Lahat ng Kabanata ng Chasing Midnight Promises : Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

I sat in the cab, thoughts racing. My fingers tapped against my thighs as the city passed in a blur. The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror, probably wondering why I was so restless. I didn't care. All I could think about was Raven. I needed to find her. I needed to talk to her. Now.Within minutes, the cab came to a halt in front of the gate of the University of the Arts London. A massive black gate stood wide open. The university's name was boldly inscribed in sleek silver letters above.Without waiting for my fare, I pulled out some notes and handed them to the cab driver. "Ma'am, this is too much," he called after me.I turned briefly, walking backwards. "Keep it," I said and turned back, hurrying through the gates.Inside the compound, I stopped for a second. My heart dropped. Where exactly would I start looking? Classes hadn't started yet. My eyes darted around the compound. Searching every building was ridiculous.But then it hit me. Raven said she was enrolled in

I drove out of the hotel like a madwoman, tires screeching as I pulled onto the main road. The city lights hadn't fully taken over the evening sky.My hands gripped the steering wheel like I was holding onto Raven's life. My thoughts were spiraling. How long had she been enduring this? How long had she been silently crying for help while smiling, laughing...hugging me?Guilt clawed at my chest. I should have known. I should've seen it. A tear rolled down my cheek, and I hit the steering wheel hard. "Damn it!"I hated Noah. I hated him with every fiber in me. If he hadn't kissed Hannah that night, I wouldn't have walked away. We wouldn't have grown apart. Maybe we would've stayed together. Maybe I would've been there for Raven. Maybe I would've been the one she'd run to before she ever said "I do" to that monster."Damn you, Noah," I hissed under my breath. "This is all your fault."I blinked rapidly to clear my vision as the road stretched ahead. I was now on the highway—about fifteen

I stood there, frozen. Raven was smiling. Like nothing in the world was wrong. Like she hadn’t whispered for help through a breathless call. Like she hadn’t written that word in red ink—HELP—on the back of a café card and slipped it into my jeans.But I quickly snapped back to reality. No. I wasn’t going to be fooled by her smiles. Not again."I’m not falling for this, Raven," I said, stepping forward. My voice was low but intense. "You might be acting under duress. I don’t care how calm you look right now. Something’s not right."She blinked at me, still smiling. "Mia, what are you talking about? You’re not making any sense.""Stop pretending!" I snapped. "I saw the card. I saw the number. I spoke to you on the phone. I heard your voice—your breathing, your panic. Don’t lie to me."Raven’s smile trembled slightly. She looked over her shoulder. "How… how did you even find me? What are you doing here, Mia?"My patience was draining. "You really want to act like this is a coincidence? L

“Raven!!” I screamed, louder than I ever had, shaking Raven and tapping her cheeks. “Raven! Raven, wake up! Don’t do this to me!”My voice cracked, my heart pounding as I knelt beside her limp body. Tears blurred my vision as I kept slapping her face lightly, desperate for a response. Nothing. She wasn’t moving. Her lips were pale. Her skin felt colder by the second.I tapped again, this time harder, pressing my trembling hand against her cheek. Behind me, Charles chuckled, slow and mocking. He was twirling the pistol in his hand like it was a toy. His legs were crossed, his face relaxed, like watching me break was entertainment.“No use screaming, sweetheart,” he said. “This whole place is soundproof. You could wail till your lungs collapse, no one would hear a thing.” He winked. He winked at me?!That wink. That stupid, smug wink. Something inside me snapped like a rubber band stretched too far. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. My cheeks were damp, my makeup a mess. My hea

Charles was breathing very hard, his chest rising and falling like waves crashing on a shore. His face had gone pale, torn with grief, rage, and heartbreak tangled into one, damp with sweat and tears. He didn’t look at me when he spoke again.“Kevin became blinded by greed,” he said, his voice hoarse. “He wanted more money. Even when it was clear we were running out of time, he still wanted more. I begged him, Mia. I pleaded with him. I told him ten million was enough. Enough to start over somewhere far away where no one knew us. We could disappear, begin a new life.”His hand curled into a fist, his eyes burning. “But he didn’t care. He looked at me and said, ‘Why leave with just ten million if we could have more?’ Like it was nothing. Like it was chips on a damn table.” Charles let out a dry, bitter laugh.“I wanted to leave him there. God knows I did. I had that bag in my hand. I was halfway to the door. But… he’s my brother, Mia. My twin, my other half. I couldn’t just go.” His vo