Early that morning, Elara had called Lucas to inform him that she was officially set to leave for Mina's province. His voice over the phone had been surprisingly gentle, telling her to be safe, but he had insisted on one condition before she left: she had to drop by his office before heading to the bus terminal.
When she arrived at the top floor of the Draeven Corporate building, Riven welcomed her with his usual warm, easygoing smile. Elara offered him a polite nod and a cheerful greeting, but her heart did a familiar little flutter as the heavy double doors to the main office swung open.
They’re sat Lucas, commanding the space behind his massive desk.
As she walked in, he raised his head from his paperwork and gestured for her to come closer. Elara walked over, instinctively preparing to take her usual seat in one of the chairs directly across from his desk.
"Come closer, Elara," Lucas murmured, motioning for her to bring herself right up to his side.
Though deeply confused by the request, she complied, stepping around the perimeter of the desk until she was standing right next to his chair. Without a word, Lucas reached out and gently took her hand in his. His touch was warm, sending a quiet thrill through her veins.
With careful, deliberate movements, he slid something onto her wrist.
It was a stunning rose-gold bracelet. It was remarkably simple yet effortlessly elegant, catching the morning light beautifully. Anchored right in the middle of the delicate chain was a small, perfectly sculpted ornament of a pink rose.
As he secured the clasp, Elara couldn't help but stare at her wrist in sheer amazement. She raised her eyes to meet his dark gaze.
"What is this for?" she couldn't stop herself from asking.
A soft, rare smile played on Lucas’s lips. "Don't lose this bracelet. It has a built-in tracker. If anything, ever happens to you, just press the small button hidden beneath the flower ornament. It will automatically alert me and broadcast your exact location. Okay?"
Elara stared at him, momentarily speechless. She gave a slow, stunned nod.
Lucas’s smile faltered slightly, his eyes searching her face. "You don't like it?"
"No!" she corrected quickly, shaking her head.
"I like it. I’m just... I'm just surprised." A genuine, grateful smile finally broke across her face.
Lucas let out a quiet breath, his gaze lingering on her upturned face. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't be able to have peace of mind if I didn't give you that. Knowing you have it with you is the only way I can comfortably let you go to the province with Mina. I already have security teams monitoring you from a distance, but it's always better to be entirely prepared, right?"
Elara’s chest swelled with a warm, dizzying sweetness. He cared about her safety that much.
An hour later, that comforting memory was what she held onto as she and Mina finally boarded the commuter van, officially beginning their journey out of the city.
The view outside the window had gradually shifted from Manila’s towering skyscrapers to the wide, open green fields of the countryside. It was a bright, beautiful day trip, and with every kilometer they traveled further from the city, Elara felt the tight knot of anxiety in her chest slowly begin to unravel. Her fingers absentmindedly traced the smooth edges of the rose-gold bracelet on her wrist.
After a few hours on the road, the van pulled into a large, bustling highway gasoline station to refuel.
"Alright, everyone," the driver announced, turning back to face the passengers. "We'll be stopping here for about fifteen minutes. Feel free to use the restroom or buy whatever food you want to eat inside the convenience store."
Mina immediately stretched her arms, her eyes lighting up. "Finally! My legs were starting to go numb. Come on, Elara, let's get some snacks. My treat!"
Elara smiled, sliding out of the van behind her. The gas station was packed with travelers, families laughing, and vehicles humming—the entire atmosphere felt completely normal, safe, and ordinary. While Mina hurried off to use the restroom, Elara decided to wait outside near the side of the van, enjoying the warm breeze while Mina went into the brightly lit convenience store to grab food.
She leaned against a concrete pillar, watching a stray dog walk by. For a split second, her mind drifted back to the way Lucas’s chest had risen and fallen beneath her cheek just twenty-four hours ago. She let out a soft sigh, staring at her shoes.
She didn't notice the sleek, black car with heavily tinted windows pull up to the pump directly in front of her.
Before Elara could even register the vehicle, the rear doors flew open. Three tall, heavily built men in dark clothing stepped out with terrifying speed.
Panic instantly spiked in her throat. Her survival instinct screamed at her to run, but before she could even take a single backward step, two of the men lunged forward. Large, iron-like hands clamped brutally over her mouth, completely choking out the scream building in her lungs.
She desperately tried to raise her right arm to press the hidden button under the rose bracelet, but the men caught her wrists immediately, pinning her arms to her sides.
"Don't move," a harsh voice growled in a thick accent.
Elara thrashed violently, her feet scraping uselessly against the asphalt as the sheer size and strength of the tall men overwhelmed her. They lifted her off the ground, dragging her backward. She tried to bite the hand over her mouth, tried to use her elbows, but within seconds, they successfully shoved her into the dark, cramped backseat of the car. The door slammed shut with a deafening click, and the tires immediately screeched as the driver slammed on the gas.
Tears of pure terror blurred Elara's vision as she scrambled to look out the rear window.
Through the glass, her heart completely broke.
Mina had just run out of the convenience store, a plastic bag of snacks slipping from her fingers and scattering across the pavement. Mina was sprinting down the asphalt, her face pale, tears streaming down her cheeks as she hysterically chased after the speeding black car. Elara could see her friend's mouth wide open, frantically screaming for help to anyone who would listen, her arms reaching out in absolute desperation until the car veered onto the main highway, swallowing Elara into the dark.