Eugene was already moving.
He didn't hesitate.
Didn't think.
Didn't even breathe.
He grabbed her shoulders, put every ounce of strength into one brutal shove—
"IVY!"
Her scream tore out of her as she flew sideways, hitting the ground on her arm so hard white pain exploded down to her fingertips.
And then—
The world slowed.
She saw Eugene take the full hit.
Saw his body lift off the ground—weightless, horrifying—before slamming onto the trunk of his own car with a sickening, ringing crack.
Her breath died in her chest.
Time didn't just stop.
It shattered.
The vehicle screeched in reverse, tires spitting pebbles, and sped away before anyone could react.
Ivy's vision swam as she pushed herself upright. Her handbag lay a few feet ahead of her, its contents spilling across the concrete. Everything suddenly looked foreign, scattered, insignificant.
"Eugene?"
