A morbid crowd had begun to gather around the mangled wreckage, drawn by the jarring screech of metal and the acrid scent of burnt rubber. Concerned faces peered in, their whispers a low hum. One of them, his face pale with shock, fumbled for his phone, dialing for an ambulance.
Daphne, who was returning home, saw the commotion from afar and asked the cab driver to stop the car. The cab lurched to a stop as she craned her neck outside the window to take a look at the scene.
Curiosity morphed into a sickening dread when she caught a glimpse of two men taking Julian out of the car. The blood trickling down his forehead sent a jolt of terror through her. Her stomach dropped.
"Julian!" she cried, the name a ragged gasp escaping her lips. Ignoring the stares of the crowd, she pushed through, a frantic urgency propelling her forward. "What happened to him?" She crouched down beside him.
