The entire tower shook again.
Dust slowly fell from the ceiling while warning alarms echoed through every hallway.
"PURGE SEQUENCE ACTIVATED."
"Nine minutes remaining."
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
The tension inside the tower had become unbearable.
Ryan stared at the security map on his laptop while Maya nervously looked toward the dark staircase nearby.
Ethan already looked mentally exhausted.
"I swear," he muttered dramatically, "if I survive this, I'm never entering another rich people building again."
Even in that situation, Maya almost smiled.
But Lila couldn't focus on anything except Sebastian's final words.
"…you may never learn what really happened to Evelyn Noir."
Her mother.
Every clue somehow kept leading back to her.
Lila slowly looked toward Adrian again.
And once more—
He avoided her eyes.
That silence hurt more than anger.
Meanwhile Sebastian calmly stepped backward into the shadows again.
"Time is running out," he said quietly.
Ryan immediately snapped his laptop shut.
"We need to leave now."
This time nobody argued.
Another violent tremor ran through the tower.
One of the lights above them shattered loudly, causing Maya to jump.
"Okay yes," Ethan said quickly, "leaving sounds amazing."
Adrian immediately moved toward the emergency stairway.
"Stay close to me."
Without thinking—
Everyone followed him.
Even Lila.
The group hurried through the dark hallway while emergency lights flashed around them.
The building no longer felt like a company tower.
It felt like something collapsing under years of buried secrets.
As they reached the stairwell, another loud metallic sound echoed from below.
Ryan looked over the railing and immediately frowned.
"…The lower floors are already damaged."
Ethan slowly looked downward.
Then instantly looked away.
"Nope."
"I hate heights."
"You hate everything tonight," Maya whispered.
"Because everything tonight is horrible."
Despite the fear, Maya quietly laughed again.
For a tiny moment—
Things almost felt normal.
Almost.
Suddenly the tower shook violently once more.
Lila lost her balance slightly—
But before she could fall—
Adrian caught her arm immediately.
Everything froze for one second.
Lila looked up at him in surprise.
And Adrian quickly let go again.
"…Careful."
His voice was quieter now.
Softer.
That only confused her more.
Because no matter how hard she tried—
The image of Adrian as a monster kept breaking apart.
They quickly continued downward through the emergency stairs while alarm sounds echoed endlessly around them.
Floor after floor.
Red lights.
Dark hallways.
Broken glass.
And somewhere in the middle of all that chaos—
Lila suddenly realized something.
"…Aria."
Everyone stopped for a second.
Maya's face immediately changed.
"The hospital."
Ryan looked at the countdown on his laptop.
"Seven minutes remaining."
Lila's chest tightened instantly.
"We need to go back."
Adrian immediately shook his head.
"The tower comes first."
"No," Lila answered firmly.
"Aria comes first."
Silence filled the stairwell.
For several seconds Adrian simply stared at her.
Then unexpectedly—
He nodded once.
"…Fine."
Ryan looked surprised.
Even Ethan noticed it.
"…Okay seriously, he listens to her now?"
"Nobody asked you," Ryan muttered.
The group finally reached the underground parking area.
The lights flickered weakly overhead while several cars remained abandoned around them.
Rain could be heard outside through the large exit gate nearby.
Ryan quickly moved toward the security panel.
"I can open the gate manually."
"Please do your genius hacker thing faster," Ethan whispered nervously.
Meanwhile Lila noticed Adrian standing unusually still near one of the pillars.
His face looked pale now.
Then she saw it.
Blood slowly running down his sleeve.
Her expression changed instantly.
"You're hurt."
Adrian immediately pulled his arm back slightly.
"It's nothing."
"That does not look like nothing," Maya said quietly.
But Adrian ignored them.
Ryan finally forced the exit gate open halfway.
Cold rain and storm wind rushed inside immediately.
"We have to move now."
The group quickly ran outside into the storm.
The moment they escaped—
A loud sound echoed behind them.
Part of the tower's upper glass walls shattered high above.
Everyone stopped for one horrifying second.
The Noir Group Tower stood glowing behind them beneath the stormy sky.
Broken.
Burning with red emergency lights.
Like a dying giant.
Ethan stared upward dramatically.
"…That building officially needs therapy."
This time even Ryan laughed quietly.
Very quietly.
Lila looked back one last time.
Somewhere inside that tower—
The truth still waited.
But before she could think further—
Ryan's phone suddenly rang.
Everyone froze.
Ryan answered immediately.
"…Hello?"
Then his expression changed completely.
Maya stepped closer nervously.
"What happened?"
Ryan slowly lowered the phone.
And for the first time that night—
He smiled.
Small.
Relieved.
"…Aria woke up."
Silence.
Then Ethan nearly shouted.
"WAIT SERIOUSLY?!"
Maya instantly covered her mouth in relief.
Lila felt pressure leave her chest for the first time in hours.
But Ryan's expression slowly became serious again.
"She said she remembers something."
The storm continued falling around them.
And suddenly—
Everyone understood.
This story was far from over.