You're Mine, I'm Yours

Part 34

Three days had passed, and First's world had spiraled into a dark abyss. His relentless search for Khaotung had taken a toll on him, both physically and mentally. His once sharp eyes were now bloodshot, the dark circles beneath them telling the story of sleepless nights filled with anxiety and despair. His clothes, which had been meticulously maintained before, were now disheveled and stained with the grime of his exhaustive search. Every movement he made was sluggish, weighed down by the crushing exhaustion that he refused to give in to. But despite it all, he pressed on, driven by a singular purpose: to find Khaotung.

Leaning heavily against his car, he pulled out a cigarette with trembling hands, lighting it with a flick of his lighter. The familiar burn of the smoke as he inhaled deeply did little to calm his frayed nerves, but it was a small comfort in the chaos that had consumed his life. He stood there, staring out into the distance, lost in a sea of dark thoughts, when a voice suddenly broke through the silence.

"You look desperate."

The sound was sharp, cutting through his haze of despair. First turned his head sharply, his eyes narrowing as he recognized the figure approaching him. It was Ohm, his expression a mix of disdain and something else that First couldn't quite place. As Ohm closed the distance between them, First pushed himself off the car, standing straighter, his muscles tensing instinctively.

"Where is Khaotung?" First's voice was rough, the words coming out hoarse from days of shouting orders and screaming Khaotung's name into the void. His worry was palpable, a raw wound that bled with every breath he took.

Ohm's demeanor was infuriatingly calm, his voice almost casual as he replied, "Don't worry, we took Khaotung to safety."

First's eyes narrowed into slits, suspicion and rage flaring within him. "You," he spat, his voice dripping with venom, "it was all you, wasn't it?"

Ohm didn't flinch, meeting First's glare with a steady gaze. "If you're referring to hurting Khaotung, no. I would never think of hurting him again. But yes, it was me. Khaotung's father hired me to keep an eye on him."

First's breath caught in his throat, a mixture of disbelief and fury bubbling to the surface. "You were spying on him from the start? All of this-the attacks, Jeff's death, Khaotung being taken to David-it was all your doing?"

Ohm nodded, a cold, clinical detachment in his voice as he confessed, "Yes, it was all planned to get closer to Khaotung so we could retrieve the database. I was the one who killed Jeff and took Khaotung to David so David would think it was your people."

First's fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his whole body shaking with barely contained rage. "You bastard," he growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "You used him as a pawn in your sick game."

But Ohm remained unfazed, his expression cool as he continued, "If you think I would ever hurt Khaotung, you're wrong. This time, it was all your father and David. I would never harm him."

First's heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of anger and heartbreak twisting his insides. "How could you betray him like this?" His voice cracked, the raw emotion spilling over despite his attempts to keep it together. "He trusted you. I'm going to kill you."

Ohm let out a bitter laugh, the sound grating on First's already frayed nerves. "And what do you think Khaotung will feel more betrayed about? Me, who was only there to protect him, or you-the person he gave his heart to-deceiving him all along?"

First's face fell, the weight of Ohm's words hitting him like a physical blow. It felt like the ground was slipping out from under him, leaving him grasping for something solid to hold onto. "You've lost him forever, First," Ohm said, the finality in his voice like a dagger to First's heart.