Alex barely had time to react before Victor's fist slammed into his gut, knocking the air from his lungs. Pain exploded through his body, but he gritted his teeth and swung back. His punch connected with Victor's jaw, sending the older man staggering backward.
The amusement in Victor's expression vanished. "You've grown stronger," he admitted, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth. "But strength alone isn't enough."
Alex didn't answer. He charged forward, his movements fueled by raw rage. He couldn't let Victor's words shake him. He couldn't believe Elizabeth had turned her back on him, not without hearing it from her.
This was what he had wanted but he didn't know that the feeling would be this devastating. The feeling of losing someone you have suddenly grown fond of... It was unbearable.
Victor met him head-on. Their fists clashed, the sound of bone against bone echoing through the empty construction site. Alex's enhanced strength allowed him to hold his ground, but Victor was fast. For every strike Alex landed, Victor returned two.
A brutal punch caught Alex across the face, sending him stumbling to the side. His vision blurred as pain radiated through his skull.
"You're slowing down," Victor observed, his tone cold and unyielding. "Is that doubt weighing you down, Alex?"
Alex growled, forcing himself upright. "Shut up."
But Victor wasn't finished. "You can fight all you want," he said, "but you're only delaying the inevitable. Elizabeth made her choice and it wasn't you."
The words burned like acid.
Alex rushed forward again, his vision narrowing to Victor and Victor alone. He didn't care how many times he got knocked down—he would make Victor pay. For the lies. For the pain. For everything... Not just him but everyone who had caused him pain.
He swung with all his strength, but Victor dodged at the last moment and delivered a crushing blow to Alex's ribs. The impact sent him crashing against a steel beam.
Alex gasped for breath, his body screaming in protest. But even as pain wracked his limbs, he pushed himself to his feet again.
"You're still standing," Victor murmured. "Good. I'd hate for this to end too quickly."
Alex wiped the blood from his mouth and glared at him. "I'm not done yet."
Victor smiled faintly. "No… I didn't think you were."
And with that, the fight continued, each strike harder, faster, more brutal than the last.
But in the back of Alex's mind, Victor's words lingered like a poison he couldn't shake.
----
The sound of their battle echoed through the unfinished construction site—fists crashing against flesh, bones groaning under the strain, the air thick with the metallic scent of blood. Alex's breath came in ragged bursts, but he refused to stop. His muscles burned, his vision blurred at the edges, but his focus remained unyielding.
Victor stood across from him, barely winded despite their prolonged fight. There was a cold gleam in his eyes, a reminder that he wasn't just some ordinary opponent. He was a man who had built his power through years of manipulation and violence.
And Alex wasn't going to let him win.
"You're slowing down," Victor remarked, his voice smooth and unshaken. "I can see it. That doubt, it's dragging you down."
Alex gritted his teeth, forcing himself forward. His knuckles ached as he swung again, aiming straight for Victor's jaw. But the older man was fast. He sidestepped the blow with ease and retaliated, driving his elbow into Alex's ribs.
Pain flared through Alex's side, but he didn't stumble. He caught Victor's wrist, twisting it with all his strength until he heard a sharp crack. Victor hissed in pain, his composed mask slipping for the first time.
"I'm not slowing down," Alex growled. "And I'm done listening to your lies."
Victor's eyes narrowed as he jerked his hand free. "Lies? I only speak the truth," he said, his voice colder now. "You think you matter to Elizabeth? You're nothing but a liability to her, one she's finally had the sense to leave behind."
Alex's vision burned with fury. He lunged forward, slamming his fist into Victor's stomach. The impact drove Victor back a step, but the man recovered too quickly, countering with a swift kick to Alex's knee.
"You keep fighting like this," Victor said, "but deep down, you know I'm right. She's already chosen her side. And it's not yours."
"Shut up!" Alex roared, his anger finally breaking free.
He unleashed a flurry of punches— a more savage one. Victor blocked the first few strikes, but the force behind Alex's blows was growing stronger. For every word Victor spoke, every attempt to break him, Alex only burned hotter.
A powerful left hook connected with Victor's face, snapping his head to the side. Blood spattered across the dusty floor and Alex didn't stop. His next punch struck Victor's chest with bone-crushing force, sending him staggering backward.
"You don't get to decide for her!" Alex shouted, advancing like a predator closing in on its prey. "And I'm done letting you control everything!"
Victor wiped the blood from his mouth, his calm exterior cracking beneath the pressure. "You're making a mistake," he warned, his voice tight with pain.
Alex didn't care. He had other opponents to deal with so he had no time to lose.
He lunged again, tackling Victor to the ground. The two of them crashed against the cold concrete, locked in a brutal struggle. Victor tried to twist free, but Alex slammed his elbow into the man's ribs, pinning him down.
"You've taken enough from me," Alex snarled, his breath coming in ragged bursts. "It ends here."
Victor's eyes flickered with something unreadable, fear, perhaps but Alex didn't pause to question it. He raised his fist and brought it down with everything he had. Bone crunched beneath his knuckles as his punch landed squarely on Victor's face.
Again.
Again.
And again.
Victor's struggles weakened with each blow until, finally, he went still.
Alex didn't move at first, his heart hammering in his chest. His fists trembled as he slowly pulled them back, blood staining his knuckles. Victor lay beneath him—motionless, his face a broken mess.
He was dead.
For a moment, the only sound was Alex's ragged breathing. He pushed himself to his feet, his body aching from the fight. But before he could process what he had done, a slow, deliberate clap echoed through the open space.
Alex turned sharply.
Mr. Gustavo.
He's been still, watching as the fight went on, waiting for his time... And that was now.
"So," Gustavo drawled, his voice smooth and unhurried. "You managed to kill Victor. I didn't think you had it in you."
Alex's blood ran cold. He had known Gustavo was dangerous, but seeing him now... acting all calm and completely unbothered by Victor's death made his skin crawl.
"I'm not here to play games," Alex said, his voice rough. "If you want a fight, come and get it."
Gustavo chuckled softly. "A fight? Oh, Alex… You're already too exhausted to stand properly. Do you really think you can handle me?"
Without warning, the air around Gustavo shimmered and then flames erupted from his hands. The fire danced across his palms, casting eerie shadows across the concrete walls.
Alex's muscles tensed. He didn't have time to recover.
"Let's see how long you last," Gustavo murmured.
The next instant, a wave of fire shot toward Alex. He barely had time to react, diving to the side as the flames scorched the air where he had been standing. Heat seared his skin, but he pushed through the pain, forcing himself to stay on his feet.
"You're quick," Gustavo admitted, stepping closer. Another swirl of fire gathered in his hands, growing hotter and brighter. "But not quick enough."
Alex lunged forward, aiming to close the distance. If he could get in close, maybe—
A wall of fire exploded in front of him, cutting off his path. He skidded to a halt, coughing as the heat pressed against his lungs.
Gustavo's smile never faltered. "Did you really think brute strength would be enough against me? You're nothing compared to the people I have dealt with. You are nowhere near your dead father in strength, hahaha."
Alex clenched his fists. His body ached, and the exhaustion was creeping in, but he refused to fall.
"You talk too much," he muttered. "And don't ever mention my father's name because you don't deserve to speak about him."
Gustavo raised an eyebrow. "Still so defiant." With a flick of his wrist, another wave of fire surged forward. This time, Alex charged through it. Pain burned across his skin, but he didn't stop.
He reached Gustavo in a blink and swung his fist.
Gustavo barely caught it but the force of the blow sent him sliding back several feet. For the first time, his expression shifted to mild surprise.
"You're stronger than I thought," he admitted. "But you know, strength alone won't save you. You are here all alone, no one came save you."
The fight was far from over. And Alex knew that if he wanted to survive, he would have to push himself beyond his limits.
Because losing wasn't an option.
This is the man that killed his parents, there is no way in hell he'll let him go without being killed.