Can’t Win Me Back

The hospital corridor was eerily silent in the dead of the night.

The lone nurse on duty drowsed at the nurses' station, oblivious to the flashing red light from the malfunctioning surveillance camera down the hall.

A figure clad in a white doctor's robe and mask darted past the station, his movements purposeful.

He carefully scanned his surroundings before pushing open the door to Natalie's ward and slipping inside.

The patient lay curled up in bed, seemingly fast asleep.

The intruder crept closer, a glint of steel catching the dim light as he drew a dagger from his sleeve.

He raised the weapon high and stabbed the person on the bed.

All of a sudden, his vision went dark.

Unexpectedly, the person on the bed leaped up and threw the blanket over his head! Panic surged through the assassin.

He flailed wildly with the dagger, ripping the blanket free.

But before he could react further, the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against his forehead froze him in place.

"Don't move.

Not unless you want your head to be blown off." Under the dim light, Axel's eyes glinted with a dangerous glint.

A cynical smile played on his lips, sending shivers down the assassin's spine.

The ward door burst open, revealing Sean and Xavier leading a team of men who quickly surrounded the intruder.

"Are you alright, Mr.

Axel?" Sean inquired, his voice laced with concern.

Axel clicked his tongue.

"I didn't even attack him.

All it took was a blanket to take this fool down." With a practiced ease, Axel disarmed the assassin.

He sneered.

"Sir, you can barely fight, yet you're trying to be an assassin? Try harder next time.” The assassin's face was drained of color.

His knees buckled, and he crumpled to the floor in a heap.

nudging the man's head with the

hired you? Reveal his name, and you'll face attempted murder charges

decade or two in prison, you can walk free and

out of this ward with all your

spoke to him over the phone! I've never met him in person!"

"But...

my account two days ago and promised another after the

the assassin

it to

him to the

find a way to unlock this phone." Sean nodded firmly in

"Thank you, Mr.

The man was escorted away, the silence returning to the ward as if the commotion

helped Alyssa out, a sense of unease lingered in Axel's gut as an oppressive premonition weighed heavily

vibrated, making his

his pupils constricting as he read the words

was a text from

words were a gut punch, sharp

vision blurred,

She wrote, "Goodbye, Axel.

I'm leaving Solana City.

try to

news about me or you manage to find out

trembled as he typed and retyped a frantic

Amber? Tell me."

was no

He wasn't satisfied.

unshed tears, Axel bombarded

as if he had

I am? Can you avoid seeing me just because you don't want to? Do you think you can control me?" "You're the only one I want in my life,

you love me? Say

and sharp knife that sliced through

replied, "I don't

were just a ray of light that

what the

me a feeling that I've

will never disappear, but

feel anything for

is all that I'm able to

really love me,