𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐋𝐘 𝐎𝐁𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 || 𝐉𝐉𝐊

Chapter 18

I looked down at the phone display screen for a while. My whole body had turned stiff. I had this strange feeling building up inside me as if something bad was about to happen...to be more exact something worse.

This time I knew one thing for sure and that was I should not trust or believe this woman's words that easily. I should be prudent. Without replying to any of her texts I turned off the display screen.

A lot of thoughts were going inside my head as I stared at the direction Aera just left in. I again glanced down at my cell phone and dialed Aera's phone number.

[The person you are calling is not answering. Please try later.]

And with that, the call got cut off. An uneasy feeling started taking over me as I looked down at my cell phone again. I couldn't think of anything. I just stayed still in my place and watched the exit.

Several thoughts playing inside my head. Should I go behind her? What might have happened? What is going on here? And this text...what is happening? Is this Anna's trick to trap me?

Should I wait until Aera contacts me again? What should I do? I can't act on my own will right now. I can't afford to get in trouble again and there are chances that I might not even get a chance to escape this time.

No...I should try to get in touch with Aera first. I need to know what happened and where she rushed to.

#skiptime: that afternoon:

[y/n's place]:

"Pick up.. c'mon...", I mumbled to myself as I walked into my room waiting for Aera to pick up the call.

I have been continuously trying to get in contact with Aera but she is not receiving the call at all. There is this weird feeling that I have been getting for a while now and I can't seem to shake it off. And the worst part is I can't even do anything at this point.

I threw my backpack onto the bed and sat down beside it while bringing my hands up toward my face. A lot of thoughts were bugging me at this moment. Suddenly, the notification sound pierced through the silence.

I shifted my gaze towards my cell phone which was placed beside me on the bed. I quickly grabbed the phone expecting a text from Aera but I felt disappointment wash over me as I saw texts from the university group chat.

As I read through the university group chat with a heavy heart, each message felt like a weight upon my chest.

Uni group.

"Did you see the news?!"

"Aera's family is screwed for sure."

"At this rate, her family might declare bankruptcy by midnight."

"The company will be left with no other
choice. They will be forced to go bankrupt."

What in the hell is going on? What news? Bankruptcy?!?

With a heavy heart, I swiftly exited the group chat, feeling the weight of the conversation lingering in my mind. As I hastily unlocked my phone, my fingers trembled with a mix of anticipation and dread.

I navigated to the news app, my eyes scanning the headlines, desperate to catch a glimpse of the latest updates that awaited me.

As the news channel blared the shocking announcement of Aera's family facing possible bankruptcy by midnight, a tsunami of disbelief and anguish crashed over me. The words hung in the air, heavy with despair, as my mind struggled to comprehend the weight of the situation. It felt like the ground beneath me had crumbled, leaving me in shock and heartache.