The Villianess's Redemption (HYUNJIN ff) ✓

41: Shattered Calm

Chapter 41: Shattered Calm
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Eliza's POV

My heart raced as I stared at the cold barrel of the gun pointed at me. Every nerve in my body was screaming, every breath I took felt like it might be my last. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable. The sound of my own pulse roared in my ears, drowning out everything else.

Bang!

The deafening gunshot shattered the silence, but... there was no pain. I didn't feel the sharp impact of a bullet, no burning sensation tearing through my body. Slowly, trembling, I opened my eyes.

Changbin was on the ground, clutching his leg, his face twisted in agony. Blood soaked the fabric of his pants as he groaned, writhing in pain. It wasn't me who'd been shot-it was him.

My gaze snapped up, and I saw them.......Seungmin, standing tall, his gun still raised, the barrel smoking from the shot, and Felix rushing toward me, his face etched with worry. Relief washed over me so suddenly that it left me weak, my body shaking uncontrollably.

"Eliza!" Felix called as he reached me. His hands were warm and gentle as he began untying the ropes that had held me captive for hours. "You're safe now. It's over. Everything's over."

His words were like a dam breaking, and all the fear, all the tension I had bottled up inside came rushing out in a flood of tears. I couldn't stop it-I didn't want to. The sobs wracked my body as I collapsed into Felix's arms, clutching him like he was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

"It's okay," he whispered, his arms wrapping around me tightly. "You're safe now."

I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the comforting scent of him as I cried, all the terror, the helplessness, and the relief overwhelming me. My limbs were weak, my mind foggy, and as the adrenaline slowly drained from my body, I felt the world tilting. My grip on Felix loosened, and everything started to blur.

"Eliza?" Felix's voice was panicked, but I couldn't answer. My body gave in to the exhaustion, and the last thing I remembered was the feeling of Felix's arms around me before the world went dark.

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Felix's POV

"Eliza!" I shouted, panic gripping me as her body went limp in my arms. Her head lolled against my chest, and I quickly checked her pulse, fear tightening around my heart like a vise. It was there-steady, thank God-but she was unconscious.

"She fainted," I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. My arms tightened around her instinctively, as if I could protect her from everything, even in this state.

Seungmin was already by my side, glancing over her briefly. His face was calm but focused, as it always was in situations like this. "Take her to the carriage. Get her to the doctor immediately," he ordered, his voice steady, though I could sense the urgency beneath his calm exterior. "I'll handle things here with Changbin."

Nodding, I didn't hesitate. Gently but swiftly, I lifted Eliza into my arms, cradling her against my chest as I carried her out of the warehouse. Her head rested on my shoulder, her body so light, so fragile. I had never felt this kind of fear before, not for myself, but for someone else.

As I made my way outside, the cool night air hit us, a stark contrast to the chaos we'd just escaped. The carriage was waiting, and I carefully placed her inside, never letting go of her hand.

"Hang in there, Eliza," I whispered, brushing a lock of her hair away from her face. She was pale, her lips slightly parted, but she looked peaceful now, a stark difference from the terror she must have felt just moments ago.