Chapter 48: A Pulse of Hope
Luca clutched Janet's limp body in his arms, tears falling like silent raindrops on her bloodied face. His entire world had collapsed in that single moment. Nothing else mattered now—not Dmitri, not the police, not even the chaos around him.
Then, something stirred.
Her fingers twitched.
His breath caught. "J-Janet?"
And then, she gasped. A weak, trembling breath filled her lungs as her eyes fluttered open.
Luca blinked in disbelief, holding her tighter. "You're alive…? Oh God, you're alive!"
She gave him a faint smile, her voice barely a whisper. "I shot slightly behind… it hit my ear. I knew he wouldn't stop unless he thought I was gone. I-I had to..."
Luca looked at her, stunned. Her left ear was bleeding badly, and her temple had a deep graze. But she was breathing. Alive.
His arms wrapped tightly around her as he buried his face in her neck. He was trembling with relief, his voice broken. "Don't ever scare me like that again. I thought I'd lost you."
She held onto him, her voice still shaking. "I had no other way... I knew he'd never let go otherwise."
Luca didn't waste another second. He picked her up in his arms, cradling her like a fragile porcelain doll. Without a word, he rushed past the police and got into his car, shouting at his guards to handle the situation.
In his car, Janet was growing weaker. Her lips were pale, and the blood loss was clearly affecting her. Luca held her tightly, whispering to her, "Stay with me, Janet. Just a little longer. I'm taking you to the hospital. You'll be okay. I promise."
As the car sped through the night, Luca pressed her closer. He couldn't afford to lose her now. Not after everything.
The city lights blurred past, and within minutes, the car skidded to a halt in front of a private hospital. Nurses and doctors rushed to them as Luca stepped out, shouting for immediate attention.
"She's been shot! She's alive but injured! Please, help her!"
Janet was quickly wheeled into the emergency ward as Luca followed closely, refusing to leave her side. Every second felt like a century.