Screams erupted as people scrambled toward the exits, high heels clattering against marble floors. Daniel grabbed Ginger’s arm, dragging her away toward the hallway. He left. That was it. He just left.
What a coward.
With no other choice, I followed the frenzied crowd.
The hallway was a disaster. Bodyguards lay sprawled across the floor, blood pooling beneath them. More screams echoed as more guests rushed to escape the madness.
I hurried, my steps quickening as I tried to make sense of the chaos. Another explosion shook the building, the deafening blast sending debris flying.
I stumbled, coughing through the dust, but managed to steady myself. The hallway ahead was blocked by rubble, forcing me to turn back.
Then came another round of gunfire, closer this time.
I crept forward, drawn by equal parts fear and curiosity. A door was slightly ajar, and I peered inside.
A man in a hoodie stood in the center of the room, a gun in his hand. The scent of gunpowder still lingered.
And there, on the floor, lay Penny Eddy—the CEO of Alliance Insurance and Daniel’s father. Blood pooled around him, staining the plush carpet.
My heart skipped a beat, and as I turned to leave, footsteps sounded behind me.