Leila’s scream ripped through the night as Ethan collapsed to the ground, blood spilling from the wound in his chest. Everything around her blurred as panic seized her, her body moving on autopilot. She dropped to her knees beside him, her hands trembling as she pressed them against the wound, trying desperately to stop the bleeding.
“Ethan! No, no, no...” Her voice broke, choking on the tears that blurred her vision.
Ethan’s eyes fluttered open, pain etched across his face, but he managed a weak smile. “I’m... fine...”
“Don’t you dare say that!” Leila snapped, her heart hammering in her chest. “You’re not fine. You’ve been shot!”
But Ethan didn’t respond. His face was pale, his breathing shallow, and Leila could feel his blood pooling beneath her hands, warm and sticky.
The man in th
