After stepping out of the cab, Ashley jogged into her house, dropping her luggage by the door. She hummed a cheerful tune, heading straight to her room to change into fresh clothes. Today was a special day—Mia's movie premiere. The thought brought a wide smile to her face.

"She's definitely going to be trending again," Ashley murmured, slipping on her new outfit.

Once ready, she grabbed two helmets and locked the front door behind her. Heading to the garage, she admired her motorcycle for a moment before starting the engine. Pulling out her phone, she quickly typed a message to Mia, letting her know she'd arrived home and was on her way.

Can't wait to see you, she thought with a soft smile, hitting send. She slid her phone into her pocket and secured her helmet before revving the throttle, making sure the gates were locked behind her as she rode off.

Halfway down the road, Ashley stopped in front of a flower shop, parking her bike with a quick flourish. She stepped inside and emerged a few moments later with a vibrant bouquet in hand, her grin widening. "Hope she likes this," she mused, tucking the bouquet securely into the bike before continuing her ride.

Just as she approached an intersection to make a left turn, a white Porsche suddenly swerved in front of her, cutting her off. Ashley instinctively hit the brakes, but the abrupt maneuver caused her bike to skid, throwing her off balance. She hit the pavement hard, her elbow scraping against the asphalt as she groaned in pain.

Passersby began to approach to help, but before anyone could get close, two masked figures emerged from the Porsche—one of them wielding a baseball bat. Sensing the danger, the crowd quickly dispersed, leaving Ashley to fend for herself.

"What the hell?" she muttered, staggering to her feet as the first swing came her way. She managed to dodge it narrowly, but the second swing struck her square in the abdomen, knocking the air out of her lungs. "Ah—shit!" she coughed, gripping her stomach.

Through the haze of pain, she tried to study her attackers. One was definitely a woman, but their faces were obscured by masks. "Are you connected to one of my cases?" Ashley spat, her voice hoarse.

Neither attacker responded. Instead, the second figure lunged at her. Ashley gritted her teeth, using her helmet as a makeshift weapon to fend them off. She managed to kick the woman hard in the stomach, causing her to stumble, but her small victory was short-lived. The other attacker, now behind her, struck her nape with the bat. The force sent Ashley to her knees, stars dancing in her vision.

"Who are you?" Ashley hissed, clutching her neck as she tried to stay upright. Blood dripped from her temple where another blow had connected moments earlier.

The attackers didn't answer. Another hit landed, this time on her stomach, followed by a brutal punch to her face. Ashley coughed, spitting blood onto the pavement as she swayed unsteadily. Her grip on the helmet slackened, her strength fading.

She glared up at the two through blurry eyes, her lips parting to speak, but the baseball bat came down again, striking her temple repeatedly. Pain radiated through her skull, and she could feel the warm trickle of blood down her face.

"Stay out of this," one of them growled, their voice cold and menacing. "Don't get involved, and keep your nose where it belongs."

The final blow landed on her nape, sending her crumpling to the ground. Her consciousness wavered, the world spinning around her.

Through the haze, the two attackers removed their masks. Ashley tried to focus, her breath ragged as she stared at them. Her heart sank as a sense of dread clawed at her chest. No... she thought weakly, recognizing them before her vision darkened completely.

Her final thought was of Mia. Mia, I'm sorry, she called out in her mind as the darkness claimed her.



Mia's heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted down the hospital hallway, the emergency room doors coming into view. Gasping for air, she slowed when she spotted Ashley's mother, Elena, and her sister, Alysse, pacing nervously. Meier clutches her knees and takes deep breaths to steady herself.

"Mia," Meier murmured as Mia came to a halt, breath hitching. She swallowed hard, her trembling legs barely keeping her upright.

"Mia!" Elena and Alysse called out in unison, rushing toward her. They embraced her tightly, their worry etched on their faces.

"W-what happened?" Mia stammered, her voice trembling as tears welled up in her eyes. "W-why is she..." Her voice faltered, her hands shaking uncontrollably. "Why is she here?"

"Dear," Elena said softly, cupping Mia's tear-streaked face in her hands. She shook her head gently, trying to calm her. "We don't have the full details yet, but according to the authorities and the CCTV footage, Ashley was ambushed by two attackers. Their identities are still unknown."

"What?" Mia whispered, her hand covering her mouth as the tears spilled over. Her chest tightened as dread consumed her.

"Calm down, dear," Elena said, though her own voice wavered. Tears glistened in her eyes, but she fought to hold them back. "We need to stay strong for her."

"H-how is she?" Mia asked through choked sobs. "I mean..." Her voice broke, unable to finish her sentence.

Alysse stepped forward and gently took Mia's trembling hands in hers. "The doctors said she has a concussion and skull fractures that require surgery," she explained, her lips trembling as she spoke. "There's internal bleeding in her abdomen... She was in critical condition when she arrived."

"No..." Mia whispered, shaking her head as Elena and Alysse guided her to a nearby seat. Her legs gave out as she collapsed onto the bench, burying her face in her hands. Meier sat beside her, rubbing her back in an attempt to console her.

"Mia, please," Meier pleaded softly. "Try to calm down."

"Mei..." Mia choked out, her sobs growing louder. "W-where did it all go wrong? Why her?" Tears streamed down her cheeks as her eyes darted toward the emergency room doors. She trembled uncontrollably, her heartbreaking further as she overheard snippets of the surgeon's update. Ashley had flatlined during surgery.

Why is this happening? she thought, staring at the doors with tear-filled eyes. Please, Ash... Don't leave me. Keep fighting. Please...

"Please be safe," Mia whispered, her voice cracking. "Please..."

Hours passed like a blur. When Ashley was finally wheeled out of surgery and transferred to the ICU, Mia's throat tightened at the sight of her. Her head was heavily bandaged, her arms wrapped in gauze. Bruises and wounds marred her face and hands, and her pale complexion looked ghostly under the fluorescent lights. The rhythmic beeping of the cardiac monitor echoed in Mia's ears, reminding her that Ashley was still alive—but only barely.

"Ash..." Mia's voice broke as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. It hurts so much to see you like this, she thought, swallowing the lump in her throat.

The doctor granted them permission to enter the ICU after explaining the protocols. Mia, along with Elena and Alysse, donned hospital gowns and masks before stepping inside. Meier opted to stay outside, her expression heavy with worry.

The ICU was eerily quiet, save for the steady hum of the monitors and the faint sound of Ashley's breathing through the oxygen mask. Mia's legs felt like lead as she approached Ashley's bedside. She hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take Ashley's hand, her fingers brushing against the cold skin.

"You fought so hard during the ambush," Mia whispered, her voice trembling. She crouched beside Ashley, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed into her hand. "Please don't leave me, Ash. Please fight for me... for us. I can't lose you."

Alysse crouched beside her, wrapping her arms around Mia as her own tears spilled over. "She'll be okay," Alysse murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "She's strong. She'll pull through. She always does."

Mia nodded weakly, though her heart ached with uncertainty. Her gaze remained fixed on Ashley's pale face, her silent plea echoing in her mind: Please wake up, Ash. Please come back to me.

Tears blurred her vision as she clung to Ashley's hand, her hope wavering but refusing to let go.