Without hesitation, I booked myself a hotel.
But the air in the room felt suffocating, so I changed into my running gear and headed to a nearby park.
The rhythmic pounding of my footsteps against the pavement was grounding, but the tightness in my chest refused to ease. I pushed forward, completing one lap, then another, letting the motion carry me through the hollow ache of betrayal.
And then I saw them.
Jonah and Nadia, fingers interlocked, strolling through the park.
Jonah had never liked night runs. But there he was, indulging her, listening as she whispered sweet nothings, her laughter like a delicate chime in the night air.
I had no interest in their love-struck performance.
Slipping on my headphones, I turned in the opposite direction, increasing my pace. My mind was already elsewhere—so much so that I didn't notice I was being followed.
Until it was too late.
A hand clamped over my mouth, yanking me backward with brutal force. My body slammed against something solid—a car.
I thrashed wildly, trying to break free, but the grip was unrelenting. Through the reflection in the window, I caught a glimpse of my assailant.
A woman. A face eerily similar to Nadia's.
Not an exact match—but close enough.
"If you dare to steal my daughter's man," she hissed into my ear, "you deserve to die!"
Panic surged through me. My eyes darted around, desperately searching for help.
And then I saw Zane. He stood not far away, phone pressed to his ear. Our eyes met for a fleeting second.
I pleaded silently, frantically waving my free hand. But he merely turned his back, taking a slow step away. The two bodyguards beside him followed suit, like they had seen nothing.
The woman behind me was shockingly strong—nothing like someone supposedly dying from a terminal illness.
Before I could react further, a sharp pain bloomed at the back of my skull. My vision blurred. My body gave out.
Darkness swallowed me whole.
***
When I came to, my limbs were leaden, my breath shallow. A metallic taste coated my tongue.
Something was wrong.
Blinking rapidly, I tried to focus. The air was thick with the scent of blood. I was in some kind of cheap motel room.
And then I saw her. Nadia's mother lay crumpled on the floor, pale and motionless, blood pooling beneath her.
Before I could even process the scene, the door burst open with a violent kick.