Nathan sat on the edge of the mattress, staring at the wall.The apartment was silent. The morning light was gray and cold. He hadn't slept. His body was broken. His ribs were wrapped in tight bandages. His knuckles were scabbed over. His right eye was still swollen. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the emptiness in his chest.Sarah had taken Ryan and left. She had gone to her sister's place. She had told him not to follow.Nathan stood up. Walked to the kitchen. The coffee pot was empty. The sink was clean. Sarah had washed the dishes before she left. She had left everything in order. Like she was closing a chapter.He opened the refrigerator. Empty. She had taken the food. She had taken Ryan's favorite snacks. She had taken everything that mattered.Nathan closed the refrigerator. Walked to the window. Looked out at the street below. People were moving. Living. Laughing. They had no idea his wife had left him. They had no i

Nathan sat on the steps of the gym, staring at the empty street.The sun was rising. The sky was turning gray and cold. The city was waking up. Cars honked. People shouted. The world kept moving. But Nathan felt frozen. Stuck. Trapped.Damon walked out of the gym. He sat beside Nathan. His face was tired. His eyes were sharp."You need to rest," Damon said.Nathan shook his head. "I can't.""You can't fight on no sleep. You can't think on no sleep. You need to rest."Nathan looked at him. "Webb is still out there. The man above Webb is still out there. Sarah is gone. Ryan is gone. How am I supposed to rest?"Damon was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke. "I know what it's like. I lost my family once. I lost everything. I thought I could fix it by fighting. By destroying everyone who hurt me. But it didn't work. It just made things worse."Nathan's voice was cold. "Then what worked?"Damon looked at him. "

Nathan sat in the empty apartment, staring at the television. The news was on. The volume was low. The images flickered across the screen. A car. Wrecked. Twisted metal. Broken glass. Police tape. Flashing lights. The wreckage was unrecognizable. The front was crushed into the tree. The roof was caved in. The windows were shattered. A reporter stood in front of the wreckage. Her face was serious. Her voice was steady. She was holding a microphone, her hair blowing in the wind. "Tragedy on Highway 17 tonight. A single-car accident claimed the lives of two people. The victims have been identified as Sarah Cole and her young son, Ryan Cole. They were reportedly traveling to visit family when their vehicle veered off the road and struck a tree. Police are investigating the cause of the accident. Early reports suggest a mechanical failure." Nathan stared at the screen. His body went cold. His heart stopped. His mind went blank. The world around him disappeared. There was only th