Inferno Hearts | Xu Minghao

46. A Fine Line Between Love & Fear

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

As Minghao engaged in a conversation with the two members, their heads bent together in an attempt to devise a plan, his attention inevitably drifted toward the table where he had left Nabi.

His breath caught in his throat. To his alarm, Nabi was absent from the table.

Seungcheol's voice grew fainter in Minghao's ears, gradually receding into the background. Without interrupting the ongoing discussion between the two members, Minghao swiftly departed to the table. He could feel the gaze of the others already fixed upon him, their attention captured by his sudden movement.

The two members noticed Minghao's abrupt departure and turned their attention in the direction he was heading—toward the table where the others were seated, except for Nabi. A sense of unease passed between them as they exchanged wide-eyed glances, and without hesitation, they swiftly followed Minghao.

"Where the fuck is she?" Minghao's words sliced through the air as he reached the group, his voice amplified by worry and frustration. The sudden intensity of his inquiry turned heads, drawing curious glances from those nearby, as if the urgency of his tone was infectious.

"Minghao, please, calm down," Joshua said soothingly, rising to his feet as he took charge of the situation. "Rena accidentally spilled some champagne on Nabi's dress, and they rushed to the restroom to clean it up."

"What the fuck has Rena done?" Minghao spat, his anger surging with a hint of suspicion. Unknown to the other members, there was more to Rena's actions than met the eye. She and Minghao shared a history, and Rena had been discreetly keeping an eye on him since that night.

"It's just a bit of champagne, Minghao. No need to get so worked up," Hoshi said, his voice gentle as he tried to pacify Minghao, who had become visibly agitated, on the verge of wreaking the whole place.

Minghao, seething with anger, turned to Jeonghan, who had overheard everything, and swiftly closed the gap between their faces to mere centimeters. His expression radiated anger as he uttered in a low, menacing tone, "If that bitch does anything to her, I won't hold back, hyung. You've messed this up badly."

"Did you honestly believe that by bringing her here as your partner, Nabi would grow to despise me? What the fuck were you thinking?!" Minghao's voice escalated in volume as he confronted Jeonghan, his frustration and anger unmistakable.

Jeonghan simply stared back at Minghao, a deep sense of remorse and understanding in his eyes. He recognized his error and understood the importance of not acting hastily.

"If she causes any harm, you've seriously fucked up, and I'm dead serious," Minghao warned before creating some space between them and pulling his phone from his pocket.

Swiftly, Minghao activated the discreet micro headset already nestled in his ear. The necklace he had gifted Nabi earlier, unknown to her, concealed a GPS tracker and a tiny microphone. With determination in his eyes, Minghao meticulously ensured that no matter what unfolded, he would remain informed about Nabi's whereabouts.

Though the impulse to storm into the women's restroom tugged at him, Minghao resisted the urge. Such a brazen move would be entirely wrong, and if Nabi and Rena were merely attending to her stained dress, it would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention and suspicions, particularly toward Nabi. Minghao was determined to handle the situation with utmost discretion.

Quickly connecting through his phone, Minghao tuned in to the audio feed captured by the hidden microphone concealed within Nabi's necklace.

His eyes widened in alarm, and his heart raced, pounding against his chest. The fear that had gnawed at him had now materialized into a chilling reality.