LOGINEMELY“You’re not joking, are you, Rian?”“I’m sorry, ma’am. This isn’t something to joke about.” His tone was steady, grave. “The police just informed me that Mr. Alexander has escaped.”It felt like something heavy slammed straight into my chest. I went still, unable to respond. My mind stalled, as if refusing to process what I’d just heard.“Escaped…?” I repeated softly, almost under my breath. My hand curled slowly at my side—cold, trembling. “But… wasn’t he almost caught?” My voice wavered. “How did he get away again?”Rian drew a short breath, his expression unchanged. “There was a chase at the airport. Things got chaotic… and he took advantage of that to flee. The police also said he escaped with a woman.”I shook my head slowly, not believing it—or maybe just not wanting to. “With a woman? Could it be… Lorian?”“It’s possible, ma’am. The police are still investigating.”I let out a weary breath. My head throbbed as everything pressed in at once. After everything that had happe
ALEXANDER“Don’t move!”The command slammed into us from behind—sharp, absolute. For a split second, everything slowed. People around us began to turn. Some stepped back immediately, others froze where they stood. The once-busy airport shifted in an instant, tension rippling through the air like a live wire.I didn’t move. My eyes stayed fixed ahead, calculating—distance to the side, position of the barriers, the gaps between the crowd.One chance.My hand shot out, grabbing Lorian’s wrist. “Run.”I didn’t wait for a response. I yanked her hard to the side, crashing through the queue barrier. The metal rails clattered loudly as they fell, drawing startled cries from the people nearby.“Stop! Police!”Heavy footsteps thundered behind us. I didn’t look back. My body moved on instinct, cutting through the crowd. Shoulders collided as I shoved past people without a second thought. My suitcase nearly slipped from my grip, but I dragged it along anyway.“Alex!” Lorian’s voice broke behind m
ALEXANDERThe sound of something shattering exploded through the room.“Crash!”The glass slammed hard against the wall before dropping to the floor in jagged pieces. My breath came fast, uneven, my chest rising and falling out of rhythm. My hand was still raised, fingers curled into a tight fist until my knuckles turned white.“Damn it…”I turned, fixing my gaze on the man standing a few steps in front of me. His face had gone pale, his body rigid like even breathing required careful thought.“You said… the car was hit,” I said quietly. Too quietly. The softness only made it more terrifying. “You said… everything was taken care of.”He swallowed. “Y-Yes, sir… it’s true. Mr. Steven’s car was hit at high speed. The impact—”“Then why is he still alive?!”My shout cut him off instantly. The force of it echoed through the room, making him flinch back on reflex. Silence followed. Only my heavy breathing filled the space.“Answer me,” I continued, my voice lower now—but far more dangerous.
EMELY“Steven…” My voice broke as I wrapped my arms around him.Everything I’d been holding back finally collapsed. My tears came all at once—deeper, freer. I clung to him tightly, as if I needed to make sure he was real… that he was truly back, not just some fragile dream that would vanish the moment I woke up.“Oh my God… you’re really awake…” I whispered between sobs. “Thank you… for finally hearing me.”My chest felt unbearably full relief, fear, gratitude all tangled together in ways I couldn’t even begin to explain. I didn’t care who else was in the room. All I cared about was Steven. I held him tighter.“Don’t ever do this again… don’t ever scare me like this again…” My voice trembled. “Do you hear me?”But a few seconds later—Something felt off. Steven’s body tensed slightly. His breathing shifted. And then, faintly, I heard a strained sound.“Uh… i-it hurts…”I froze instantly. My grip loosened on reflex as I pulled back, panic flashing across my face.“Steven?” I called qui
STEVENI don’t remember what happened after my car was hit. All I know is that the moment the impact came… everything went dark. Not the kind of darkness you get when you close your eyes. No this was different. Deeper. Quieter. As if the entire world had been erased, leaving behind an endless void.There was no light. No sound. Not even pain. Strange… because my body should have been shattered. But here there was nothing.I didn’t even know if I still had a body. I couldn’t feel my hands, my legs, not even my breath. There was only a faint awareness, drifting somewhere in between like something that hadn’t fully disappeared, but didn’t quite exist either.And the strangest part?I wasn’t afraid. It was as if I could accept this state just like that. As if stopping here… wasn’t wrong. But slowly, within that silence, something began to surface. At first, it was faint. Then clearer. I could hear it someone crying. And among those voices, one stood out the most.Emely.At first, I wanted
EMELY“Prepare the defibrillator!” one of the doctors ordered.I froze.My hand was still wrapped around Steven’s, as if it were the only thing keeping me from falling apart. But within seconds, a nurse rushed over and gently—yet firmly—pried my fingers away from his.“Ma’am, please step back!” she said quickly.“No… wait—” My voice trembled.But I was already being pulled away. Lisa pushed my wheelchair back, distancing me from the bed. And then everything happened so fast. A doctor climbed onto the side of the bed, placing both hands on Steven’s chest.“Start compressions!”The first push. The second. The third. Steven’s body jolted slightly with each forceful press. I stared, unblinking.“Count!” another nurse shouted.“One, two, three, four—”Their voices overlapped, urgent and sharp. The monitor beside the bed continued its long, terrifying tone.“Charge, 200 joules!”Another nurse prepared the defibrillator, her movements quick and practiced—like this was just another routine.“







