"Easy there," Jake murmured, his arm wrapping around her waist to keep her upright.
As Jake began to guide her away, Harper caught snippets of conversation from the gathered crowd.
"What happened in there?"
"Is that... ash?"
"Who would do something like this?"
Jake's jaw clenched as he surveyed the scene, rage bubbling just beneath the surface. But as he looked back at Harper, her eyes wide with terror and her breath coming in short, panicked gasps, his anger gave way to concern. He recognized the glazed look in her eyes, the way she seemed to be staring at something only she could see. Harper was caught in a flashback, reliving the past. Pushing aside his fury at the women who had orchestrated this cruel prank, he focused solely on Harper. The commotion around them faded away as he gently cupped her face in his hands.
"Harper," he said softly, trying to catch her gaze. "Can you tell me what you see?"
Her lips trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. "The woman," Harper choked out, her voice barely above a whisper. "She's burning. Oh God, she's on fire! I couldn't get to her…"
Jake's heart clenched at the raw anguish in her voice. He shook her shoulders gently, just enough to try and break through her mental fog.
"Harper, look at me," he urged, his voice firm, demanding her compliance. "Focus on my face. What do you see?"
Her eyes, still wide with anguish, slowly shifted to meet his. Jake held her gaze steadily, watching as confusion flickered across her features.
"That's it," he encouraged. "You're doing great. Now, can you tell me three things you can see right now?"
Harper blinked rapidly, her gaze darting around before settling back on Jake. "I... I see you," she stammered. "And... the mural. And... people."
Jake nodded, relief washing over him as he saw a hint of awareness returning to her eyes. "Good. Now, what are two things you can hear?"
Harper swallowed hard, her breathing beginning to slow. "Your voice," she said after a moment. "And... someone's phone ringing."
"Excellent," Jake praised. "Last one. Can you tell me one thing you can feel?"
Harper's brow furrowed in concentration. "Your hands," she finally answered, her voice steadier now. "They're warm."
Jake smiled softly, seeing the fog of panic lifting from Harper's eyes. "That's right. You're here with me, Harper. You're safe."
Jake's arms tightened around Harper protectively as he scanned the gathered crowd. His gaze landed on the trio ofwomen at the edge of the group - Vanessa, Tiffany, and Janis. Their smug expressions sent a surge of fury through him.
"You three," Jake growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Why the fuck would you do this?"
The women exchanged startled glances, their triumphant smirks faltering under Jake's accusatory glare.
"We don't know what you're talking about," Tiffany said, her tone unconvincingly innocent.
Jake's eyes narrowed. "Don't play dumb with me. This has your fingerprints all over it."
Vanessa stepped forward, her chin lifted defiantly. "You can't prove anything. Maybe Harper just can't handle a little workplace stress."
Jake's jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists at his sides. He took a step towards the women, his body trembling with barely contained rage.
"A little workplace stress?" he repeated, his voice rising with each word. "You call this a little stress? This is stalking, plain and simple. And I'll be damned if I let you get away with it."
The women shrank back, their bravado withering under the force of Jake's anger. Tiffany and Janis exchanged nervous glances, edging away from Vanessa as if to distance themselves from the confrontation.
"What's going on here?"
The authoritative voice cut through the tension, drawing all eyes to the newcomer. Ethan Carter, the bank president, stood at the edge of the gathered crowd, his brow furrowed in concern.
Jake turned to face Ethan, his arm still wrapped protectively around Harper's shoulders. "Mr. Carter, I'm glad you're here. We have a serious problem."
