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Chapter40
“Are you coming with me or…?” Alenia hissed, her voice dripping with venom, as she pressed the un harder against Leo’s temple. But before she could finish the threat, a loud beeping pierced the air, shattering the tense standoff.
Willy, my quick–thinking daughter, had seized the opportunity to act, hurling a stone she’d surreptitiously picked up at a nearby car, triggering its alarm. The sudden noise distracted Alenia for a split second, her gaze flicking towards the commotion.
That was all the time I needed. With a surge of adrenaline, I lunged at Alenia, hauling her away from my family as I desperately tried to grab the gun. The sound of the beeping grew louder, a cacophony of chaos, as I wrestled with Alenia, my heart racing with fear, my sole focus on saving my loved
ones.
Alenia struggled with every ounce of strength she had, her grip on the gun was impressively fierce, I’ll give her that. She kicked me with a ferocity that sent me stumbling back, but I managed to dodge her attack just enough to wrestle the gun away from Leo and Willy.
However, she swiftly recovered, her hand reorienting the weapon with a speed that belied her earlier instability. Again, she pointed the gun at my family, and again, Leo instinctively shielded Willy. I summoned every last bit of strength to bring Alenia’s hand down, but not before she squeezed the trigger. The bullet grazed my skin, the sensation like a hot knife slicing through my flesh, leaving a deep, stinging wound that numbed and throbbed with pain. The sound of the shot still echoed in my mind as I stumbled backward, my vision blurring momentarily.
“Wilson!” Leo screamed, her voice piercing the air as I staggered backward, my vision blurring from the pain and shock. Alenia, too, stumbled, her grip on the gun finally releasing as she fell to the
ground, clutching her head in a dramatic display of despair
Her body shook with sobs, a stark contrast to the menacing figure she’d been just moments before. The sound of sirens and screeching tires filled the air as the paramedics, police, and Jerome arrived on the scene, responding to the chaos.
The officers swiftly moved to handcuff Alenia, restraining her as she continued to wail, her cries echoing through the air. I, meanwhile, struggled to stay upright, my head spinning, as Leo rushed to my side, her face etched with worry and relief.
Leo’s voice trembled as she struggled to speak, her words barely audible through her tears. “Are you…okay?” she stammered, her body shivering with fear and relief.
I gently wiped her tears away with the back of my good hand, trying to offer some comfort. “I’m fine,” I assured her, my voice soft and calm, despite the searing pain in my arm. I forced a weak smile, hoping to reassure her, as I ached to pulled her closer, but I reminded myself to respect her
boundaries.
“I’m fine, Leona. It’s over. We’re safe now.” I whispered, trying to soothe her, as the paramedics
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and police swirled around us, attending to Alenia and securing the scene.
We both knelt down in front of Willy, who wrapped her small arms around us, holding us tight as she sniffled, her little body shaking with sobs. “Are you hurt, Daddy?” she asked, her voice trembling, as she stared at the hole in my jacket, her eyes fixed on the small amount of blood oozing out. I winced, feeling a pang of pain, but forced a reassuring smile, not wanting to alarm her
further.
“I’m okay, sweetie,” I reassured, hugging her close.
“Just a scratch. I’m fine.” Leo’s eyes met mine, filled with concern, but she too forced a. smile and hugged Willy tighter, trying to comfort our little girl.
“We’re both fine, baby,” she cooed. “We’re safe now.” Willy’s grip on us tightened, as if she’d never let us go again, and we held her close, cherishing this moment of reunion and relief.
“Daddy is fine, sweetie,” I whispered, hugging her closer, trying to reassure her with my words and my embrace. I felt her tiny body relax a little, her grip on us loosening slightly as she looked up at me with tear–stained eyes.
“Promise?” she asked. I nodded, smiling through the pain.
“Promise, baby. I’m fine. We’re all safe now.” I confirmed. We held each other, a tight little circle of love and relief, as the world around us slowly came back into focus.
“He is hurt,” Leo called out to Jerome, her voice firm and urgent, as she gestured to my arm.
Jerome swiftly responded, waving over the paramedics, who rushed to our side.
“Let’s take a look,” one of them said, gently prying Willy’s arms from around me, as they led us to their medical van. Inside, the paramedics quickly got to work, examining my wound, cleaning and
dressing it with swift efficiency.
I winced as they applied antiseptic, but tried to stay still, not wanting to alarm Willy, who watched. with wide eyes, her face pale with worry.
“You don’t need stitches, it’s just a graze,” the paramedic said, her voice reassuring, as she expertly cleaned and dressed my wound. “But it’ll take a few weeks to heal completely.” She smiled sympathetically, as she wrapped my arm in a bandage.
“You were lucky, it could have been much worse.” I nodded, feeling a rush of relief and gratitude, as I glanced at Leo and Willy, who were watching with anxious eyes.
Leo’s eyes met mine, and she suppressed her tears. Willy, sensing my gaze, smiled slightly, her eyes still shining with tears. I forced a smile back, trying to reassure her, as the paramedic finished up and patted my arm. “All done,” she said. “Just take it easy, okay?”
Chapter40
