Cecil rushed into the hospital, the scent of antiseptic and quiet murmurs filling the sterile air. His eyes darted around, searching for the girl who had called him. But she was gone. Not a single trace of her remained. Had she even been real? Or was she just another ghost in Amadeo's storm of misfortunes?
The moment Cecil entered Amadeo's hospital room, the weight of reality hit him hard. Machines beeped in rhythmic patterns, wires connected to his best friend, keeping him tethered to life. The doctor sighed before speaking.
"If he hadn't been brought here in time, he wouldn't have survived."
Cecil clenched his fists, a wave of guilt washing over him. He didn't need to be told twice—this attack hadn't been random. He was supposed to be the target.
Days passed. The room remained dim, curtains drawn, letting only a sliver of light in. Amadeo stirred. His eyelids fluttered open, confusion swirling in his gaze. A dull ache throbbed in his skull, memories fragmented.
Someone had saved him. But who?
He closed his eyes in an attempt to imagine his savior. But his mind was blank, but a feeling—a lingering presence—remained. A whisper in the darkness. He turned to Cecil, who sat nearby, staring at the floor.
"Who brought me here?" Amadeo asked, voice hoarse.
Cecil hesitated for a fraction of a second—too short for an untrained eye to catch, but long enough for Amadeo to notice.
"I… I don't know."
Lies! Amadeo could tell, but he let it slide.
Instead, he leaned back against the pillow, breathing in slowly,looking at a black SUV standing at the gate of the hospital. "And the ones who attacked me?"
Another pause. Cecil swallowed, shifting in his seat. "They weren't after you."
Amadeo's eyes narrowed. "Then who?"
Cecil exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Me."
Silence thickened between them. Cecil finally spoke, voice barely above a whisper.
"They were looking for me because of Juana."
Amadeo frowned. Juana—the rich heiress. The girl Cecil had risked everything for. The girl whose family would never allow her to be with a man beneath their status.
"She never told me much, but I know her parents wouldn't hesitate to get rid of me." Cecil's voice wavered. "They must've sent them."
Amadeo studied his friend. There was fear in his voice, but something else too. Something deeper. Maybe a hint of uncertainty...
"Are you sure it was them?"
Cecil's jaw clenched. "Huh? What do you mean?Who else would want me dead?"
He spoke with conviction, but Amadeo wasn't convinced. His gut told him there was more to this. Something wasn't adding up. How is he so sure about the fact that they were after him not Amadeo.
The days passed in a blur. Amadeo's recovery was slow, but he pushed himself. He had to—because something in his gut told him he couldn't stay idle. Who saved him? Whowanted Cecil dead?
Then, Anie came with news.
"There's a festival at the university. Every department is organizing something, and even the freshers are involved." She grinned. "We're all going. You're coming too."
Amadeo was too deep into his thoughts that he almost refused, but something made him agree. Something inside him whispered that he needed to be there
The campus buzzed with life. Stalls, decorations, music—the festival was in full swing. Amadeo walked alongside Cecil, Anie, and a few others, letting the noise drown out his thoughts.
Then he saw her.
Elle.
For the second time, their eyes met. But unlike before, this time, she didn't run. She held his gaze, unflinching. A flicker of something passed between them, something neither of them could name.
But she said nothing.
Neither did he.
The person before his eyes felt so familiar but he isn't sure where he might've met her but the look in her face made it very clear that they definitely know each other.
A sudden tension thickened the air, but before Amadeo could process it, something caught his eye.
A ring. A familiar emblem engraved on its surface.
His breath hitched. He had seen that symbol before.
The night he was attacked.
And the person wearing it?
He couldn't see....
A sudden rush of people came towards Amadeo . They were just making up any excuse so that they can talk to him. But Amadeo had no intention of just letting that bastard go that easily. So, he excused himself and and started looking for that guy and he finally found him, that man was following someone with a gun on his hand.....
It was then that Amadeo knew—Cecil had been wrong. This wasn't just about him. It never was.
The real danger was just beginning.
And Elle…
She was next.
..... to be continued