protect her from the monsters that surrounded us. When I took a step forward, Elsa's cold voice rang out, halting me in my tracks. "Don't move, Ariel. Don't even think about it." She gestured to one of her men, who tossed a pistol towards me. It landed at my feet with a dull thud, a menacing symbol of the impossible choice I now faced. "Pick it up," Elsa commanded, her eyes boring into mine. "It's time to make your choice, Ariel. Kill Luke, or your daughter dies." "You need to stop this nonsense now!" Kelvin barked at Elsa, but she quickly shot his leg, causing him to fall to the ground. She turned back to me. "Don't waste any more time, Ariel. Do what you need t