XVIII. A Vow in the Dark

As I stood outside, watching Antonio's big bike slowly fade from view, an unsettling feeling crept over me. Something felt… wrong. My skin prickled with unease, but I shook my head, convincing myself that I was just being paranoid.

With a sigh, I turned to head back inside.

Then everything went black.

A suffocating darkness engulfed my vision as rough hands grabbed me, muffling my scream before I could even react. My heart pounded in my chest as sheer panic overtook me. I struggled, twisting and thrashing, trying to break free from their iron grip, but it was futile.

No. No. No.

I refused to let fear paralyze me.

"Who are you people?!" I cried, my voice trembling with a mix of terror and rage.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, blurring my vision even as I fought against them. Not now. Not like this. I needed to think. I needed to fight.

As I was dragged into the unknown, only one thing remained in my mind—hope.

Someone would come.

Someone had to come.

I clung to that thought desperately as faces flickered in my mind—Alex, Lara, Antonio, Canim—anyone. Anyone who could save me from this nightmare.

"Who sent you?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady despite the terror gripping my soul.

No response. Only silence, broken by the occasional heavy footsteps of my captors.

The journey felt endless. Eventually, the rough fabric tied around my eyes was yanked off, forcing me to blink rapidly as my eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room.

The sight that greeted me made my stomach churn.

Three men. Bulky. Dressed in black sando shirts, their muscles stretching against the fabric, their expressions unreadable.

Think, Kaesu. Think.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice laced with forced confidence. "If it is money, I can give you whatever you need!"

The man in the center let out a dark chuckle. "We do not need your money, but there is someone who does."

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

"But I do not think he would turn you away if he did need something from you," the man added, his tone filled with malice.

My stomach dropped.

"What are you talking about?" I snapped. "Let me go!"

One of the men took a step closer, his face inches from mine. His breath smelled of cigarettes and cheap liquor.

"It would not hurt if we made use of you first before you meet your grandpa, right?"

My breath caught in my throat.

No.

"How do you know about my grandfather? Who are you?!" My voice wavered, but the anger in my chest burned brighter than my fear.

"Well," he sneered, "he ordered us to make sure you do meet your grandfather. Soon."

Rage and pain clashed inside me.

"Who sent you?! If it is money you want, I will triple whatever you were paid!" I forced my voice to remain steady. I would not let them see my fear.

The man smirked. "Who do you think you are to negotiate with us?"

"Undress her," one of the others ordered, and my blood turned to ice.

The two men stepped toward me.

"HELP! STOP!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, but I knew no one could hear me.

I struggled violently, refusing to give in, refusing to let them take away my dignity, but their grip was too strong. My body trembled as they reached for my shirt buttons—

BANG!

A deafening crash shattered the tension.

All movement stopped.

A heavy silence filled the room.

Then, more sounds—footsteps, a scuffle, curses exchanged in the darkness. My head felt light, my vision blurring, my strength slipping away. I could barely keep my eyes open, but through the haze, I saw a shadow approaching me.

Was it… Canim?

No…

Before everything went dark, the last thing I saw was Antonio's face.

"Kaesu. Kaesu, wake up."

A voice, urgent and filled with worry.

A soft pat on my cheek.

I groaned, blinking as my vision swam back into focus. The first thing I saw was Antonio's face, his dark eyes filled with something I had never seen before—pure, raw emotion.

"I thought I was going to lose you," he whispered, his voice cracking.

Then, without warning, he pulled me into a tight embrace, his warmth surrounding me, grounding me, making me realize that I was safe.

"So it was you," I murmured.

"Who else could it be?" he muttered.

I barely registered the men being hauled away by others in the background. These people were not cops, nor did I see any police cars.

Antonio carried me to his car, settling me inside gently, just as Uncle Luis approached.

"It is a good thing you noticed and followed them, Antonio," Uncle Luis said, patting his shoulder. "Otherwise, we do not know what would have happened to Kaesu."

Antonio let out a shaky breath. "When I left earlier, I realized I forgot my phone at Kaesu's house. But when I went back, I saw a black van leaving. That is when I knew something was wrong. I followed them and called you right away."

Uncle Luis nodded in approval before turning to me. "How are you, Kaesu?"

I tried to respond, but my body refused to cooperate.

"Let her rest, Uncle," Antonio said.

As Uncle Luis left, I turned my attention back to Antonio. "Who are those people? They are not cops, are they?"

"No," Antonio admitted. "They are Uncle Luis' men. We cannot hand those three over to the police. Our enemies are powerful, and we do not know their connections within law enforcement. We will handle this our way. We will find the truth. And justice."

"But… would that not be illegal?" I asked hesitantly.

Antonio scoffed. "There is nothing illegal when it comes to injustice. You either find justice yourself or let it rot in the hands of the system."

I did not reply. Instead, I closed my eyes, allowing my mind a sliver of peace in this chaotic world.

But Antonio was not done.

"Do not worry, Kaesu," he murmured. "You have me. I will protect you."

I snapped my eyes open.

"Enough." My voice was low, but firm. "Someone once told me the same thing. They failed. What makes you different?"

Antonio flinched slightly, as if my words had physically hurt him.

"I will take that as an insult," he muttered.

"You should," I replied coldly.

Silence stretched between us.

Then he spoke, his voice softer, steadier.

"When I say I will protect you, I mean it."

I turned to look at him.

"I will protect you the way I know how," he continued. "The way you will not have to think about what to do—because I will take care of it. The way you will not have to hesitate—because I will be right beside you. The way you will not have to worry—because I will never disappear. The way no one will dare harm you—because I will be your shield."

His hand found mine, squeezing it gently.

"You will never fall, Kaesu, because I will always catch you. You will not have to shed another tear, because I will not let that happen. You will not have to fear, because I will always be here. Right here."

His words wrapped around me like a warm embrace, sinking deep into the cracks of my weary soul.

I wanted to believe him.

But could I?

Or was this just another promise meant to be broken?