He always paid close attention to his health. After a night of dizziness and blurred vision, he hadn’t waited long before coming in for a checkup.

“And I wanted to talk to the doctor.”

“I see…” Hadley’s brows drew together, the questions pressing at her lips.

Yet her throat tightened, making the words impossible to push out.

Instead, she lifted the prescription in her hand with a small smile.

“Go on then. See the doctor. I’m just here to collect medicine for Nyla. I’ll get going.”

“Okay.” Eric stepped to the side with another nod, holding the space for her to enter the elevator.

His eyes lingered on her as she passed by.

Hadley turned back and found his gaze waiting for her. The sudden beat of her heart felt sharp and heavy.

For a breathless moment, they looked at one another in silence. Then the elevator doors glided shut, cutting the connection between them.

Eric’s eyes softened as he finally turned and started walking. But after only a few steps, his vision dimmed into nothing but darkness.

Someone nearby let out a sudden cry.

“What’s happening?”

All along the corridor, doctors, nurses, and patients rushed out of their rooms in confusion.

“Why did everything go dark?”

“Could it be a power failure?”

The sudden blackout made it easy to assume the electricity had cut off.

“But how could this happen?”

“In a place this big? That’s impossible!”

Read exclusive stories .c〇m

A deafening crash shook the air, followed by the faint shudder of the building itself.

“What was that?”

The panic grew sharper, spreading through the crowd.

“An earthquake?”

“Then don’t just stand here! Move!”

“But where do we even go?”

“No, wait—don’t!” Someone cried out, “It’s the elevator! The power’s gone! The system’s failed—it’s out of control!”

The words struck like lightning.

Eric snapped his head around, his face hidden in shadow, yet his eyes burned with intensity.

The elevator! Hadley was inside the elevator!

With powerful strides, Eric bolted toward the elevator bank.

“Mr. Scott!” Xander rushed after him.

Though the distance wasn’t far, Eric arrived soaked in sweat, his breaths ragged and uneven.

The display screen above the doors was completely dark. No floor numbers. No signal.

Nobody could tell where the elevator had stopped or what state it was in.

“Hadley!” Eric pressed his palm to the metal doors, pounding against them.

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