No strings attached |(UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 42- Hold my hand

Jho hesitated before nodding. "I think I do. Aiah mentioned it once, but I never really paid attention."

Colet pulled out her phone, already searching. "Wait, let me check. I remember Stacey telling me something about Adrian's place before." She scrolled rapidly, eyes scanning the screen.

"Hurry," I urged, pacing in frustration. My hands wouldn't stop shaking. Aiah needed me.

A few moments later, Colet's eyes widened. "Got it. Adrian owns a private villa outside the city. It's secluded-practically in the middle of nowhere."

Jho cursed under her breath. "Damn rich people and their obsession with isolation. Makes it easier to hide shit."

I clenched my fists. "Send me the address. We're going now."

Colet and Jho exchanged another look before nodding.

"We need a plan, Mikha," Jho said. "If Adrian's dangerous, we can't just walk in there."

I turned to her, my voice sharp. "I don't care about a plan. Aiah could be dying while we're standing here."

Colet placed a hand on my shoulder, grounding me. "We'll get her back, Mikha. But we have to be smart."

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. "Fine. But I'm not waiting any longer."

Jho nodded. "Let's go."

We ran out the door, the weight of what we were about to do pressing heavily on my chest.

No matter what happened tonight-I was going to bring Aiah back.

The drive to Adrian's villa felt like the longest of my life. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. Jho sat beside me, her phone clutched in her hands, trying to track the exact location. Colet was in the backseat, calling Stacey and Sheena for backup.

"Huwag kayong gagawa ng kahit anong ikapapahamak niyo," Stacey warned on the other end of the call. "If Adrian is as dangerous as we think, you need to be careful."

Colet sighed. "We don't have a choice, Stacey. Aiah could be dying right now."

That thought made my stomach twist.

The last message Aiah sent me kept replaying in my mind.

"Take care always, Mikha. I wish I could have been braver. I wish things were different. I'm sorry... and thank you for loving me."

She was saying goodbye.

No.

I refused to accept that.

Aiah was still alive. She had to be.

"We're almost there," Jho said, looking up from her phone. "Turn left."

I did as she said, my heart pounding. The road narrowed, leading us into dense trees, the headlights barely cutting through the darkness.

Then, we saw it.

A large villa, isolated in the middle of nowhere, its towering gates looming before us. The lights inside were dim, but a few were on. Someone was home.

I parked a short distance away, turning off the engine.

"We can't just barge in," Colet whispered.

"Then what do you suggest?" I shot back, my patience hanging by a thread.

Jho pointed at the side of the property. "We sneak in. Find Aiah first before Adrian knows we're here."

I nodded, my heart hammering. "Let's move."