RENEE.

Another shot zipped through the air, and I cried out as I tumbled onto the pavement, the loud crack echoing in my ears. My heart raced like a drum, my hands trembling as I pressed myself against the frigid ground.

Seb muttered a curse quietly, his tone tense and anxious. "Stay put!" he snarled, but before I could reply, he dashed toward the car.

"Seb, wait, don't!" I yelled, my voice breaking, but it was already too late.

The subsequent bullet hit the car, and the world exploded in a blaze of fire. The power of the explosion hurled Seb backward; his body hit the ground with a nauseating thud. Instinctively, I raised my arms above my head as a shield against the intense heat and fragments of rubble.

“Seb!” I sobbed, inching closer to him. My hands brushed against the uneven asphalt, my breathing faltering as I approached his still body. His head was hurt, red liquid running down his face and gathering below him.

“Oh God, oh God,” I murmured, my voice trembling. My hands lingered above him, uncertain of the next move. “Seb, get up!”

His eyes blinked open, and he moaned, spitting out blood. “Renee…”

I didn’t allow him to complete his sentence. Drawing on my inner strength, I slid my arms under his and lifted him to his feet. "We’ve got to keep moving. Now.”

We wobbled along the street, my body shaking beneath his burden. My thoughts were a chaotic storm of fear, repetitively fixating on one horrifying mantra: Oh God, I'm about to die. We are all going to die.

Additional bullets zipped by, with one hitting the wall just inches away from my head. I shouted, bending down reflexively. “They're still coming!” Tears fell as my voice faltered.

Seb coughed up blood, his breaths uneven. “Please… don’t go,” he breathed, his hold on my arm growing firmer.

“Ow! I’m not, you jerk,” I retorted, although terror nearly suffocated me. “But, we have to take cover.”

Noticing a garbage bin in an adjacent alley, I pulled him in that direction. We fell back against it, breathing heavily and shaking as the shooting went on.

"This is crazy," I whispered, leaning my back against the icy metal. My arm throbbed, and upon glancing down, I saw a bullet had skimmed past me. Blood oozed through the material of my sleeve.

Seb’s gaze darted to my injury, a moment of panic crossing his face before he regained his composure. "We have to keep going," he stated, though his tone was weak.

"Go to Where?" I screamed, my voice rising in pitch. "They're all around us! We're stuck!"

Seb seized my wrist, maintaining his grip firmly even with the injuries. "Pay attention to me. You have no option. If we remain here, we're doomed."

I gulped nervously; my throat felt parched. He was correct. Although I despised him at this time, I wasn't prepared to die.

We emerged from the alley, our movements shaky yet rushed. The bullets trailed us, one scraping my arm once more. I stifled a scream, tears welling up in my eyes.

"Keep moving!" Seb gritted out, his voice tense.

We turned onto a different street, but the scene that awaited us sent chills down my spine. A team of masked people blocked our way, dressed in black and wielding firearms. Although their faces were hidden, their purpose was evident.

“Halt," one of them commanded, their tone low and authoritative.

We stopped. Gradually, Seb lifted his hands, a look of calculation on his face. "What is it that you want, huh? Money? Power? Name your fucking price, and I'll provide it to you."

At this moment, the group's leader slowly advanced, their weapon still aimed at Seb. “Come forward, Ford,” they snarled. "We're not here to discuss."

I shivered, my anxiety rising as I looked at Seb. He appeared unsettlingly composed, his thoughts evidently racing to find an escape.

“Seb,” I murmured, my voice trembling. “What are you up to?”

Suddenly, Seb faced me. Before I had a chance to respond, his hand lunged forward, seizing me by the neck.

I inhaled sharply, my hands shooting up to grasp at his hold. “Seb, stop!” I gasped for breath.

He pulled me before him, using me as a human shield. "Go on then," he sneered at the masked shapes, his tone icy and derisive. "Fucking shoot at me. However, just know you’ll be taking the chance of striking her too."

My heart shattered in half from the betrayal, with tears streaming down my cheeks. "You foolish son of a bitch," I whispered, my voice hardly perceptible.

"Be quiet," he hissed into my ear.

The commander growled, his weapon steady. "Let her leave, Ford. This doesn't concern her."

Seb's hold became firmer for a brief instant, then gradually, he let go of me. I staggered forward, gripping my neck and struggling to breathe.

Seb took a step back, his hands lifted in feigned surrender. “Alright,” he replied, a malicious grin pulling at his mouth. “Do you want me? Here I stand.”

Before anyone had a chance to respond, he turned on his heel and dashed away.

“Seb, you fucking chicken!” I called out to him, but he had already left.

A gunshot echoed, and I automatically crouched. The bullet veered off to the side, narrowly missing me by inches.

The group paused, with a few of them splitting off to pursue Seb. I stepped back, my legs shaking. My eyesight became hazy as fear took over. I stumbled, collapsing to the floor with a yelp.

A shadow cast itself over me.

“Please, no!” I pleaded, lifting my hands in a hopeless effort to protect myself.

Powerful hands clutched my shoulders, and I yelped in alarm. My gaze met striking blue eyes, surrounded by a face partially concealed by a mask. There was something about those eyes that resonated deeply within me.

"Kito?" I instinctively whispered, my voice hardly heard.

The blue eyes grew larger in surprise. A voice, gruff and deep, softly muttered a curse. " Fuck."

The hands let go of me suddenly, and the figure withdrew.

"Go home," he snarled, his voice allowing no chance for debate.

Before I had a chance to reply, he turned and vanished into the darkness, leaving me alone in the center of the empty alley.

RENEE.

I bent down over the brick walkway of the alley, my breath harsh and irregular. For a brief instant, I granted myself the privilege of breathing, my whole body shaking. But reality gripped me: I was still at risk. The terror racing through my veins provided me with a final surge of energy as I pushed myself to stand, staggering onto the busy main street and hailing a cab with a frantic gesture.

The taxi came to a screeching stop, and I practically jumped into the back seat, shutting the door forcefully.

"Where to?" the driver inquired, looking at me via the rearview mirror. He did not say anything regarding my rough appearance.

“My apartment,” I wheezed, reciting my address. I reclined in the seat, my head throbbing and my heart racing. I gazed out the window, attempting to make sense of what happened tonight, but my mind was malfunctioning.

As soon as the taxi arrived at my building, I tossed a wad of cash to the driver without counting it and dashed inside. Once inside my apartment, I secured the door, sliding each bolt into position and engaging the chain lock. It was only then that I permitted myself to breathe correctly.

My body felt weighty as I walked toward the bathroom. I removed my clothes, now soaked with sweat and dirt, and entered the shower. The heated water flowed over me, cleansing the grime but leaving the memories intact. I shut my eyes and held onto the tiled wall as the vision of those chilling blue eyes hidden by the black mask surged in my thoughts.

“Kito?,” I murmured, my voice quavering. Could it truly be him?

No. It couldn’t be true. Kito was Seb's closest friend, his assistant, and the COO of Seb's company. They had remained unbreakable for years. It can't be him. It must have been someone who merely resembled him.

I shut off the water and exited, enveloping myself in a towel. After drying my hair with a towel, I left it hanging to dry, too tired to bother. After putting on pajama pants and a tank top, I strolled into the kitchen. My thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind, and my body moved on autopilot while I made a sandwich.

Seb had pleaded with me not to abandon him this evening. Implored me to rescue him, to remain by his side. And still, when the threat appeared, he had fled, abandoning me. The recollection hurt, and betrayal blossomed within me. I held the counter firmly, my knuckles turning pale.

"You're an idiot, Renee," I whispered to myself. Tears welled in my eyes, but I wouldn't allow them to drop. Seb had always been self-centered. I shouldn't have expected anything else.

I pivoted, plate in hand, prepared to bring my sandwich to the living room when I halted suddenly.

Casually leaning against the wall was a tall silhouette, clad in black and wearing a mask that obscured his face. His cold blue gaze penetrated me, unwavering and unsettling.

The plate fell from my grasp, crashing onto the table. My hands raised in surrender while a whimper slipped from my mouth. “I—I didn’t do a thing,” I whimpered. "I don't know a thing, I promise. Please, I won't utter a single word!”

The figure remained still, not even twitching. Instead, he propelled himself away from the wall and approached me with a calculated, hunting prowl.

I reeled backward, my heart pounding vigorously in my chest. "Please," I pleaded, tears now streaming down. “Please don’t harm me.”

The man halted suddenly, his figure hesitating—if just a bit—upon seeing my tears. For an instant, a feeling sparkled in those blue eyes, too brief to identify before it vanished. He plunged his hand into his pocket, and I prepared myself, anticipating a weapon.

Instead, he took out an envelope and a bunch of keys, throwing them onto the table. My gaze shifted to the objects, and realization hit. The keys and deeds for the theater. Seb's farewell present.

As I gazed at the figure, my fear was overtaken by confusion. “What—”

Just as I was about to complete my sentence, the man lifted his hand and tore off his mask.

I gasped a breadth. In the end, my doubts were correct. "Kito?" I spoke softly, my voice just barely heard.

He stared at me furiously, his jaw clenched. "Have a seat," he instructed, his tone deep and raspy.

I obeyed in a trance, settling into the closest chair. My thoughts raced, attempting to understand what was occurring. Kito searched my cabinets until he discovered a first-aid kit. He pulled up a chair next to me and began tending to the bullet grazes on my arm.

I winced at the sharpness of the antiseptic but remained silent, my mind too chaotic to articulate clear thoughts. The quietness around us was intense, disrupted only by the occasional sound of the medical kit.

Ultimately, Kito ended the silence. “What were you doing down there this evening, Renee?”

The question surprised me. It was the first time he was ever speaking to me directly, and hearing my name from him felt unusual. I cleared my throat.

“The theater is owned by my family—”

“I know that,” he cut in, his voice sharp. "However, you haven't visited in years. Why this evening?"

My lips opened in astonishment, but I didn’t ask how he was aware of that. Instead, I gestured faintly towards the objects on the table. “Seb… he was passing it over to me. As a farewell present." My tone became resentful. "A divorce present."

Kito halted, his hands coming to a stop. He glared at me, his blue eyes filled with rage. “So why,” he stated slowly, his tone steady yet dangerous, “the hell, didn’t you run to save yourself and abandon him?”

The question lingered in the air, and my breath was trapped in my throat. I had just one response.

I was clearly a fool.