Bleeding Hearts

The sound of the gunshot echoed through the night, a violent crack that split the air. The world seemed to freeze for a heartbeat, and then chaos erupted. Anastasia’s scream was lost in the pounding rain, drowned out by the roar of her own pulse in her ears. Her knees hit the cold, wet pavement as she slid beside Maximilian’s crumpled form, her hands trembling as she reached for him.

“Max! Max, please!” Her voice broke as she pressed her palms against the wound, trying to stop the blood that was already pooling beneath him. The rain mixed with the crimson stain, turning the ground into a slick mess of water and blood. Her vision blurred as tears mingled with the downpour, but she refused to look away. She couldn’t—she had to keep him here, with her. “Stay with me, Max. You promised.”