LOVE LIKE NO OTHER

A shadow from the past

ERIC'S POV:

The days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Eliza's health continued to improve, and we settled into a peaceful routine. We lived in a secluded cabin in the woods, surrounded by nature. It was a far cry from the hectic life we had once led, but it was exactly what we needed.

One evening, as we sat on the porch, watching the sunset, Eliza turned to me and took my hand. "I'm so grateful for everything you've done for me, Eric," she said, her voice soft. "I never thought I'd see this day."

I smiled. "Me neither, Eliza. But I'm glad we did."

We sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the peace. Then, Eliza spoke again. "I want us to start a new life together. A life away from all of this."

My heart swelled with joy. I had been waiting for her to say those words. "I would love that," I replied.

We spent the next few weeks planning our future. We decided to move to a small town by the ocean, where we could start fresh. We sold our cabin and packed our belongings, ready for a new adventure.

As we drove away from our old life, I couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. The past had been dark and dangerous, but the future held the promise of something new. And I was excited to face it with Eliza by my side.

Our new life by the ocean was idyllic. We had a small, cozy cottage with a view of the sea. We spent our days walking on the beach, exploring the nearby town, and simply enjoying each other's company.

But as time passed, a sense of unease began to creep into our peaceful existence. We had left the Syndicate behind, but I couldn't shake the feeling that they were still watching us.

One evening, as we were having dinner, a strange car pulled up outside our cottage. A man got out and walked towards the door. I recognized him immediately. It was one of the Syndicate's henchmen, the one I had wounded during the shootout at the meeting.

My heart pounded as he knocked on the door. I knew what this meant. The Syndicate had finally found us.

Eliza looked at me, her face filled with fear. I took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Don't worry," I whispered. "I'll take care of this."

I went to the door and opened it. The man stood there, his face twisted into a menacing grin. "It's time to pay the price," he said.

Before he could step inside, I slammed the door in his face and locked it. I grabbed a baseball bat from the corner of the room and headed towards the window. I knew I couldn't stay and fight. We had to get out of there.

I looked out the window and saw the man circling the cottage. He was on the phone, calling for backup. I had to act fast.

I grabbed Eliza's hand and pulled her towards the back door. We ran through the garden and towards the woods behind our cottage. We didn't stop until we were deep in the forest, out of sight of the man.

We sat there for a moment, panting and trembling. "What do we do now?" Eliza asked, her voice barely a whisper.

I didn't know. The Syndicate was relentless. They wouldn't give up until they had gotten what they wanted.

As we sat there, listening to the sounds of the forest, I realized that we couldn't run forever. We had to face them, once and for all.

The night was dark and quiet, the only sound the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. We sat on a rocky outcropping, the wind whipping our hair. Eliza leaned against me, her head on my shoulder.

"I'm scared," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

I held her tightly. "I know, Eliza. But we'll get through this together."