My Past Life-Part 21.
The hallway confrontation.
The air was thick with tension as Peter's voice cut through the silence like a blade. "Joe!!! You're not leaving here—and neither are you, Sarah!" His words were sharp, filled with anger and betrayal. He stood before them, his right hand raised, his fingers trembling with barely contained rage.
Joe turned slowly, his eyes locking onto Peter's. Without breaking his gaze, he spoke to Sarah, his voice calm but urgent. "Find somewhere and hide yourself. Now."
Sarah didn't hesitate. She knew this was not the time for hesitation. She quickly moved, her footsteps light but hurried, as she searched for a safe place to stay out of harm's way. The two men remained, their bodies tense, their minds racing as they prepared for the inevitable clash between them.
Peter's voice was low, almost a growl, as he spoke. "Joe… I was changing. I was trying to be a better person… because of her. Because of Sarah." His fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles turning white. "She's the first person I've ever truly loved… and now this is what I get?"
Joe let out a mocking laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "People like you don't deserve happy endings, Peter. You've broken too many lives. It's only fair that yours gets broken too."
The two continued to exchange words, the tension between them growing heavier with every passing second. Peter cracked his knuckles, rolling his neck to loosen the stiffness. Joe, on the other hand, simply smiled—a cold, calculating grin—as he began unbuttoning his t-shirt, preparing for the fight ahead.
"Peter," Joe said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "I know you've made mistakes in the past. But let's be honest—do you really think you've changed?"
Peter's expression darkened. "Sarah…" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I truly believed there was something between us. But I've learned one thing now—never trust anyone again."
Joe's smile widened. "You know, I still find it hard to believe you can even fight right now. After everything that's happened, you should be too shocked, too broken to even stand. And yet…" He tilted his head, studying Peter like a predator sizing up its prey. "You surprised me. You took out all my men—even Alan, my strongest fighter, my right-hand man."
Peter smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Well, that's your fault for not doing your research properly. And when I'm done with you…" His voice dropped to a chilling whisper. "She's next."
"I know you're strong," Joe growled, "but your strength is nothing compared to what I've faced before. Come at me—let's end this now."
Peter clenched his fists, his eyes burning with fury. "There'll only be one of us left standing today, Joe!" Without another word, he lunged forward with terrifying speed, closing the distance between them in mere seconds. His right fist shot toward Joe's face like a bullet.
But Joe was ready. With lightning reflexes, he caught Peter's wrist in his left palm, stopping the punch dead in its tracks. Before Peter could react, Joe's own fist came crashing down toward his face. At the last possible moment, Peter jerked his head forward, slamming his forehead against Joe's knuckles with a sickening crack.
The impact sent shockwaves of pain through both of them, but neither backed down. They broke apart, staggering back a step—only to charge at each other again, fists flying.
Blow after blow.
Some punches missed entirely, whistling through the air. Others were blocked at the last second, arms clashing like steel. But some landed—hard. Ribs cracked. Skin split. Blood splattered the floor.
Yet neither man wavered.
Peter's rage fueled him, his strength growing with every second. His muscles burned, his vision blurred, but he refused to stop.
Joe, too, fought with unshakable determination. Hatred and vengeance coursed through his veins, pushing him beyond his limits.
Then—a scream ripped through the hallway.
"JOE!!!"
Peter seized both of Joe's wrists in a vice-like grip. Before Joe could react, Peter yanked him forward and smashed his forehead down onto Joe's skull.
BOOM!
The sound echoed like a gunshot. The pain was instant—white-hot and blinding. Blood gushed from both their heads, dripping down their faces in crimson rivers.
Gritting his teeth against the agony, Joe wrapped his arms around Peter's waist and drove his knee upward—straight into Peter's stomach.
"URGH—!" Peter gasped, doubling over as the air exploded from his lungs.
They broke apart again, stumbling backward, their bodies trembling. Blood painted their faces. Their breaths came in ragged, uneven gasps.
Peter: "Ah… ah… ah…"
Joe: "Hm… hm… hm…"
A tense silence stretched between them.
Then, Peter smirked through the pain. "Seems… neither of us… is willing to admit defeat."
Joe wiped blood from his mouth, his voice low and dangerous. "Then let's end this… with everything we've got left."
For the first time, Peter grinned. "For once… I agree with you."
From the shadows, a terrified voice cried out—
"STOP! PLEASE! You'll kill each other!"
Sarah, who had been hiding in the corner, stepped forward, tears streaming down her face.
But Peter and Joe didn't even glance her way.
In perfect unison, they snarled:
"SHUT UP."
And with that, they charged at each other one last time—ready to fight until only one man remained standing.
To be continued.....