Chapter Twenty-Five: Scorched

Lark wakes in total darkness, drugged and disoriented, and realizes she is locked inside a rotary batch oven. Abe Mead appears behind a narrow window, gloating and quoting scripture, revealing he orchestrated her abduction and intends to force Lachlan into an impossible choice.

Abe demonstrates control over the ovens and claims he planted a bomb beneath Rowan Kane’s car, threatening to send incriminating evidence framing Lachlan. Lachlan arrives, disarmed by Abe’s threats, and finds Lark locked in. Abe sets a countdown: save Lark from the oven or save Rowan from the bomb.

Seeing no escape, Lark takes the choice from Lachlan to spare him, telling him to save Rowan. As the timer triggers, chaos erupts outside; a gunshot sounds and the oven’s fans and heat begin. Lachlan and Rose reach the control panel, discover it’s been sabotaged, and pivot to a forced entry.

Following Rose’s direction, Lachlan shoots out the viewing glass. They pull Lark from the scorching interior onto the concrete floor. Nearby, Abe lies dead with a bullet wound to the head and his bloodied tool beside him, the confrontation having ended his threat.

Rose confirms she warned Rowan in time; Rowan and Sloane bail from the vehicle and avoid detonation. Shaken but alive, Lark and Lachlan cling to each other, raw from the near loss, reaffirming their bond and vowing not to let go.