A breaking news alert flashed across the TV screen.A young man, aged twenty-seven, had been assassinated in front of his own company. I barely looked up from my laptop. My fingers kept typing, my attention fixed on my work. "I feel bad for him," I murmured. "These businessmen… they get killed so easily. That's why I'm always worried for Jake."
Angel, lounging on the sofa beside me, turned to glance at the TV. Her casual expression vanished, her face draining of all color."Oh my God!" she gasped."Angel, stop being dramatic," I said without looking up. "This is nothing new. It happens every day."
But then the reporter's voice echoed through the room clear, sharp, and merciless:"Jake Scott, a well-known businessman, has been assassinated in front of his company."My laptop slipped from my hands and crashed onto the floor. My whole body trembled.
No. No, I didn't just hear that.
At that moment, Maxwell burst into the room, his own face pale, eyes wide in disbelief. "I… I don't know how this happened," he stammered. "We just spoke last night. He was fine—"
"No!" I cut him off, my voice breaking. "This is wrong. It has to be a mistake. Jake is alive. I know it!" My eyes locked on Maxwell's. "You trust me, right?"Of course I do," he said quickly."Then let's go to SCOTTRA. He can't leave me like this."Minutes later, we arrived in front of SCOTTRA.
The scene was chaos sirens blaring, red and blue lights flashing across the glass walls. The street swarmed with people, police officers forming a barricade, and an ambulance parked with its doors flung open.
It was nearly impossible to push through, but Maxwell's voice roared over the noise.
"We're his family! Let us through!" The officer in charge hesitated, then stepped aside.My heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear as my eyes found him.Jake.
He was lying motionless on the cold pavement, his white shirt stained crimson.
A medic handed me gloves. My trembling fingers slipped them on, and I stumbled forward, knees hitting the ground as I crawled to him."Jake…" My voice cracked. I lifted his head, resting it gently on my lap. My tears fell onto his cheeks. "Listen to me. I know you're still alive. I can feel it."
I clutched his hand, searching desperately.
There. A pulse. Weak, but there."He's alive!" I shouted. "Do you hear me? He's alive!"
High above us, on the rooftop, Charles watched silently. His lips curled into a wicked smile."I'm sorry, dear daughter," he muttered coldly. "But your fiancé will be dead in minutes."
Hours earlier, at dawn, Charles had stood over Jake's wounded body, pulling a small vial from his pocket. He'd injected him with a slow-acting, deadly poison enough to guarantee death, but subtle enough to give false hope.He thought he had been careful, erasing every trace Mark had eliminated the guards, wiped the CCTV footage clean. Everything had been meticulously planned.
And yet…
"What is this boy made of?" Charles muttered, watching Jake cling to life. "Shot and poisoned, and still breathing?" He shook his head, confident. "It doesn't matter. The poison will finish him."
Jake's eyes fluttered open, and when they met mine, he gave a faint, fragile smile.
"I'm… sorry, babe," he whispered, his voice a shadow of itself. "I couldn't keep my promise. "No," I said sharply, shaking my head so hard my hair whipped across my face. "Don't say that. You're going to be fine. Just stay quiet you're hurting yourself."
"What are you all staring at?!" I yelled at the medics. "Get the stretcher!"But Jake's faint smile didn't fade."No need… Aurora. I'm dying."Stop it, Jake! Please!" My tears blurred my vision. "You can talk after they get the bullet out. Just… hold on."
He gave a soft chuckle, the sound heartbreaking. "I don't want you to remember this day. Just… remember the happy days we had. I… love you. I'll be watching over you."
His eyes softened, relief flickering across his face as if simply saying those words lifted a weight from his soul.And then… his body went still.A scream ripped from my throat.
"Jake! Jake!" I shook him violently. "No! No, no, no! Please, don't do this to me!"
I clutched him tighter, sobbing into his chest. "Jake, baby… I promise, I'll never disturb you again. Just come back to me. Please…"
The world blurred into chaos, but I could only feel the unbearable silence where his heartbeat used to be.