CHAPTER ONE
The office lights flickered dimly as Leonardo get ready to go home , the day’s meetings and calls still echoing in his mind. He had barely stepped into the quiet of his penthouse when he paused. Something felt… off. The faint scent of something metallic lingered in the air, tugging at the back of his consciousness. He frowned, dismissing it at first. Miyaa had been dramatic in the past staging small stunts, testing his patience, pushing him toward divorce. He told himself this was just another one of her games.
Yet as he walked toward the bedroom, he froze. The bathroom door was slightly ajar, steam curling lazily from inside. And there she was. Miyaa, his wife, his Miyaa, lay motionless in the bathtub. Her hair clung to her pale cheeks, her eyes closed as though in deep sleep but something was wrong. The water around her had a reddish tint, subtle but unmistakable.
For a moment, he thought it was a trick, a way to get his attention, to force him into some dramatic gesture. He had seen her do things like this before, always to make a point, always to test the boundaries of their fragile marriage. But this… this wasn’t like the others. Something primal in his chest tightened. The scent of blood was stronger now, metallic and sharp, making him gag.
“Miyaa…” His voice trembled, unsteady, betraying a fear he rarely allowed himself to feel. He stepped closer, panic gnawing at him. Every instinct screamed that this was serious, that this wasn’t a game.
He knelt beside the tub, touching her wrist gently at first. Then he saw it deep red staining her pale skin, the blood flowing freely. His heart slammed against his ribs, a deafening drum in the otherwise quiet apartment. The cold reality hit him like a bullet she wasn’t acting. She was… she was hurting herself, and every second counted.
Adrenaline surged through him. He didn’t think, didn’t hesitate. He lifted her into his arms, her body limp and fragile against his chest. The weight of her pressed down on him, and every second she remained in that state felt like an eternity.
“Call the car! Now!” he shouted at the butler, who had appeared behind him, wide eyed and frozen. “Hurry! Get the keys!”
The butler stumbled, fumbling for the car keys, but Leonardo didn’t wait. Every heartbeat was a countdown. He bolted down the stairs, taking them two at a time, gripping Miyaa tighter. Her head lolled against his shoulder, her wet hair sticking to him. He could feel her shallow breaths or maybe it was just hope against despair.
By the time they reached the car, the butler had managed to throw the doors open. Leonardo didn’t stop for greetings or questions. He set Miyaa gently on the backseat but stayed close, his hands never leaving her. “Drive. Faster,” he barked. The car roared to life, tires screeching slightly as they pulled away from the building.
Every red light felt like an obstacle in a race against time. Leonardo’s knuckles were white as he gripped the car’s roof for balance, watching her face in the rearview mirror. Blood had started to dry on her wrist, the stark color against her soft skin horrifying him. His mind raced through every memory of her, every laugh, every quiet moment they had shared. He refused to let her slip away not like this.