The slap sent Lena crashing to the ground.
Her face throbbed instantly, blood pooling at the corner of her mouth. A sharp ringing drowned out everything—no voices, no gasps, just a hollow silence.
Her fingers brushed the burning imprint on her cheek, and tears spilled before she could stop them.
Andrew had never hit her before.
But before the shock could settle, he was already gone, storming out the front door.
Lena sucked in a shaky breath and scrambled to her feet, chasing after him.
She wasn’t running for him. She was running because she knew what might happen next.
Boom!
Thunder cracked, shaking the ground as rain poured down in thick, blinding sheets.
Through the storm, Andrew stood firm, arms locked around Nicole’s trembling frame.
Nicole thrashed, her voice breaking. “Today was supposed to be perfect, and she ruined it. How do you expect me to stay after that?
“She still won’t let go of you. I don’t want to fight over a man with some younger girl. Maybe I should just—give you back to her.”
Andrew only held her tighter. “No, Nicole. I could never love her. You know how long I’ve loved you. If you push me away now… do you want to rip my heart out?”
His voice dropped, his head lowering toward hers.
And then—
Headlights.
Blinding. Rushing straight for them.
Lena skidded to a stop, breath catching—
And then everything went red.
***
The emergency room pulsed with red light.
Doctors rushed back and forth, scrambling to stabilize Andrew, wires and monitors beeping in a frantic rhythm.
