The Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 60: [Volume 1] - 60- Eagle Vs Beom!

Chapter 60: [Volume 1] Chapter 60- Eagle Vs Beom!

Ray’s breath caught in his chest as her fingers tightened around his neck. He gasped, instinctively reaching up to try and pry her hands loose, but her grip was too strong, fueled by a strength that came from her maddened state. His vision blurred around the edges as the pressure mounted.

"Esme..." he choked out, barely a whisper. His body tensed, his mind racing for a way to stop this without hurting her. He could feel his power surging within him, begging to be unleashed, but he held it back, desperate not to hurt her. His heart pounded painfully in his chest as the world began to darken at the edges. He couldn’t keep this up for long.

But Esme’s eyes were wild, her lips curled into a snarl, and her hands—her hands only squeezed tighter.

Ray’s vision blurred as Esme’s grip tightened around his throat. He could barely breathe, his fingers clawing at her wrists to no avail. Her strength was immense, far beyond anything she had shown before. Desperation surged through him, and in that moment, a single thought cut through the haze of pain—**he had no choice**.

His eyes flickered, glowing faintly at first, but then they flared into a brilliant golden hue, a reflection of the power he had suppressed for so long. With a low growl deep in his chest, Ray’s muscles surged with newfound strength. His body, already trembling under the strain, now seemed to channel the raw energy of something far greater than himself.

As his eyes fully turned golden, the power of the white tiger, the beast that had long slumbered within him, awakened. Ray could feel its presence, vast and feral, coursing through his veins like liquid fire. The room around him seemed to blur as his senses sharpened, honing in on Esme’s every movement, her every breath.

With a renewed surge of strength, Ray grabbed her hand once more, this time with the force of a predator. Slowly but surely, he began to push her fingers away from his throat. The grip that had seemed unbreakable only moments before began to falter, her hand trembling as Ray’s power met hers.

Esme let out a low growl of her own, her red eyes narrowing as if sensing the shift in power. But she wasn’t ready to let go—not yet. She pushed back against him.

Ray felt his teeth grind together as Esme’s grip intensified, her hand pressing down with a power that was almost otherworldly. This was more than her physical strength—there was an insidious presence, a chilling force pushing against him. His golden eyes widened in alarm as he felt it, an overwhelming essence lurking just beyond her. In that fleeting moment, his instincts roared a caution, and he comprehended.

**Esme’s Beast.**

It loomed behind her, an ethereal figure with the same blood-red eyes that now glowed fiercely in her gaze. It was like a mirror of the force Ray carried within himself, but twisted, darker. And it wasn’t alone. Ray could feel its oppressive power bearing down on him, pressing against his own, as if testing him. The white tiger within Ray growled, restless, sensing a challenge. But before Ray could react, a sharp screech filled the air.

The sound pierced through him like a blade, the high-pitched cry of his eagle—a sound of pure terror. Ray’s breath caught in his throat, his pulse racing. He could feel his connection to the eagle fraying, the bond that had protected him for so long now crumbling under the weight of Esme’s Beast.

**And then, silence.**

The eagle vanished, leaving Ray completely exposed.

Panic flared in his chest. His mind raced, desperately trying to find a way out, but the realization hit him hard: **he was no longer in control.** Esme’s Beast had overpowered his own, and the delicate balance that Ray had always relied on was shattered in an instant.

The weight of Esme’s hand on his throat grew unbearable, her strength now bolstered by the presence of her Beast. Ray’s muscles strained, his golden eyes flickering as he struggled to keep the white tiger at bay. But without the eagle to counterbalance the power, Ray’s own Beast was slipping further from his control, threatening to consume him entirely.

His vision blurred, and his breath became shallow. **This was it**—the point of no return. He had fought to keep his power hidden, to maintain control, but Esme’s Beast had pushed him to the edge. There was no holding back now. If he didn’t act, Esme’s madness would destroy them both.

With a surge of desperation, Ray’s hands shot up, grabbing Esme’s wrists. He summoned every last ounce of strength he had left, the white tiger roaring inside him, demanding to be unleashed.

"Esme!" Ray gasped, his voice hoarse with effort, "Stop... before it’s too late!"

But Esme’s red eyes remained unblinking, her face twisted with a feral intensity. The Beast had taken her—fully and completely.

Ray’s body shook as the last of his strength faded, his vision blurring. He had nothing left, no more fight. His lips parted in a final, broken plea, "Esme... please stop it."

A single tear slid down his cheek, catching the light as it fell onto the bed. In that moment, everything seemed to pause.

Esme’s hand, once so tight around his throat, loosened. The fierce red glow in her eyes flickered, and her grip slackened just enough. She wiped away his tear with a gentleness that was startling after the raw force she’d unleashed on him. Ray could barely believe it, but he could feel the Beast behind her receding, its menacing presence fading.

Without a word, Esme pulled Ray towards her, wrapping her arms around him. It wasn’t the violent, suffocating hold of moments ago. Now, her embrace felt different—protective, as if she were trying to shield him from the chaos that had just consumed her.

Ray, still reeling, let himself collapse into her hold. His body ached from the battle, every breath labored, but in her arms, he felt something he hadn’t expected—safety.