Augustus and I stared across the wide stretch of the port—the very last place we had seen Aira.
There was no trace of her left behind. Not a shadow, not a footprint. The only thing we found lying on the ground was her ID card, dropped and forgotten in the confusion.
The sun was setting fast, casting long, eerie shadows across the trees and buildings lining the shore.
We were nearly out of our minds with worry, rushing from one spot to another. My throat was raw and sore from shouting her name over and over until my voice almost gave out.
“Aira! Aira, are you here? Can you hear me?!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, running along the water’s edge, checking behind rocks, stalls, and tied-up boats.
Augustus followed close behind, his eyes scanning every corner, every dark space, every face in the crowd, desperate to catch even a glimpse of her.
“Gus… we need to ask people. We’ve been searching and shouting for ages, and there’s still no sign of her!” I said weakly, my voice trembling.
He nodded immediately, his expression tight with fear.
We stopped every single person we found—vendors, fishermen, bystanders. But the answer was always the same, spoken with frightened looks: A car came. A group of men forced her inside. They drove away fast.
“Gus… what are we going to do?” I sobbed, breaking down completely. “When the Gomez family finds out she’s missing… I don’t even want to imagine what will happen to us. It will be the end of everything.”
I felt his warm, strong arms wrap around me, pulling me close as I cried into his chest.
“Clara… calm down. Stop crying. Nothing bad is going to happen to her. She is strong, and she will be alright, okay?” he tried to reassure me, though I could clearly hear the fear shaking in his own voice.
But I couldn’t stop. Terrible possibilities flooded my mind—What if they hurt her? What if they take her far away? What if we never see her again?
“Clara, relax! Panicking won’t help us find her!”
“How can I relax, Gus?!” I cried out. “We don’t even know who those men were! We don’t know who owns that car or where they took our friend!”
He fell silent, looking away, his brows drawn tight as if recalling something important, something he hadn’t told me yet. Is there something I don’t know? Is he hiding something?
Inside the speeding car, I never stopped screaming or struggling the whole way.
My body ached from their rough handling, and my legs felt numb. It seemed we had been driving for hours, traveling so far I had completely lost track of where we were.
“Who are you?! Why did you take me?!” I demanded over and over. My voice echoed loudly inside the vehicle, but the men around me never answered—not a single word.
The blindfold was rough and painful against my eyes, and the tape over my mouth was pulled so tight it stung my skin. Still I twisted and turned, fighting desperately to break free.
After what felt like forever, someone finally pulled the cloth away.
I could clearly see the men in the front, dimly lit by dashboard glow. They were dangerous-looking, cold and silent, like shadows without a trace of humanity in their faces. One wore a watch with glowing dials; he glanced back through the rearview mirror, his eyes empty and chilling.
“What exactly do you want from me?!” I snapped. Even though fear was freezing my heart, I forced my voice to sound brave and unshaken.
“Will you just shut up and behave? Stay quiet,” the blonde man driving answered, a cigarette between his lips.
The car sped up even more, passing scattered houses and small neighborhoods, moving further and further away from populated Cataingan, heading toward dark, isolated roads.
I tried once again to twist my bound wrists free, but the hands holding me down were too strong. Fear wrapped tighter around my heart—Why me? What do they want? Who is waiting for me at the end of this road?
“Behave yourself, Aira!”
I froze completely. I knew that voice. I could never be wrong about it.
The lights inside the back compartment turned on. And there he was.
Godfather Ethan.
His aura was dark, heavy, terrifying—like a predator ready to consume me whole.
Suddenly the car halted in a secluded spot, surrounded by tall trees that stood like silent guards. The door opened, and cold night air rushed in.
“Just come back and pick us up tomorrow morning,” he commanded the men in front.
They drove away quickly, leaving us alone in the silence and darkness.
He grabbed my hand firmly and pulled me along. We walked toward a long, high wall hidden among the trees. He pressed something, and a hidden door swung open.
All my fear vanished the moment I saw what lay beyond.
Surrounded by fine white sand, the place was breathtaking. A large hammock hung between two sturdy trees, near a square area built for bonfires. On one side stood a luxury kitchen gleaming with soft lights. Next to it was a small but beautifully designed inn. There was a mini living room with a bar, and a wooden staircase leading up. Inside the room we entered, a wide, spacious bed sat near a large window, where I could clearly see the waves shimmering under moonlight, crashing gently against the shore.
“Do you like it?” he whispered softly right against my ear.
His warm breath fanned my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “I love it, Godfather… it’s beautiful,” I breathed out.
Without another word, his hands began removing my clothes, one piece at a time.
His lips traveled from my ear, down my neck, across my shoulders and spine, leaving trails of fire everywhere they touched. He turned me to face him, and I looked straight into his eyes—burning, blazing with heat and hunger I had never seen before.
“Godfather…” I gasped.
He crushed his lips to mine in a fierce, demanding kiss. His tongue forced its way inside, claiming every inch of my mouth. One hand kneaded my breasts roughly while the other wandered lower, touching my most intimate place.
I wanted to protest. This is wrong. This is forbidden.
But with every touch, every stroke, every wave of heat flooding my body… I found myself wanting more. I didn’t just want his hands—I wanted all of him. I wanted him deep inside me, claiming every part of my soul and body.
I hadn’t noticed he had already stripped himself bare. His body was heavy, hard, and ready, aching to take me to the depths of pleasure.
“Kiss me back, Aira,” he commanded, never stopping his exploration. I felt a hunger rising inside me—to relive and repeat everything from that unforgettable night.
I kissed him back—wildly, passionately, desperately—ready for the exhausting, beautiful battle between us.
He guided me gently back until I lay flat on the soft bed, then spread my legs wide. His lips left mine only to travel down to my chest, sucking hard on my erect n*****s, moving from one to the other like a thirsty man. Then I felt one finger push slowly inside me.
“Mmm~” I moaned loudly.
The sensation was incredible… incomparable to anything I had ever felt.
When he was satisfied there, his lips traveled lower still, down my stomach, kissing and biting lightly around my navel, until he reached my most sensitive spot.
I thought he would withdraw his finger… but instead, he added a second one, stretching me further. Pleasure mixed with that tight, full feeling made my head spin.
“Damn it, baby… you make me go absolutely crazy,” he groaned, lowering his head and diving right in, tasting and devouring me completely.
The tingling, blinding pleasure was beyond words. His fingers moved rhythmically in and out while his tongue played relentlessly with my nerves.
This… this must be heaven…
“Feels so good, baby. You are all mine. That Augustus guy… he can never claim you. You belong to me and only me, Aira!”
I couldn’t answer. My back arched off the mattress with every movement, overwhelmed by waves of sensation.
“I-I’m coming!” I cried out amidst breathless moans.
I almost cried when he suddenly stopped. I looked up, confused and aching, my body still trembling.
“I can continue… but first, you must promise me you belong only to me!” he demanded, voice deep and dark.
I wanted to say no, to hold back… but I wanted even more to continue what we had started.
“Aira—”
“I promise… I belong only to you. But… please…”
“But what?”
“Continue… please…” I begged.
He smirked wickedly and dove back to my wet, eager entrance. This time, only his hardened tongue pushed deep inside, exploring and claiming every inch.
“I can’t take it anymore, Godfather…” I whimpered, losing control completely.
I trembled violently and fell flat back as I reached my peak, releasing everything built up inside.
“Don’t fall asleep yet…” he whispered against my skin. “I want to go a few more rounds. What do you want? Slow and gentle… or hard and rough?”
“Hard, Godfather… do it now. I want you inside me… all of you!” I begged.
With one powerful thrust, a long, loud moan escaped both our mouths as he settled deep inside, heavy on top of me.
He moved wildly and roughly, gripping my hips tight to guide every motion. I felt every inch of him hit deep, striking that sweet spot that sent sparks through my whole body.
I reached my peak several times, crying out in pleasure, yet he never stopped, never slowed down… until finally, darkness and exhaustion swallowed me whole.
I woke up to the sound of his cellphone ringing loudly nearby. I didn’t answer it, respecting his privacy.
I sat up slowly, wincing as pain shot through my lower body—legs weak, sore, doubt I could even walk properly. I looked around the dim room; the only light came from the window, where the moon still shone bright in the deep hours before dawn.
His phone lit up again, and a message popped up clearly on the screen.
It felt like a sharp knife pierced straight through my heart when I read the words:
“Baby, Where are you?”