CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE - When Darkness Falls Upon The Heart

Nia Moreno spent three long days at Mount Sinai Hospital, barely leaving Leon Allistair's side in the ICU. She occupied the uncomfortable waiting room chair, watching nurses and doctors come in and out to check his vitals. Leon's pale, unmoving form on the hospital bed sent a chill down her spine. She wrung her hands together, eyes fixed on the steady beeping of the heart monitor. The last 48 hours had been a blur of chaos and uncertainty. One minute, she and Leon had been leaving his penthouse, laughing and eager for a night out. The next, his body crumpled to the ground, blood pooling on the pavement as Nia screamed in horror. She replayed the scene over and over in her mind, the sickening sound of the gunshot echoing in her ears. The doctors had finally emerged, their faces somber. "The surgery was successful in removing the bullet, but Mr. Allistair lost a significant amount of blood. He's in critical condition, and we'll need to monitor him closely for any internal organ damage.