Amelia barely had time to process what was happening before she felt her palm fill with something hot and wet—blood. Ryan’s blood. Her hand was pressed right over his heart, and now her fingers were slick and sticky, warm liquid seeping through his shirt in a deep, spreading stain.
He was the one bleeding, but somehow, she was the one who felt cold all over, like the world had stopped spinning beneath her feet.
“Mr. Packman!” Francisco’s shout cut through the chaos, sharp with panic.
In the shadows, the shooter had already been taken down by the security team.
“Ryan… no, please, don’t—don’t die!” Amelia’s voice cracked as the tears started falling, fat drops rolling down her cheeks. She couldn’t stop them, couldn’t stop her hands from shaking as she pressed down, desperate to stop the bleeding.
Ryan managed a faint, raspy whisper. “Don’t cry…” He tried to lift his hand to brush away her tears, but it fell back limply before he could even touch her face.
Sirens blared overhead as the helicopter landed on the rooftop, medics rushing out with a stretcher. They loaded Ryan up fast.
Amelia tried to follow, heart pounding, but Francisco stepped in front of her.
“Ms. Sadinton, the Packman family has their own doctors on board. It’s better if you don’t go with them,” he said, voice steady but firm.
“I’m a doctor too, Francisco. Maybe I can help—” She hated how shaky she sounded.
Francisco didn’t move. “The Packman family will bring in the best surgeons for Mr. Ryan Packman.” This time he said Ryan’s full name, making it clear just how important Ryan was to the family—and how out of place she’d be if she pushed any further.
The truth of it hit her, hard and cold. This world—the Packmans’ world—was way more complicated than she’d ever realized. Francisco was trying to warn her: if she went after Ryan now, she could make things even harder for him.
She swallowed back her tears. “Okay. But Francisco, please, if there’s any news about Ryan—anything at all—let me know right away.”
“You have my word,” he promised.


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