Chapter 37: The Vanishing

"The quietest moments hold the loudest screams."

Los Angeles glimmered outside the window like a painting of neon dreams, but inside Room 1307, something felt... off.

Choel glanced at the clock on his phone for what must've been the tenth time. 6:43 PM. He had told her they'd leave at six. He paced once more through the suite hallway, dressed down in a black hoodie and cap, the kind of disguise only a celebrity could wear and still stand out.

An hour passed. Still no sign of her.

He tapped his phone. No new messages. No replies. His fingers hovered over the screen, debating whether to call her. Maybe she fell asleep? Maybe the time zone shift had hit her harder than she let on?

He decided to knock.

Knock knock.

No answer.

"Choen?" he called gently. "It's me."

Nothing.

A sudden ripple of unease climbed his spine. He hesitated — he respected her space. Always had. But something was off. That instinct, the same one that had helped him navigate the ruthless tides of fame, now screamed something else entirely.

He reached for the handle.

Click.

The door wasn't locked.

Choel stepped inside slowly, the soft hotel carpet muffling his footsteps. The room was still. Her suitcase remained open on the bed, half-unpacked. A soft scarf hung from the edge like a forgotten whisper.

But she was not there.

He called again, louder this time. "Choen?"

Silence.

Then he noticed it — a single piece of folded paper on the desk.

He walked over, breath caught in his chest.

It read:

"She is in danger.

Come alone.

Basement – XXX Building, 1st Cross, Sector XX..."

No name. No signature. No clue as to who left it.

But Choel didn't hesitate. He dropped the note, yanked his phone into his pocket, and ran.

The streets of LA blurred past as he raced through traffic in the agency's black SUV. His driver called his name once, concerned, but the fire in Choel's eyes silenced all questions. He gave the address. That's all that mattered.

The XXX Building stood like a forgotten relic between modern towers — grey, unlit, abandoned-looking. A "For Lease" board hung crooked by the side. Choel pushed the rusting door open, metal creaking like a warning.

He found the basement entrance.

A steel door with chipped paint. A narrow stairwell spiraling down into darkness.

He took the first step.

Then another.

Then one more, the air growing heavier with each.

At the bottom, the silence swallowed him.

Pitch black.

And then—

TO BE CONTINUED.

🌙 A Note from the Shadows of My Mind (a.k.a your writer) 🌙

My Aurablooms… are you holding your breath?! Because same. 😳

What do you think is waiting in that basement?

Who left that note?

And more importantly… where is Choen?! 😱

Drop your wildest theories below — let's solve this together (or get spooked trying).

And remember: in this story, no detail is ever random... 👀

Vote, comment, and stay close —

The next chapter is going to change everything.

💥

With suspense & sparkles,

~ Your Chaos Pilot ✍️✨