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A few minutes later, Taylor returned.
She was now wearing a white robe she had found in the bathroom. Since she was about the same height as Ethan, it fit her fairly well, although her much slimmer figure made her appear more fragile than usual.
Then the tone of the television broadcast abruptly changed.
—We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming with breaking news.
The anchor lowered his gaze to the report that had just been handed to him.
—Sources close to the investigation have confirmed that pop superstar Taylor Swift's convoy was attacked by a gunman near Soldier Field earlier today.
Every pair of eyes in the room turned toward the screen.
—The singer had been scheduled to visit several children's medical centers before continuing preparations for her concert —the anchor continued—. However, her convoy was caught in a violent shooting after stopping at an intersection near the stadium.
Taylor slowly approached the sofa.
—We now go live to the scene. Dave, what can you tell us?
The broadcast switched.
A reporter appeared behind the police tape, with several patrol cars and officers working behind him.
—Good afternoon. As you can see, the area remains completely sealed off while the Chicago Police Department processes the scene.
The reporter stepped slightly aside and pointed toward the intersection.
—The black vehicle behind me is a Range Rover that, according to our sources, belongs to Taylor Swift's security team.
The camera focused on the SUV.
—Two ambulances left the scene only a few minutes ago —he continued—. At this time, we do not know the exact number of people injured, and no fatalities have been confirmed. Police have declined to comment.
He looked back at the camera, his expression now more serious.
—What we can confirm is that this was an extremely violent attack. Preliminary reports indicate that a sniper opened fire on the convoy from an elevated position.
The camera zoomed in.
The Range Rover remained motionless beside the traffic light, surrounded by police tape. The pavement was covered in broken glass, and two bullet holes were clearly visible in one of the doors.
The rear window had been completely destroyed.
There were bloodstains inside.
Taylor covered her mouth with one hand as tears almost immediately filled her eyes.
Knowing what had happened was one thing.
Seeing it from the outside was something else entirely.
During the attack, Ethan had reacted so quickly that she had barely had time to understand what was happening. He forced her to duck, shielded her body, and got her out of the vehicle before she could even process the first shot.
Now, faced with those images, she could see the true magnitude of the attack.
And understand how close they had come to not making it out alive.
Megan also stood completely still.
She had not imagined anything like this either.
Chloe bit her lip. Suddenly, she understood much better why Taylor was so determined to cancel everything.
If she had been in her position, she probably would have been even more terrified.
—A tragedy —the reporter continued—. We have also received information about a second vehicle that rapidly fled the area.
The camera moved again.
—We still do not know who was traveling inside or whether Taylor Swift was injured.
He pointed toward the other side of the street.
—Now look at that building.
The camera focused on a five-story building.
—We believe the shooter fired from the roof.
Several CPD officers were working above.
Ruzek briefly appeared on the screen.
When he noticed the camera, he looked ready to wave. Halstead immediately smacked him on the arm and forced him to get back to work.
Ethan had to suppress a smile.
Idiot.
—That is everything we know at this time —the reporter concluded—. We will remain here and continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
The broadcast returned to the studio.
The anchor adopted a solemn tone.
—Taylor Swift is scheduled to perform tomorrow night at Soldier Field.
Taylor remained completely still.
—At this time, her condition remains unknown.
He paused.
—We can only hope that she is safe.
Crunch.
Ethan took another large bite of the apple.
He chewed slowly.
In the end, they had failed to escape the media.
It was hardly surprising.
Taylor had been traveling around Chicago for several days. She had appeared on television, given radio interviews, and attended various public events. Besides, a concert of that magnitude was one of the city's most important events that weekend.
The Range Rover was not exactly inconspicuous either. Taylor had used it for all her recent transportation, so it was inevitable that someone would eventually recognize it.
The real question was how long it would take reporters to discover that she had not been inside.
Taylor thought about the members of the security team who had been traveling in the vehicle and looked at Chloe with tears in her eyes.
—Billy?
Chloe held her gaze for a moment before slowly shaking her head.
—He didn't make it.
Her voice barely broke, but it was enough.
—The other two survived. One suffered minor injuries, and the man in the back seat is out of danger.
Taylor lowered her head and covered her mouth, trying to hold back her tears.
Ethan bit into the apple again. The sweet-and-sour flesh lost all flavor in his mouth, and he had to force himself to swallow.
Danny was far more calculating and ruthless than they had imagined.
First, he had prepared the explosion and made sure he was injured badly enough to be taken to the hospital, eliminating any suspicion against him.
Then he only had to wait for the right moment.
He knew which route the convoy would take and was familiar with the only direct road to the hospital. He had prepared the ambush in advance and opened fire on the vehicle everyone believed was carrying Taylor.
If the fanatic responsible for the letters had not been caught by chance, Danny would have remained hidden behind him.
A perfect suspect.
A convenient distraction.
And while everyone focused their efforts on the stalker, the real killer would have continued moving among them without arousing suspicion.
After all, he himself had been injured in the explosion.
Just thinking about it sent a chill through Ethan.
—What is it?
Chloe, seated across from him, noticed the change in his expression.
—Nothing.
Ethan took another bite of the apple.
Ring, ring, ring.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
Suddenly, several phones began ringing at the same time.
Not only Taylor's.
Chloe's and Megan's were also vibrating without pause.
The news had already spread. Family members, friends, business associates, and people in the industry were calling to find out what had happened and confirm that Taylor was safe.
However, none of the three women answered.
Chloe silenced her phone and looked at Taylor.
—What do you want us to tell them?
Taylor watched the calls pile up on her phone's screen.
—Nothing yet.
Megan nodded and declined another call.
Taylor had to decide what version of events would be released publicly. Any statement would have to be reviewed, verified, and coordinated with the police.
One contradiction, one premature detail, or a single poorly chosen word would be enough for the situation to spin completely out of control.
Ethan also took out his phone.
He opened Facebook.
The rumor that Taylor Swift had been attacked was spreading at an absurd rate.
Taylor's popularity was already enormous.
This was only pouring gasoline onto a fire.
Ethan was beginning to understand the true scale of her fame. A shooting in Chicago was news; an attack on Taylor Swift could become a global phenomenon within minutes.
Meanwhile, she remained with her eyes fixed on the television.
The same images played over and over again.
The stationary Range Rover.
The broken glass scattered across the pavement.
The bullet holes. With each repetition, her stomach tightened a little more.
She could not organize her thoughts or decide what to do. The calls and notifications sounding without pause only increased her anxiety.
Crunch.
Ethan bit into the apple again.
Amid all that chaos, the sound was strangely clear.
Taylor turned her head toward him.
Ethan appeared to be the only person in the room who was not on the verge of being swept away by panic. He remained leaning beside the table, watching the broadcast with an almost irritating calm.
Taylor hesitated for a few seconds.
—Help me decide.
Ethan stopped chewing and pointed at his chest with one finger.
—Me?
He looked at her with genuine surprise.
—Yes, you.
—You have a manager, an assistant, and probably an army of public relations advisers.
Taylor held his gaze.
—But right now, I'm asking you.
Taylor continued to hold his gaze.
—I'll do whatever you say.
—What?
—Taylor, you can't do something like that.
Chloe and Megan reacted immediately. Entrusting a decision of that magnitude to someone they barely knew was far too impulsive.
—I think they're right.
Ethan moistened his lips.
—It's your life. You should be the one to decide.
—I trust you.
Taylor extended a hand toward Chloe and Megan, stopping them before they could continue protesting.
She never took her eyes off Ethan.
Ethan finished the apple.
He tossed the core toward the trash can.
It went in cleanly. That carefree attitude made Chloe clench her fists.
From her perspective, Ethan was a bodyguard. The logical recommendation would be to hide Taylor somewhere safe and cancel everything.
That would reduce any risk, as well as his own responsibility.
But Ethan did not say that.
—Do you remember what you said in the car?
Taylor frowned slightly.
Ethan looked at her.
—What doesn't kill me makes me stronger.
Taylor's lips moved almost in unison with his as they repeated Nietzsche's famous phrase.
—Exactly.
Ethan nodded.
Ethan set the apple down on the table and held her gaze.
—Giving in to fear is exactly what Danny wants.
Taylor remained still.
—Hurting you isn't enough for him —Ethan continued—. He wants to change the way you live. He wants you to think about him every time you leave the house, to feel afraid whenever you get into a vehicle, and to hesitate before stepping onto a stage.
His voice became firmer.
—Don't give him that power.
Taylor briefly lowered her gaze.
—That's easy to say.
—I never said it would be easy. I'm telling you not to let him win.
Ethan took a step toward her.
—Accept that you're afraid, but don't let that fear make your decisions for you. Face it. Overcome it. And someday, you'll look back and realize that Danny was nothing more than a tiny ant that tried to stand in your way.
For several seconds, Taylor did not respond.
Then she took a deep breath and lifted her head. Little by little, some of the light returned to her eyes.
—I know what I'm going to do.
She turned toward Chloe.
—We'll go ahead with your plan.
Chloe watched her cautiously.
—Are you sure?
Taylor clenched her fists and held her gaze.
—Yes.
She paused briefly before looking at the television again.
—I'm a fighter. I'm not going to let him decide how I should live.
Her voice no longer trembled.
—I always have been, and I always will be.
—Of course you will.
Chloe nodded firmly.
—You're the strongest woman I know.
The phones once again took center stage.
This time, they began answering them.
Chloe and Megan started contacting producers, representatives, and other people, following an agreed-upon version of events.
Taylor also answered a personal call.
—Mom.
Her voice still trembled slightly, but it was much more controlled than before. For several minutes, she simply reassured her family.
Little by little, the constant ringing of the phones began to fade.
About ten minutes later, the television interrupted its programming again.
—Breaking news.
The anchor quickly read from the teleprompter.
—Taylor Swift, who had been scheduled to visit a children's hospital today, felt unwell and ultimately did not attend.
Taylor looked up.
—Sources close to the singer have confirmed that she is safe and suffered no injuries.
The anchor continued:
—Regarding the attack against members of her security team, Swift has expressed her shock and hopes the Chicago Police Department can apprehend the person responsible as soon as possible.
She paused.
—It has also been confirmed that she will hold a press conference tonight to address the incident.
Taylor picked up the remote control.
She turned off the television.
She did not need to hear the rest.
She knew perfectly well what was happening outside.
Rumors.
Speculation.
Conspiracy theories.
Stories invented by people who knew absolutely nothing.
—You told me to go ahead with the concert.
Taylor turned toward Ethan.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
—So, from now on, my life is entirely in your hands.
Ethan rolled his eyes.
For some reason, those words made him feel as though he had just boarded a pirate ship with no way to return to shore.
—I'm starting to suspect you were waiting for this exact moment.
Taylor pursed her lips slightly.
—I don't care.
Her voice softened.
—Hurry up and get changed.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
—We have to go to the hospital to visit the injured guards.
Whether it was for public relations or simply because she felt she should do it, Ethan considered it a good decision.
What would have been truly unpleasant was for her subordinates to risk their lives for her while Taylor remained completely indifferent.
He nodded.
He stood and went upstairs.