My Soul Will Find Yours : The Fulfillment of the Promise

Abduction in Broad Daylight

"He's not the one your heart is longing for, Hinata," Charles repeated. "Don't let yourself be distracted."

"There you go again with your cryptic remarks," I said sarcastically. "Charles, I'm thankful for the wonderful friendship you have given me but I really don't have time for mind games! If you're not going to tell me what you mean exactly, then I'm leaving!"

Before I could manage to take a step, he grabbed my arm, lifted me, and placed me on his shoulder.

"What are you doing!? Put me down!" I shrieked as I struggled.

"This is for your own good, Nat," he said as he tightened his hold on me.

"Charles Anthony Arroyo!" I shouted, his complete name reverberated in the parking lot. "Put me down or I swear I'm not talking to you again!"

"No way!" he ignored my warning and effortlessly walked to where his car was. "You are not going back to that restaurant again!"

"Ahh!" I screamed as he suddenly adjusted me on his shoulder. In my fright, I grabbed the closest thing I could: his buttocks.

"Hey! No groping!" he protested although there was an obvious trace of amusement in his voice.

"Says the guy who's committing a crime!" I shot back despite feeling mortified.

"And what crime would that be?"

"Abduction in broad daylight!" I bellowed.

Charles half snorted, half laughed at my accusation. When we reached his car, I was surprised to see Marina waiting for us there. The flamboyant makeup artist was wearing a salmon pink ensemble with matching feather boa and sky-high glass heels. In his hand was my purse which I was sure I left inside the restaurant with Brandon.

"Thank you," Charles told him as he put me down. He didn't even sweat despite carrying my weight and the torrid sun belting down on us.

"Of course, boss~" Marina chirped. "You know I'll do anything as your beautiful sidekick!"

When he saw me glaring at him, he gave me a wink before saying, "I'm on boss' side, my dear. Sorry."

I was about to retort when Charles ordered me to get in the car. I stared daggers at him, I was really pissed off with him right now.

"Get in, Hina," he repeated. "Don't make me forcefully put you inside the car."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"There are many things that I would dare to do when it comes to you, Nat, you'd be surprised if I list them down for you."

"As one of the country's most celebrated lawyers, I'm pretty sure you know that what you're doing is illegal, right?" I reminded him.

"I can defend myself in court," he replied before opening the passenger door and motioning for me to get inside. "Get. In."

"No," I stubbornly refused.

"Suit yourself," he said then proceeded to forcing me inside his car.

I tried to fight back but because there were two of them, all my actions were futile. After making sure that my seatbelt was on and that I was too exhausted to fight back, Charles got on the driver's side and started the engine. Although Marina sat on the back, his eyes were alert. He was prepared to move in case I tried to escape. However, I was too tired to move a muscle. Although all the things I learned during my time with Kaname were deeply embedded in my brain, my body could not keep up. My memory was not enough to increase my strength, all the moves my husband taught me required the muscle power I had at that time. My body was back to its pre-time travel shape thus, my movements were weak and imperfect.

"Hinata!" came a voice and frantic knocks on the window to my right. "Damn you, Atty. Arroyo! What are you doing!?"

Brandon tried to open the passenger door but Charles had locked all the doors of the car. Charles swept Brandon a look of ridicule before driving off.

"Are you crazy, you could've run him over!" I shouted while looking at Brandon's frozen frame on the side mirror.

"I've been driving since I was eighteen, Nat. for your information, I haven't had a single violation," he said airily. "Besides, as a lawyer, do you think I would be stupid as to hurt him in broad daylight?"

I looked at him in confusion.

"If I wanted to hurt him, I'd do it at night," he continued. Although his eyes were on the road, there was an evil glint in them. "But it wouldn't be through what you said just now."

"Ooh, ooh! I know! I know!" Marina interrupted excitedly behind us with one hand raised like an eager student. "Boss will definitely have him kidnapped, torture him, cut him up to pieces, and then scatter his remains in the open sea!"

"That's a good idea," Charles replied as though he was seriously considering it. There was a sinister smile tugging at his lips. "Good one, Marina."

"C-crazy," I sputtered as goose bumps formed on my skin. "You're both crazy."

Charles' and Marina's eyes met on the rear-view mirror before they both burst into howls of laughter. Fat tears of merriment formed on the corners of the former's eyes while the latter turned red from laughing so hard.

"Oh, darling, you actually believed us!" Marina said the moment he could breathe properly again. "Boss and I are both law abiding citizens, we wouldn't dare do what we just said!"

"Hahaha," Charles was still laughing his head off, his amusement still had not dissipated. "I better take you back to your workplace quickly, otherwise you might think we're really criminals disguised as barristers."

Angered to the point of almost fainting, I crossed my arms on my chest, clamped my mouth shut, and decided to pretend that the both of them didn't exist! However, it was at this moment that my phone started to ring.

"Hello, mum?" I answered.

"Hina," mum sobbed on the other line. "Panther... Our dear Panpan..."

"W-what happened?" I asked worriedly. "What happened to Panther?"

"I went to your room to look for him as it was time for his daily dose of vitamins but he wasn't there. I searched for him everywhere until... Until..."

Mum couldn't talk anymore as she surrendered to her tears. Her hanging sentence sent a chill down my spine and made my heart beat fast. My poor baby isn't dead, right!?

"W-where are you?" I asked shakily as I tried to calm myself. Unfortunately, mum was being too emotional. "Mum! Focus! Where are you?"

"V-vet," she managed to choke out. "I'm at his vet's c-clinic."

Vet? My grip on my phone loosened slightly then tightened back again. Their being at the clinic doesn't clear anything. I took a deep breath and said, "Alright. I'm on my way. Calm down, okay? Panther... Panther wouldn't want us to worry."

I didn't wait for her to answer and immediately ended the call. I was too afraid for my mother to confirm my biggest fear. I couldn't imagine what I'd do if I ever lose my senior cat...