Chapter 4 "Strikes"

The carefully constructed facade of civility shattered in a sudden burst of aggression as Tally lunged, seizing Eva's arm and forcefully pulling her towards the staircase. The unexpected attack caught Eva completely off guard, leaving her stumbling and breathless as Tally's surprisingly strong grip rendered her initial struggles futile.

Eva's attempts to break free, but failed, leaving her helpless in the face of the unexpected attack.

"Blake! Help! Eva is trying to kill me!"

With reckless abandon, Tally hurled herself down the stairs, dragging Eva along in a tumultuous descent. Despite Eva's frantic efforts to disentangle herself, Tally's relentless grasp kept her firmly tethered, their bodies tumbling uncontrollably, each step adding to the chaos of their descent.

Bang!

Eva's journey took a harrowing turn as she stumbled and tumbled down multiple flights of stairs, each impact against the unforgiving steps reverberating through her body. With each descent, her body absorbed the force of the falls, each collision leaving her increasingly battered and bruised.

As she finally came to rest at the foot of the staircase, the air thick with the taste of fear and the scent of iron from the blood that now flowed freely from a gash on her forehead, Eva's world spun dizzily around her. The pain, sharp and unrelenting, pulsed through her body, threatening to overwhelm her senses.

Dazed and disoriented, Eva struggled to push herself up from the cold, unforgiving floor, her limbs heavy with exhaustion and agony. The world around her seemed to blur and distort, the edges of her vision growing dim as darkness threatened to engulf her.

With each shallow breath she took, Eva fought against the encroaching blackness, clinging desperately to consciousness even as her strength waned. But the pain, relentless in its intensity, continued to gnaw at her senses, driving her closer and closer to the precipice of unconsciousness.

Just as everything began to fade to black, she saw Blake rushing over. He strode straight past her, choosing to pick up Tally and carry her away, leaving Eva to lie in a pool of her own blood.

In the hospital

"Miss, you can't go in there! The patient is still very weak and needs rest."

"I know Eva is in there. You can't stop me!"

Eva heard a commotion and struggled to open her eyes.

As she turned her head, she witnessed Marian Torres forcefully shoving the nurse aside, her steps heavy with determination as she marched towards her, her eyes ablaze with a terrifying intensity, exuding an aura of lethal resolve.

"Eva, you vile woman! Tally's been struggling with recovery. How dare you push her down the stairs! Just you wait and see. Blake won't let you get away with this!"

Eva, still weak, struggled to sit up. "I didn't push her; she pushed me!"

Marian's dismissive sniff conveyed her lack of trust in Eva's words. "Your accusations won't hold any weight! Tally hails from a wealthy background. Why would she target a simple country girl like you? It's evident you're consumed by jealousy, hoping to rid yourself of her because my brother adores her. But your sinister desires won't come to fruition!"