The next day began like any other.
The sky was a dull gray, heavy with clouds, and a cold breeze swept across the city. Elena woke up first, pulling the blanket up over Alex, who was still fast asleep, his little face peaceful.
She stood by the window for a moment, staring out at the wet streets below.
Something still felt...off.
She couldn't explain it — just a strange heaviness in her chest.
"Morning," Ethan said sleepily from behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Elena leaned back against him, savoring the warmth.
"Morning," she whispered.
For a while, they stayed like that, just listening to the rain.
Later, Ethan dropped Elena and Alex off at a nearby café. Elena had agreed to meet a few old colleagues for coffee before picking up some groceries.
Ethan had a quick meeting at EC Gaming, but he promised to return soon.
Everything seemed fine — casual, normal, even boring.
Until it wasn't.
---
An Hour Later...
While Elena was chatting with her friends, Alex sat beside her, drawing in his notebook.
She kept glancing at him, making sure he was close.
"Elena," one of her friends teased, "you're acting like a full-time mom now! Always checking on him."
Elena laughed lightly. "Habit."
Suddenly, her phone buzzed.
It was Ethan.
Ethan:
Meeting running late. Don't wait for me. Call me if you need anything.
Elena texted back quickly:
Okay. Be safe.
She turned her attention back to the conversation, not realizing that two men had entered the café, casually blending into the crowd.
They watched quietly from the corner, whispering to each other.
"There's the kid. When she's distracted, we move."
---
Moments Later...
"Mommy," Alex tugged at her sleeve. "I wanna go to the washroom."
Elena smiled. "Okay, sweetheart. Come on, I'll take you."
She stood, holding his hand tightly.
They made their way to the back of the café.
And that's when it happened.
The two men moved swiftly.
One bumped into Elena roughly, making her stumble.
"Hey!" she cried out, startled.
In that brief second of confusion, the other man scooped Alex up in his arms.
"Mommy!" Alex screamed.
Elena spun around, but the first man pushed her hard — she crashed into a table, hitting her head violently.
Pain exploded in her skull.
The world spun around her.
Voices blurred into noise.
Darkness swallowed her whole.
The men ran out into the rain, carrying the struggling boy.
No one noticed until it was too late.
---
Outside...
The black van's door slid open, and Alex was thrown inside.
"Shut him up," one of the men hissed.
The van screeched away, disappearing into the storm.
And inside the café, Elena lay unconscious, blood trickling from her forehead.
Everything had changed in one horrible instant.