📰 PART 2
Victoria stared at the blood running down Leo's hand.
The entire mall was silent.
Just minutes ago she had screamed at him.
Accused him.
Humiliated him in front of hundreds of people.
Now she realized he had risked his own safety to save hers.
"Why would you do that?" she whispered.
Leo looked confused.
"Because you were in danger."
The answer hit harder than any accusation.
Security rushed over.
Mall technicians opened the escalator panel.
The crowd watched in horror.
More and more of Victoria's dress emerged from deep inside the gears.
The technician shook his head.
"If this had wrapped around her legs..."
He stopped.
He didn't need to finish.
Everyone understood.
Victoria could have been dragged backward.
Crushed.
Killed.
A woman in the crowd began crying.
Another person started applauding.
Soon dozens joined.
But Leo didn't smile.
Instead, he quietly backed away.
As if he wanted to disappear.
That was when Victoria noticed something else.
The boy wasn't looking at the crowd.
He was staring at a bakery across the atrium.
At a tray of sandwiches.
At food.
Her heart sank.
Because she suddenly realized something.
The boy who had saved her life was starving.
May you like
And nobody had noticed.
Including her.
