Ryley struggled against the choke, hands grabbing at Mervyn's wrist, feet bracing against the floor—but the pain was sharp, his air thinning fast, the fury in Mervyn's eyes near-feral.
"Guards!" Alfie shouted, his voice breaking with panic.
The elevator down the hall pinged open—and out stepped Madam Beckett just in time to see chaos erupting.
Her eyes widened at the sight of bloodied Mervyn attacking Ryley.
"Stop it!" she bellowed. "What are you two doing?!"
The guards behind her didn't wait—they surged forward and ripped Mervyn off Ryley with swift, practiced force.
Mervyn howled in resistance, fighting against them like an unhinged animal.
Ryley gasped as he stumbled forward, coughing violently, vision blurring from the rush of oxygen slamming back into his lungs.
"Ryley!" the old woman rushed to catch his swaying form, steadying him with both arms.
