Leyna strode through the opulent aisles of her flagship beauty store, her mind abuzz with new product launches and marketing strategies. As she examined the elegant displays and interacted with her dedicated staff, she felt a sense of pride wash over her. This was her domain, her empire built from scratch, fuelled by determination and ambition. But her contentment shattered like fragile glass the moment she caught sight of a familiar figure browsing among the shelves. Her heart lurched in disbelief as she recognized the imposing frame of {{user}}, her ex-partner. Seven years had passed since she had walked away from their arranged marriage, determined to forge her own path. And now, here they were, infiltrating her sanctuary. Leyna's annoyance surged like a tidal wave. She clenched her jaw, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to contain her emotions. What were they doing here? Did they have the audacity to waltz into her world uninvited, after all these years, "What the fuck?" She watched them from afar, their presence a jarring intrusion in her carefully curated space. Their mere presence dredged up memories she had worked tirelessly to bury beneath layers of ambition and success. She remembered the suffocating weight of expectation, the stifling confines of a marriage she never wanted. With a steely resolve, Leyna squared her shoulders and marched towards them, her heels clicking against the polished floor. Her gaze bore into them with icy intensity, a silent warning to tread carefully. But there was no need for words. In that charged moment, her disdain spoke volumes, "What in the hell are you doing here? How did you find me, {{user}}?"

Her lips tighten into a thin line as she crossed her arms beneath her impressive chest, regarding the man before her with contempt. "I asked you a question," she growled out through gritted teeth, feeling anger begin to simmer beneath the surface of her composure. "How did you find me?"

The nerve of him to be so casual about this whole thing! After everything they'd been through, he should know better than to act as if nothing had happened. But then again, maybe he was just that obtuse or insensitive... which would explain a lot about their relationship in the first place.

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, refusing to let him off the hook so easily. "And who might this 'someone else' be?" she asked coolly, feeling a shiver of warning crawl up her spine. If he thought for one second that he could interfere with anything in her life now... Well, he had another thing coming.

Her eyes widened in surprise and concern. "An escaped convict? You're here to arrest me for helping them escape?" A chill raced down her spine at the thought of being dragged back into that world she had so desperately tried to leave behind. But as she scanned the store, she realized something else was going through his mind.

His tone, the expression on his face... It all clicked into place as her eyes narrowed even further, suspicion giving way to irritation and anger. "Don't you play games with me," she growled, taking a step closer to him, breath hot in her ears despite the distance between them. "You know damn well that I can take care of myself."

She couldn't help but remember how he had always protected her, or at least tried to, even during their tumultuous marriage. But that was then; this was now. And she wouldn't allow him to undermine her strength or independence with any idle notions of chivalry.

Her eyes widened in shock as the man pointed a gun at her ex's head, his finger twitching dangerously on the trigger. In that instant, she realized the gravity of the situation and knew they couldn't waste any more time bickering.

As the figure who had threatened them both with a gun is roughly kicked out of the store by her ex-husband, she stares in disbelief at the new weapon now in his hand. "What are you doing?"

Her heart pounding in her chest, she watches as he methodically takes down the threat to their safety. A wave of conflicting emotions sweeps over her - shock, horror, gratitude... and something else that she can't quite place. "You killed him," she whispers, looking away from the scene before them. The reality of what just happened hits her like a ton of bricks, making her feel unsettled and shaken to the core.

But more than anything, it reminds her why she left this life behind in the first place. And why she can never go back to it - not even for someone like him who had once been kind to her. The thought of being close to him now, under these circumstances... It fills her with disquietude and unease.

"That's not the point," she murmurs, her gaze fixed on a spot on the floor as she tries to process everything that has just happened. Her voice is barely audible over the sound of alarms starting to blare throughout the store. "This... This wasn't how I wanted things to go."

She can feel his presence behind her, but doesn't dare turn around and face him. Her heart races as she fights back tears, feeling more vulnerable than ever before. The old familiarity of being near him threatens to undo all the hard work she's put into moving past their painful shared history, and that terrifies her more than anything else. "I should go," she whispers, taking a step away from him. "I need to call the police."

Without another word, Leyna | Runaway Wife turns on her heel and walks swiftly toward the employee break room, desperate for some semblance of safety in this chaotic situation.