Harriet held her umbrella tightly as she glanced at her wristwatchâit was already past ten, and the rain was still pouring down in sheets. She tugged her coat tighter, clutching her sling bag's strap, and sighed as she jogged toward her car. Reaching into her pocket for her keys, everything around her suddenly went dark.
"What the hell?!" she hissed, feeling something wrap around her head, blocking her vision. She fought back, struggling to pull it off, but a hard object slammed against her nape, sending a wave of pain through her neck. "Damn it," she muttered, her hand instinctively reaching back.
She wanted to fight back, but the suffocating cover over her head made it nearly impossible.
"Who the hell are you?" she shouted, though she doubted anyone would hear her over the heavy rain. The hospital wing she'd just come from was bustling, but the parking area was deserted.
A low voice answered, one she recognized instantly. "I told you to stay out of things that don't concern you."
"Markus? Really? How low can you get?" Harriet scoffed, gasping as a brutal blow struck her abdomen. She doubled over, only for him to yank her up by her hair and slam her against something hard.
"Damn," she whispered, feeling blood trickle from her temple, dripping down her face.
"Consider this a warning," Markus sneered. "Leave Zoey alone. I'm the one who should be with herânot someone like you."
Harriet's laughter bubbled up through her pain, even as she coughed. She ripped off the material covering her head, rubbing her sore temple. The dim light of the parking area glinted off her blood-streaked hand. She let her head fall back against the car, letting the rain wash over her face, cool against the sting of fresh cuts.
"You idiot," she muttered to herself, smirking weakly as she touched her bruised abdomen. "Didn't think about the surveillance cameras in the parking lot, did you? I could just use that footage against you."
She took a shuddering breath, calming her nerves, and laughed, albeit faintly. "You've got the guts to try, Markus, but you don't know who you're up against."
Zoey jogged toward the parking lot as soon as the rain stopped, sighing in relief as she remembered she'd left her umbrella in her car. She'd told Harriet not to wait up, knowing she'd be pulling another overtime to finish her paperwork and hopefully have some free time the next day. But as she briskly walked, she noticed a familiar car parked nearby.
"Isn't that Harriet's car? I thought she went home?" Zoey muttered, eyebrows furrowing as she drew closer. A figure was slumped weakly against the driver's side. Her heart pounded as she recognized the form. "Harriet?!"
She sprinted over, panic bubbling up as she lifted Harriet's face and took in the sight. Cuts and bruises marked her pale skin, with blood trickling from her temple. "What the hell happened?" Zoey whispered, trying to keep calm as she gently shook Harriet's shoulders.
"Harriet, wake up," she pleaded, noticing just how cold Harriet's skin felt. She could feel her pulse racing with questionsâwho did this? How long had Harriet been out here? Without a second thought, she shrugged off her blazer, draping it over Harriet's shoulders to shield her from the chill.
"Harriet, come on... please, wake up!" Zoey urged, gently tapping Harriet's cheeks to stir her awake. Her heart skipped a beat when Harriet finally coughed, her eyes fluttering open.
"Zoey...?" Harriet murmured, a pained groan escaping her lips.
"Yes, it's me," Zoey replied, voice catching as relief washed over her. "Come on, I'm taking you back to the hospital," she said, her eyes bright with worry. She carefully slipped an arm under Harriet's, pulling her up as gently as she could, knowing she wouldn't be able to carry her if she slipped back into unconsciousness.
Zoey paced anxiously, biting her thumb as she glanced back at Harriet, now resting in a private hospital room. Harriet's wounds didn't require stitches, but adhesive strips and bandages covered the cuts to aid healing. The x-rays had come back clean, revealing no internal damage beyond surface bruises.
"Sweetheart, can you please sit down and relax?" Harriet called gently, watching Zoey's restless pacing. Zoey turned sharply and strode toward her, worry plain on her face.
"Relax? Have you seen yourself?" Zoey's voice wavered, her eyes glistening as she fought back tears.
Harriet sighed, reaching out to pull her into a hug. "It's just a scratch, Zoey. Nothing to worry about," she murmured with a soft chuckle.
"Stop joking about it," Zoey scolded, pulling back slightly, her eyes shining with unspoken fear. "It's not funny. You scared me half to death."
Harriet's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Zoey. I didn't mean to make you worry like this," she said, giving Zoey's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be fine. I can even move aroundâ" She winced, gasping as a sharp pain shot through her abdomen.
"Right. 'Moving around' is clearly a great idea," Zoey said, inspecting her carefully. "Just stay put, please? You're stressing me out."
Harriet chuckled, holding out her arms. "Okay, okay. How about another hug for strength, then?"
Zoey sighed but leaned in, embracing Harriet again, letting the worry ease slightly as she felt Harriet's arms around her.
They were still holding each other when the door swung open, revealing Nyx and Vera, who entered with urgent concern.
"What happened?" Nyx demanded, rushing to Harriet's bedside. Harriet released Zoey and gestured to the bandage on her temple.
"Same old me, living life on the edge," Harriet joked, pointing to the bruise with a small smile.
Nyx sighed, exasperated. "Who did this?"
Harriet's smile faded, and she looked away. "I'll handle itâ"
"We've already requested security to check the surveillance footage from the parking lot," Vera said, crossing her arms as she sat down. "Let me guess... it was that same guy from the bar?"
Zoey's eyes widened. "Markus did this to you?"
Harriet shut her eyes with a sigh. "Yeah. Honestly, he caught me off guard. Couldn't even fight back with that bag over my head."
Nyx gave Harriet a light smack on the arm. "Will you please stop with this daredevil act? You've worked too hard to jeopardize your career like this."
Harriet nodded, a weary look in her eyes. "I know, Nyx. I didn't ask for this... it just happened," she said with a resigned shrug.
Zoey bit her lip, feeling a mix of concern and guilt. Why does it have to be like this? Why can't I just be happy? she thought, glancing at Harriet.
"Hey, don't worry about me," Harriet said, her voice light in an attempt to reassure her. "I'll be fine. Just need a bit of rest, and I'll be back to work tomorrow."
Nyx sighed and turned to Zoey. "Zoey, could you keep an eye on Harriet for now? Vera will handle the case. We can't let this slide. This is the third incident, right?"
Zoey nodded, sensing the seriousness in Nyx's tone.
"It'll be discussed at the next medical board meeting," Nyx said, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "The fact that attacks like this are happening on our grounds is beyond alarming." She softened her tone, looking at both of them. "You two, take care, alright?"
Zoey met her gaze, a quiet promise of vigilance in her nod.