Bab 169: ~Hellbound~

 "Elena," Derek's voice reached me, but it felt distant, a mere echo against the backdrop of my racing thoughts. His hand offered stability, but my gaze was fixed on the unfolding tragedy before me.

Paul's sudden shove was like a cruel jolt, tearing him away from my grasp. I watched in agonized slow-motion as he tumbled down the cliff, disappearing into the cold embrace of the river below. "Paul," I gasped, my voice barely audible, a plea lost in the vast emptiness of the precipice.

The world blurred around me, and a sickening sensation settled in my stomach. The edges of my vision wavered, and I clung to Derek's hand as if it were the only anchor in the storm.

"I know you love me and will always love me," Paul's words echoed in my mind, a haunting refrain that reverberated in the hollows of my heart. The memory of our recent embrace, the warmth of his kiss on my cheek, clashed violently with the image of his abrupt departure.