Everyone gathered around the surgeon and stared at him nervously.
The surgeon exhaled deeply, shaking his head somberly as he disclosed, âThe bullet caused significant damage to her organ, leading to a hemorrhage.
âFrankly, there was little hope from the moment she arrived at the hospital. I regret to inform you, Ms.
Alyssa, that we couldnât save her. We tried our best.â
As a doctor herself, Alyssa understood the weight and emotions behind the phrase âwe tried our bestâ.
The Taylor family members lowered their heads defeatedly. Liam removed his military beret as a sign of respect to the late Nina, Even though they had known that Ninaâs chances of survival were slim when they had stepped into the hospital, it still hurt to hear the confirmation. Alyssa was the only person in disbelief.
âNo! That canât be real. Nina is strong. How could she have died?â Alyssa tugged at the surgeonâs arm and repeatedly yelled as she spiralled into hysteria.
âLyse, calm down!â Jasper hugged her from behind, desperately wanting to share her pain.
He comforted her, saying, âI believe Nina didnât suffer. We canât revive the dead, but we can seek justice for her.â
Nina wasnât Alyssaâs kin or friend, yet she had willingly sacrificed her young life to protect Alyssa. The weight of guilt and anguish bore down on Alyssa, who believed that she had indirectly murdered Nina.
âItâs all my fault. I was wrong. I put her in dangerâ¦. Tears streamed down her face.
She jabbed her chest with her fingers, wishing that they were blades that could cut through her chest.
Seeing her anguish, Jasper felt his heart shatter. He choked up, feeling bitter.
Upon regaining consciousness, Alyssa found herself lying on a hospital bed, tethered to an IV drip.
Only Silas and Axel were with her. The others were busy taking care of matters in the hospital.
âAxel,â Alyssa called out softly.
Seated at her bedside, Axel clasped her hand. Iâm here, Lyse.â
âBefore Nina passed on, she told me there was important evidence in her phone, but I couldnât switch it Patting his chest, Axel reassured her, âNot a problem. Leave it to me.â
Although he aimed for a confident smile, his attempt failed due to the somber mood. âEven if the phoneâ in pieces, I can retrieve the data as long as the SIM card is intact.â
Relieved, Alyssa closed her eyes again.
Silas, ever vigilant, picked up on a crucial term. âLyse, whatâs the evidence? Did the attackers come for it?
Is that why Nina died?â
âYes, but I need concrete evidence before I can tell you the details,â she responded, her nails digging into her palm as a painful reminder of the fury and resentment she harbored.
She wanted revenge.