Tied by Law, Torn by Love

She didn't know that day would unravel the threads of everything she thought she knew. Behind the glow of her computer screen, fate whispered in the form of a ringing phone-persistent, uninvited, inevitable.

Elena Olivia Johnson's hazel eyes remained glued to her computer screen. The blueprint on her monitor was more than just a project - it was a crucial milestone in her career. But the sudden ringing of her cell phone broke her concentration in the office.

She picked up the phone without looking away from her screen, tuning out the office chatter around her.

"Hello," she answered, her gaze never wavering from the glowing screen before her. The rhythmic tapping of her fingers against the keyboard continued, undisturbed. She didn't even glance at the caller ID, unaware if this was a personal matter or business-related.

"Good afternoon. Is this Miss Elena?" The voice-deep, composed, yet strangely familiar-caused a faint crease to form between her brows.

"Yes, speaking," she replied, pressing 'save' on her computer.

She had no inkling of what was about to unravel-no premonition, no subtle shift in the air to warn her. But then-

"Mr. Johnson..."

The name sliced through her like a bolt of ice.

Her breath hitched. The pen resting near her keyboard clattered onto the desk, unheard amidst the sudden roaring in her ears. A strange weight settled on her chest, pressing, suffocating-an invisible force rendering her momentarily paralyzed.

Elena shot up from her seat, her chair toppling over with a loud clatter. She froze, her breath caught in her throat. A jolt of fear paralyzed her, as if struck by an unseen force.

Her face drained of color, her breath hitching in shock. It felt like a giant sledgehammer was hitting her irregular heartbeat. Panic began to take over.

She couldn't stand still. Her hands trembled as she snatched her bag and bolted, deaf to the concerned whispers and questioning gazes around her.

She sprinted, her heartbeat pounding in her ears like a war drum, each step fueled by sheer panic.

"Elena!" Elvano's sharp voice cut through the air as she crashed into him, sending a stack of documents tumbling to the floor.

On any other day, she would've apologized and helped pick up the files. But not today. Elena was in a critical situation that forced her to leave the office as soon as possible. Her tears almost fell, but she did her best to keep them from falling.

Outside the office, she managed to stop a taxi to take her somewhere. Although she had brought her own car, Elena realized that she couldn't possibly drive in this condition. She might have had an accident if she forced herself.

In the taxi, she fidgeted-her leg bouncing, fingers interlocked in a white-knuckled grip, eyes darting anxiously to the window, as if searching for reassurance in the passing cityscape.

"Oh my God... may everything be all right," she prayed silently. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep the fear clawing at her chest at bay.

After a while, Elena finally arrived at a building surrounded by people and ambulances. The five-story hospital loomed ahead, neither bustling nor eerily empty-a liminal space between chaos and stillness.

She threw open the taxi door and rushed inside, her eyes locking onto the glowing 'Emergency Room' sign-a beacon of both hope and fear.

In front of the information desk, Elena felt like the world was spinning. Her hands trembled as she asked about her father, her voice shaking and barely coming out.

"Excuse me, my father-Mr. Johnson-has he been taken into surgery?" she asked with hopeful eyes. Doctor, nurse, receptionist-it didn't matter. She just needed answers.

The call had come from one of her father's employees, informing her that he had suffered a heart attack and required urgent surgery. Without hesitation, Elena granted the hospital doctor permission for the procedure over the phone.

"Patient named Mr. Johnson?" The staff member typed rapidly, searching the records on his computer.

"Oh, that must be the one who was just brought in after suffering a cardiac arrest," another staff member chimed in.

"Yes, that's him. The doctor said he needs immediate surgery," Elena said, her voice laced with worry. She clung to the hope that her father would pull through.

"Ah, yes. The patient was just taken into surgery," the staff confirmed with a sympathetic nod.

"Where's the O.R.?" Elena asked urgently. She had never been to this hospital before and had no idea where to go.

"Through that door, miss-out of the emergency room, then left, then right. The room at the very end is the operating room where the patient is being treated," the staff member explained, gesturing in the direction.

"Okay, thank you." Without hesitation, Elena sprinted toward the designated room. Her steps quickened, propelled by the rising tide of anxiety clawing at her chest.

As she arrived, her eyes landed on several of her father's employees waiting outside the operating room. Without a second thought, she rushed toward them, her voice urgent.

"What happened? Why did Daddy have a heart attack?" Elena demanded, her pulse pounding in her ears.

"Mr. Johnson..." The man in the center hesitated, his face torn between uncertainty and distress.

"What happened?" Elena's impatience flared. "Tell me!"

The man exhaled shakily before finally speaking. "Mr. Johnson was shocked when he saw the condition of the supermarket, Miss."

Her father owned a well-established store-large and spacious, yet still local, without any branches. A new store had been in the works, but construction was still underway.

Elena's brows furrowed. She hadn't heard anything about the supermarket-what could have possibly gone so wrong?

"The supermarket? What happened?" A sense of foreboding curled in her stomach like a tightening noose.

Her father had looked pale this morning, but hadn't said anything to her about the supermarket. When Elena asked, her father just said that everything was fine and quickly left the house without having his breakfast. He left in a hurry, but Elena thought it was because he had something urgent to do. She also didn't suspect that he left early.

Another employee explained in a shaky voice, "The supermarket caught fire, Miss."

Her blood turned to ice. The world tilted, black spots dancing at the edges of her vision.

"WHAT?" Elena's voice cracked as the world tilted around her. Panic from her father's condition still clawed at her chest, and now-this?"

A sharp breath hitched in her throat as her legs buckled beneath her. Thick black smoke and towering flames loomed over her mind. "How much more can I take?" she whispered, her vision blurring with unshed tears

Her legs gave out, sending her crashing to the floor. Tremors wracked her body as she struggled for breath, but the panic refused to loosen its grip. And in the chaos of her spiraling thoughts, one question screamed the loudest-What if she lost everything today?

To be continued...