Chapter 5: Run
594 Words
"Run."
The woman's voice was barely audible.
It scraped against the silence like sandpaper.
Blood dripped from her fingertips onto the white marble floor.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Ava couldn't move.
Neither could Jade.
Selena's lips parted, but no sound came out.
The woman staggered forward, one hand pressed against her side. Her dark hair clung to her face, damp with sweat.
She looked over her shoulder as if someone was still inside the bathroom.
"They're coming..." she whispered.
Then her knees buckled.
She hit the floor with a dull thud.
"Oh, my God!" Ava rushed to her side.
"Don't touch her!" Jade warned, scanning the room.
Too late.
The woman's trembling fingers wrapped around Ava's wrist.
Her grip was surprisingly strong.
"They lied to you," she gasped.
"Who?" Ava asked urgently. "Who lied to me?"
The woman swallowed hard.
"Ethan..."
Ava's heart skipped.
"What about Ethan?"
Before she could answer—
Footsteps thundered down the hallway.
Heavy.
Fast.
More than one person.
Jade peeked through the cracked door.
"The police!"
Relief washed over Ava.
But it disappeared just as quickly.
"They're not alone," Jade whispered.
Two men in black suits were running ahead of the officers.
Neither wore a hotel badge.
Neither looked like security.
They looked like they had one mission.
Find someone.
"Hide!" Jade hissed.
Selena darted behind the curtains.
Jade slipped behind the wardrobe.
Ava stayed where she was, shielding the injured woman.
The room door burst open.
"Police! Nobody move!"
Three officers stormed inside.
Behind them came the two men in black.
One of them stopped the moment he saw the bleeding woman.
"Damn it," he muttered.
"You know her?" the officer demanded.
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
The second man scanned the room.
His eyes landed on Ava.
For a split second...
Recognition flashed across his face.
He knows me.
The thought sent ice through her veins.
The man recovered instantly.
"Sir," he said to the officer, "Mr. Black requested we secure the room."
The officer frowned.
"This is now a crime scene."
"We understand."
Something about the exchange felt wrong.
The bleeding woman suddenly grabbed Ava's hand again.
Her nails dug into Ava's skin.
"Listen..."
Ava leaned closer.
The woman's lips brushed her ear.
"The girl..."
"What girl?"
"Emma..."
A cough cut her off.
Blood splattered onto the floor.
A medic rushed in.
"Move back!"
They gently pulled Ava away as they began treating the woman.
One of the men in black quietly reached for the photograph on the bedside table.
Jade noticed.
"Hey!"
The man froze.
"That's evidence," Jade said sharply.
He forced a smile.
"Exactly."
He slipped the photograph into his jacket anyway.
Ava stared at him.
"Why are you taking it?"
"It's company property."
"Since when is a family photo company property?"
The man's smile disappeared.
No one answered.
Just then—
Ethan appeared in the doorway.
His eyes immediately found the injured woman.
His jaw clenched.
"She's alive..."
He sounded... relieved.
The woman slowly opened her eyes.
She looked straight at Ethan.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
With the last of her strength, she lifted a shaking finger and pointed directly at him.
"You..."
The room fell silent.
"You did this."
Every face turned to Ethan.
His expression hardened.
"No," he said quietly.
"I didn't."
The woman gave a weak, painful smile.
Then she whispered five words that froze the blood in everyone's veins.
"You'll kill her... like Lily."
Flatline.
The heart monitor erupted into one long, piercing tone.
The woman was dead.
And no one in the room knew...
Who Lily was.
- Writer
