A personal message and trigger warning to my readers:

In the wake of the conflict that has shaken my country in recent weeks, I present a story that strays into darker realms than what you've known from me. This narrative is a raw echo of the turmoil the people in my country endured, a story that has demanded telling despite its somber tone.

Please be aware the content includes explicit themes of violence and assault, which are integral yet heavy elements of the story. If these are triggers for you, I advise caution or to perhaps choose another story.

This work is a personal testament to the challenges we face and the resilience we find in times of profound uncertainty.

With sincerity,

M.

Three days. Sharon hasn't been in contact in three days.

The last message she sent Andy was that something came up, and she was extending her trip to Las Vegas in a few days and would see him upon her return. Andy replied, asking if everything was okay, and Sharon texted back not to worry. He hadn't heard from her since, despite texting her a few times to check on her.

When he raised concerns with Chief Mason and then Chief Pope, he was informed that Sharon had been in contact with them the whole time and would return to Los Angeles soon.

On the one hand, Andy felt relieved that someone knew what was going on with her. On the other hand, he was her fiancé and expected her to reply and say she was okay. When he heard from Rusty that she had checked on him several times a day, he wondered if maybe something was wrong with their relationship that he hadn't noticed. He tried to recall if she sounded different in their conversations before her leaving for Vegas or their calls while she was there, but nothing came to mind. This situation was disturbing, to say the least, and he figured that once she returned home, they would have a serious conversation about communication.

Unannounced, she slipped back into LA like a thief in the night, as if she didn't want to be noticed. It was five days after Andy had lost contact with her and after he knew for sure that she was still in daily contact with Rusty and Chief Mason. At this point, Andy was reconsidering their relationship and whether it was a smart idea to love someone who didn't put him as one of her top priorities. He never thought he'd ever reach this point with her.

Throughout their friendship and relationship, Andy knew Sharon was highly independent, used to caring for herself and those dear to her, but not used to relying on others. In the year that they had been in a relationship, he thought she had grown out of it and trusted him more, but the last few days proved him wrong. And he was angry; he had sold his place to move in with her, to let her keep her independence because he knew how much she loved her apartment. Sure, he shared the bills and the housework, and she made ample space for him in her closet long before he moved in, but it wasn't his place. And until now, he didn't mind it because being with her, around her, was all he ever truly wanted. But maybe Sharon's difficulty compromising on their living arrangement was a sign that she didn't truly trust him. And if that was the case, Andy wasn't sure it was something they could work on.

He first saw her in the hallway leading to Chief Mason's office. He was on his way to inquire if Mason would send her a message on his behalf since she hadn't been answering his texts or calls.

He wouldn't have known it was her if it wasn't for the sight of her engagement ring around her finger. She looked like an entirely different person, almost a ghostly mirage.

"Sharon?" he said her name, unsure if the person in front of him was indeed his fiancée.

She flinched but turned around to face him, and Andy was taken aback by her appearance. The left side of her face was bruised, her eye was swollen shut, and her lip was split. Andy could also see scratches on the right side of her face, right below the ear, that went down to the side of her neck. They were covered by orange disinfectant, and Andy noticed some had turned blue. Sharon's right arm was in a cast that went from her elbow to the middle of her fingers, and Andy could also see that her index and middle fingers were individually bandaged.

Taking in her appearance, Andy saw that Sharon's shoulders were slumped, and the clothes she wore – a pair of blue jeans and an LAPD hoodie – were at least a size too big. Either that, or she looked small in them.

A terrified expression spread across Sharon's face, and it took her a moment to hide it.

"What the hell?" Andy was the first one to speak.

Sharon closed her eyes for a long moment and took a deep breath before she opened them to face her fiancé.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

Her voice sounded different, small and diminished, almost void of emotion.

"What happened?" Andy asked.

Sharon's eyes rolled upwards as if she was fighting tears. "I was mugged."

She looked more than mugged. She looked like she shouldn't even be walking around.

"In Vegas?" Andy asked.

She nodded slowly.

"Why didn't you call or text?" Andy asked, trying to keep his anger at bay. Hadn't she known he'd worry about her?

"I didn't want to worry you," Sharon replied as if she had read his mind. I didn't want you to come and take care of me, was what she truly meant, Andy knew.

"How did a mugging end up like this?" Andy asked, motioning towards her beaten form.

Sharon shrugged.

"Chief Mason and Chief Pope knew about this, right?" Andy asked. Why hadn't one of them told him what was happening with Sharon? "You were in contact with them."

"I reported it, yes," Sharon replied.

"Commander Raydor, Chief Mason will see you now." Chief Mason's secretary came out of Mason's office.

"I'm coming with you," Andy said and followed her.

"No, Andy. You stay here. It won't take long," Sharon replied.

Andy shook his head and followed her anyway.

Sharon turned around towards him, a flash of anger in her eyes. It died down quickly as she took a deep breath. "I said no."

She walked into Chief Mason's office and closed the door behind her, leaving Andy to wonder what the hell was going on with his fiancée and how a mugging ended up with her not talking to him for five days.