Crazy but sweet

 LOLA'S POV

 Pain.

 It was the first thing I felt when I stirred awake, my body screaming in agony. My head throbbed violently, each pulse like a hammer against my skull. My limbs felt heavy, as if they didn’t belong to me anymore. Even breathing hurt.

 I tried to sit up, but every movement sent a fresh wave of torture through my body. I bit my lip hard, holding back a whimper. That was when my fingers brushed against something hard beside me.

 A phone.

 My heart lurched.

 Who left this here?

 I didn’t have time to question it. I forced my trembling fingers to grip the device, but it slipped from my weakened grasp. Frustration boiled inside me. I clenched my teeth and tried again. This time, I managed to hold onto it.

 With shaky hands, I dialed the only number that mattered.

 Jolie.

 The phone rang twice. Pick up.

 It rang a third time. Please.

 Then—

 "Hello..."

 My breath hitched. The moment I heard his voice, a lump formed in my throat. Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my already hazy vision.

 "Jo...Jolie," I croaked, my voice barely above a whisper.

 JOLIE'S POV

 I was drowning in memories.

 Lola’s smile. Her infectious laughter. The way she scrunched her nose when she was annoyed. The way she hugged me when she was scared. God, I missed everything about her.

 A single tear slid down my face, and I angrily wiped it away. I couldn’t afford to break now. Not when I needed to find her.

 My phone rang, breaking the heavy silence.

 I frowned. A strange number?

 Still, I answered. "Hello..." I exhaled tiredly, expecting a telemarketer or a prank caller.

 But then—

 "Jo...Jolie."

 Everything inside me froze.

 My breath stalled. My grip on the phone tightened. It was her.

 Lola.

 For a split second, the world stood still.

 "Lola?!" My voice cracked. "Where are you? Baby, tell me where you are!"

 Nothing.

 Just her ragged breathing. And then—a cough.

 A cough.

 I never thought I’d miss something so simple. But hearing it now made my chest cave in.

 "Lola, talk to me! Please!" I begged, scrambling for my second phone. "I’m going to find you. Just hang on, okay? Stay with me, baby—"

 The line went dead.

 My blood turned to ice.

 "No. No. No. No!" I called back frantically, but the number was unreachable. Damn it!

 With trembling fingers, I dialed Luke. He picked up on the third ring.

 "It's early in the morning, you perverted moron," he grumbled.

 "Shut up and listen," I snapped. "Track this number for me. Now."

 I read the number out, my voice shaking.

 We were so close. So damn close.

 ---

 LOLA'S POV

 I tried to say more, but the door swung open.

 A man stepped inside, his face hidden behind a mask.

 I barely had time to react before he ripped the phone from my hand and smashed it against the floor.

 No!

 I gasped, watching in horror as he crushed the shattered pieces under his boot.

 He turned to me, his masked face unreadable. But then, he chuckled. Mocking me.

 "If the boss finds out you made a call," he said darkly, "you’ll wish you were dead."

 A chill ran down my spine.

 Then, to my surprise, he exhaled and shook his head. "But I’ll pity you this time."

 With that, he turned and walked out, locking the door behind him.

 I stared at the remains of the phone, my stomach twisting with regret.

 I shouldn’t have coughed.

 ---

 DOCTOR'S POV

 I was running out of time.

 Brian would eventually realize I had been lying.

 He thought I was injecting Lola with high doses of the brain poison. But in reality, I was only giving her a tiny fraction.

 I wasn’t stupid. If I gave her the full dose, she would have lost her mind already. But I had been careful—just enough to keep her weak and disoriented, just enough to make Brian think his plan was working.

 But now, things were escalating. If he found out I was helping her in any way...

 He wouldn’t just kill me.

 He’d kill my wife. My son.

 I should inform the police.

 I should end this before it’s too late.

 But fear paralyzed me.

 So instead, I left the phone beside the girl and walked away, praying that fate would handle the rest.

 ---

 NEXT MORNING

 LUKE'S POV

 I stood in the living room, watching Jolie pace back and forth like a caged animal. He had barely slept. None of us had.

 "...We were so close, bro," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "We could have gotten the address... She sounded so weak, so scared—" He let out a shaky breath.

 I felt his pain.

 We had been up all night desperately trying to track the call. But it was a burner phone.

 A dead end.

 "I’m sorry, man," I said softly. "I’m doing everything I can. Just... pull yourself together, please."

 Jolie didn’t respond. He just stared at Lola’s framed photo on the wall, his jaw clenched so tight it looked painful.

 Then—

 The doorbell rang.

 We both turned to look.

 Jolie barely reacted. He was numb.

 I sighed and moved toward the door, opening it cautiously.

 Selen.

 My stomach dropped.

 What the hell was she doing here?

 Before I could ask, she barged inside and slammed the door shut behind her.

 "Do you want me to be spotted here?!" she hissed.

 I scoffed. "What the hell is your problem?"

 She ignored me and turned to Jolie.

 He didn’t acknowledge her presence.

 Selen exhaled and ran a hand through her hair. She looked... conflicted. Like she was struggling with something.

 Then—

 "I know where Lola is."

 The room fell deathly silent.

 I froze.

 Jolie froze.

 Slowly, he turned his head, his eyes finally alive with something.

 Hope. And fury.

 "Where?" I demanded.

Selen folded her arms across her chest, and then—

 She smiled.

 Not a normal smile.

 A wicked, dangerous, satisfied smile.

 "Oh... I’ll tell you."

 Her voice was smooth, taunting.

 "But on one condition."

 My gut twisted.

 She was playing a game.

 And we had no choice but to play along.