MARIA MINERVA

Chapter 5

The night had fallen thick and heavy, its darkness punctuated only by the dim light of the moon that hung low in the sky. The streets of the small town were eerily silent, as if the world itself sensed the storm about to unfold. Miguel moved swiftly through the shadows, his heart pounding in his chest. Tonight was supposed to be their night—the night they would escape together and start a new life far from the grasp of his father.

He had told Maria to meet him at the edge of town, near the old mill. They were to take a carriage he had secretly arranged, and by morning, they would be well on their way to San Pedro. But as Miguel approached their meeting point, something didn't feel right. The air was too still, the silence too oppressive.

He quickened his pace, dread crawling up his spine.

Miguel (under his breath, anxious): "Maria... where are you?"

Suddenly, a sound broke through the stillness—a muffled scream that sent a jolt of terror through Miguel's veins. He froze for a moment, his heart stopping as he realized it was Maria's voice.

Maria (screaming, her voice filled with panic): "Miguel! Help me!"

Miguel's blood ran cold. Without thinking, he bolted toward the direction of her scream, fear gripping him as he tore through the trees toward the clearing by the mill. His heart raced with every step, his mind spinning with horror at what could be happening.

When he reached the clearing, his worst nightmare unfolded before his eyes. Maria was surrounded by several men—men he recognized as his father's loyal servants. They had her pinned to the ground, her arms struggling to break free as they dragged her toward a waiting carriage. The sight of her terrified, helpless form being manhandled by those brutes sent a wave of pure rage through him.

Miguel (screaming in desperation): "No! Leave her alone!"

He rushed forward, throwing himself at the men in a desperate attempt to reach Maria. His fists flew wildly as he struck the nearest man, but the others quickly overwhelmed him, knocking him to the ground. He fought against their grasp, his eyes never leaving Maria as she screamed for him, her voice growing weaker with each passing moment.

Maria (sobbing, pleading): "Miguel! Please... help me!"

One of the men holding her sneered, tightening his grip as she struggled to break free.

Man (coldly): "You think you can just take the boss's son and run? Not tonight, sweetheart."

Tears streamed down Maria's face as she thrashed against them, her strength waning. Miguel, still pinned down by two of Don Sebastian's men, screamed in frustration, helpless as they dragged her toward the carriage.

Miguel (voice breaking, pleading): "No! Please, don't take her! Let her go!"

He kicked and punched at the men holding him down, but it was no use. They were too strong, too many. One of them slammed his fist into Miguel's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and forcing him to the ground, gasping for air.

Man (grinning cruelly): "Stay down, boy. It's too late for you and that girl."

Miguel's vision blurred as he struggled to rise, the taste of blood filling his mouth. Through the haze, he watched in horror as Maria was thrown into the carriage, her cries echoing in the night.

Maria (desperate, her voice barely a whisper): "Miguel..."

The door of the carriage slammed shut, and with a whip of the reins, the horses surged forward, carrying her away into the darkness. Miguel let out a choked scream, his body collapsing to the ground as he reached out toward the vanishing carriage.

Miguel (broken, sobbing): "Maria! No..."

The men around him stood back, watching coldly as the carriage disappeared into the night. They had done their job. Don Sebastian's orders had been clear—Maria was to be taken away, far from Miguel's reach. As for whether she would survive the journey, well, that wasn't their concern.

One of the men bent down beside Miguel, his voice low and mocking.

Man (taunting): "You should've listened to your father. Now look what you've done. She's gone. And if you're smart, you'll forget she ever existed."

Miguel's chest heaved with sobs, his hands clutching at the earth beneath him as the weight of their words crashed over him. Maria—his Maria—was gone. Taken from him by his own family, by the men who served his father.

Miguel (whispering, voice filled with anguish): "No... no, she can't be gone."

But the reality of it settled like a stone in his gut. He had been too late. He hadn't been able to protect her. The life they had dreamed of, the future they had planned—it had all been ripped away in a single night.

Hours passed, or maybe minutes—Miguel couldn't tell anymore. Time had lost all meaning. He lay on the cold ground, his body bruised and broken, staring up at the sky. The stars above seemed indifferent to his suffering, twinkling in their usual, distant way.

He closed his eyes, the memory of Maria's final scream etched into his mind. She had been taken from him, and he had failed to save her. Now, all he could do was mourn the love he had lost, the life they would never have.

But deep inside, a fire began to burn—a slow, simmering rage that threatened to consume him. His father had done this. Don Sebastian had orchestrated this entire nightmare, and now Maria was gone because of it.

Miguel's heart hardened as he lay there, the realization sinking in that nothing would ever be the same again. His love for Maria hadn't been enough to save her, but there was something else growing inside him now—something far darker.

Miguel (whispering, eyes burning with fury): "I will make them pay... for everything."

With a groan of pain, he forced himself to stand, his legs trembling beneath him. He would find out what had happened to Maria, and he would make sure that those responsible—his father included—would suffer.

But as he stumbled back toward the mansion, one thing was clear: Maria was gone, and with her, a piece of his heart had been ripped away forever.

In the distance, the carriage carrying Maria disappeared into the darkness, its destination unknown. But for Miguel, the night was far from over. The grief and rage that consumed him would only grow, leading him down a path he could never have imagined.