When Maya woke up the next morning, she felt the weight of a blanket over her. Confused and still angry, she threw it off without a second thought. Her mind was solely focused on escaping this nightmare. She scanned the room frantically, her eyes landing on a small knife left on a nearby table. It wasn't much, but it was something.
Driven by panic and stress, she grabbed the knife and rushed to the metal bars on the window. She began sawing at the rods with all her strength, her hands shaking. She knew it was futile, but desperation drove her actions. Her fingers slipped, and the knife cut into her hand. Blood started to flow, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop.
Pain and exhaustion overtook her, and her vision began to blur. She kept at it, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. The blood from her wound made her grip slippery, and soon, the combination of blood loss, panic, and sheer physical exhaustion caused her to collapse. The room spun around her, and darkness quickly closed in.
Moments later, one of Alex's men, who had been assigned to watch her, noticed the unusual silence. He peeked into the room and saw her unconscious on the floor, blood pooling around her hand. He swore under his breath and immediately called for help, notifying Alex in the process.
Alex arrived at the scene, his heart racing. Seeing Maya unconscious and bleeding on the floor hit him like a punch to the gut. He rushed to her side, lifting her gently.
"Get the doctor here, now!" he barked at his men, his voice filled with urgency.
Minutes felt like hours as Alex held Maya, trying to stop the bleeding with the blanket she had discarded. He whispered to her, his voice trembling. "Hang in there, Maya. Please, just hang in there."
The doctor arrived quickly and began to tend to her wounds. Alex watched, feeling helpless and guilty. He had brought her into this world of violence and danger, and now she was paying the price.
"She's lost a lot of blood, but she'll be okay," the doctor said after stabilizing her.
Alex let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He ordered his men to prepare a more secure and comfortable room for her, somewhere she wouldn't be able to harm herself again.
As Maya was moved to a new room and laid on a bed, Alex sat by her side, watching over her. He couldn't afford to show his feelings, but in that moment, he didn't care. He gently took her hand, careful of the bandages, and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Maya. I