The roar of the engine echoed through the dimly lit street as the black sedan swerved dangerously, chasing the smaller car ahead. Anna gripped the steering wheel tightly, her heart pounding. She glanced in the rearview mirror, her panicked eyes locking onto the shadowy figures in the pursuing car. They were closing in.

Before she could react, the sedan rammed into her vehicle, sending it skidding out of control. The impact was brutal. Her car flipped, rolled sideways, and slammed into a tree with a deafening crash. The world around her spun violently before everything went dark.

The men in the black sedan pulled over, their faces obscured by shadows. They stepped out cautiously, one of them muttering into a phone, "We've got the package. What about her?"

The voice on the other end was cold and decisive. "Leave her. Just get out."

They rifled through Anna's car, retrieving a small briefcase and a flash drive from the wreckage. One of them spared her a glance. Blood trickled down her face, her breaths faint and shallow.

"She's not gonna make it," one muttered, turning away.

They vanished into the night, leaving Anna bleeding and unconscious.

On the other side of town, headlights pierced the darkness as another car raced down the same road. Inside, Tom's grip on the wheel was white-knuckled, his face pale with fear. Mark, in the passenger seat, kept scanning the surroundings.

"There!" Mark shouted, pointing to the wreckage ahead.

Tom slammed the brakes, the car screeching to a halt. He leapt out, his legs almost giving way beneath him as he ran towards Anna's car. The sight of her motionless form, slumped against the mangled metal, brought a lump to his throat.

"Anna! Wake up!" he shouted, tears streaming down his face. His hands trembled as he carefully pulled her from the wreckage, her body limp in his arms. "Stay with me. Please, stay with me!"

Mark was already on the phone with emergency services. "We need an ambulance, now!" he barked, his voice shaking.

Tom cradled Anna, his face pressed against her bloodied hair. "I'll save you. I promise. And whoever did this… they won't live to see another day."

Hours later, the hospital was quiet except for the muffled sound of footsteps and distant voices. Tom paced the waiting room, his mind racing. Mark sat nearby, his head in his hands. The doctor finally emerged, pulling off his gloves with a heavy sigh.

"She's stable," the doctor said, and Tom's knees buckled with relief. "But… she's suffered severe head trauma. She's lost her memory."

Tom stared at him, his face a mix of disbelief and devastation. "What do you mean?"

The doctor's voice was steady but grim. "She can't recall her past. And any attempts to force her memory could cause further damage."

Tom sank to the floor, his hands clutching his hair. Tears fell freely as he whispered, "Why? Why her? She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve someone like me."

Mark knelt beside him, his voice firm yet gentle. "Stop it, Tom. This isn't your fault."

But Tom was already rising, his grief transforming into cold rage. "Take care of her," he said to Mark, his voice low and trembling. "I'll make this right."

The halls of JK Industries were eerily quiet as Tom stormed in, his gun drawn. Security guards lay unconscious in his wake. He burst into the CEO's lavish office, where the man sat behind a massive desk, startled but defiant.

"You…" Tom growled, his eyes blazing. "You're the reason she's lying in a hospital bed!"

The CEO smirked, his calm demeanor infuriating. "You're making a mistake."

Tom didn't hesitate. The first shot rang out, shattering the silence. Then another. And another. He emptied the clip, his fury unrelenting. Even as the gun clicked, he kept pulling the trigger, his screams echoing in the room.

When he finally stopped, his chest heaved with ragged breaths. The once-pristine office was in ruins, the CEO's lifeless body slumped over the desk.

Tom dropped the gun, his hands trembling as he stared at the devastation he'd caused. His mind was a whirlwind of pain and guilt. He thought of Anna, lying in that hospital bed, her memories wiped clean. His actions might have avenged her, but they couldn't undo the damage. They couldn't bring her past—their past—back.

As he walked out of the building, the weight of his choices pressed down on him. The night was cold and silent, but Tom's heart burned with a singular purpose: to protect Anna, no matter the cost. Even if it meant becoming the monster he'd always feared he was.

Tom's shadow loomed in the doorway. He stood silently, his face unreadable, as he watched her. The fire in his eyes had dimmed, replaced by a quiet resolve.

"Mark," he said softly, his voice hoarse. "Thank you."

Mark looked up, his eyes filled with questions. But before he could speak, Tom turned and walked away, leaving the hospital as the city began to stir. The next chapter of their lives was beginning, but Tom knew his path was far from over.