Amelia's Pov The clang of iron bars closing behind me reverberated through my bones like a death knell. Cold, damp air wrapped around me, suffocating in its staleness, and the stench of sweat and mildew clawed at my throat. My heart hammered violently against my ribs, panic swelling until it nearly choked me.“No, no, you can’t leave me here!” My voice tore from my throat, raw and unhinged as I stumbled toward the bars. My hands clutched them tightly, shaking, rattling, my knuckles turning white with the force of my grip, “Do you hear me?! I said let me out! I don’t belong in this hellhole!”The guards didn’t even glance my way. Their boots clanged on the concrete as they marched down the corridor, leaving only the hollow echo of their retreating steps.I whirled, desperation searing my chest, and slammed my fists against the bars, “You bastards! Do you know who I am?! You can’t do this to me! I’m Amelia, Amelia RedField! I’ll have your jobs, I’ll…”My words cracked, collapsing into
Emelia's Pov The seconds bled into minutes as I stood rooted in the sterile corridor, staring at the shut ER doors as though I could pierce through them with sheer will. Every muffled sound on the other side sent jolts of panic down my spine.The faint clatter of metal trays. The squeak of wheels. The sharp commands of doctors, quick and clipped.“Clamp it! No, tighter, he’s still bleeding out!”“Pressure’s dropping, he’s losing too much!”My heart stuttered with every word, my throat tightening until I could barely breathe. I dug my nails into my palms until I felt blood, trying to ground myself, but the voices only grew sharper, more frantic.“Get me more suction, now!”“Vitals are crashing!”And then. BEEEEEEEP.The sound cut through the air, it was long and was the only sound that echoed in my ears. My stomach dropped out from under me. My ears rang. The ground under my feet shook. “No…” My whisper barely formed before my knees gave way. Kevin lunged forward, grabbing my shoulde
Emelia’s Pov His words gutted me, piercing deeper than the sight of blood pooling beneath my hands. My throat clenched as I shook my head frantically, pressing harder against the wound, desperate to keep him here with me.“No, no, no… don’t you dare talk like that. You’re not allowed to stop breathing, Kaidon. Do you hear me?” My voice cracked, panic clawing through every word I uttered. His eyelids fluttered, his body growing heavier in my arms.“Elijah!” I screamed, my voice hoarse, “Help me! Please, he’s losing too much blood!”In an instant, Elijah was beside me, his hands steady where mine trembled. His jaw was clenched, his eyes blazing with a rage I had never seen before, but his voice was sharp, commanding.“Kevin! With me, now!”Kevin was already moving. His usual smirk was gone, replaced by cold focus. Together, the two of them lifted Kaidon’s limp form from my arms. His head lolled to the side, his lips still stained with blood, his chest rising and falling so shallow it
Emelia’s Pov The command split the air like glass shattering. My body stilled, not out of fear, but because of the shrill desperation laced in Amelia's voice. I turned my head slowly, deliberately, until my gaze met hers. Her hand trembled violently as she gripped the pistol she must’ve hidden all this time. The barrel pointed straight at me, her manicured finger twitching against the trigger.For a moment, no one breathed.Nora gasped, clutching her chest, “Amelia, what are you doing?! You'll put us all in danger!” The man beside them tensed, his jaw tight, his eyes flickering between the armed officers, Kaidon, Elijah, Kevin… and Amelia’s trembling form. He didn’t stop her.“Put it down, Amelia.” Elijah’s voice cut through the silence, low and steady, carrying an authority that rolled through the room like thunder. His sharp gaze never left her, and though his hands were empty, the weight of his presence pressed down heavier than any weapon.But Amelia only laughed. A broken, high
Emelia’s Pov Amelia’s lips trembled, but no words left her mouth. Nora glanced between us, wringing her hands as though trying to piece together a puzzle she was only now realizing existed. The man behind them shifted his stance, his muscles taut with impatience.When Amelia stayed silent, I let a low chuckle slip past my lips, shaking my head in mock disappointment.“You can’t guess? How disappointing.” I sighed, before letting the smirk curl back onto my face. My words dropped like a hammer,“It’s a live recorder.”The silence shattered instantly.Their expressions were priceless, Amelia’s face contorted in confusion and disbelief, Nora’s jaw dropped wide, and even the man blinked rapidly as though he wasn’t sure he’d heard me correctly.“A live… recorder?” Amelia finally managed, her voice a strangled whisper, like the words tasted foul on her tongue.“That’s right.” I purred, relishing their horror, “Everything you said here, everything you whispered, shouted, or spat in this ver
Emelia’s Pov Their faces were a picture, Amelia’s paling with each word, Nora’s brows scrunching tighter, and the man’s jaw ticking as his hand twitched at his side. It was almost too easy to read them, too easy to unravel the façade they had tried so hard to maintain.“Isn’t that where everything started falling apart, Amelia?” I asked sweetly, tilting my head with mock innocence, “You panicked, remember? And then you picked up that phone and called this man right here, begging him to hurry before everything slipped through your fingers. You even told him Nora was starting to get suspicious. You said, ‘if this is going to work, Nora has to be involved. If she’s involved, it will be easier to trick Emelia.’”I laughed softly, the sound echoing through the room, “Imagine that. You thought dragging your dim-witted friend and daughter into this circus would seal the plan.”Amelia’s lips trembled, her throat bobbing as she swallowed hard. Nora’s head whipped toward her in shock, “She… Sh