Youth [MikhAiah] [Book #1]

31

—🦊—

The charity gala blurs around Mikha, the swirl of elegant gowns and polite laughter fading into a distant hum. Her father's voice, the echo of his command to tear her away from Aiah, still rings in her ears. Her heart pounds, fists clenching at her sides as her gaze flickers to the palace's main garage. There's no time to think. No time to care.

Aiah. Her mind screams. I have to get to Aiah.

Without a word, Mikha breaks into a sprint. The click of her shoes on the marble floor echoes through the grand hall, catching the attention of the guests and media, but she doesn't stop. Eyes widen and whispers spread as she runs through the gala in casual clothes.

Her cousins—Gwen, Jhoanna, and Colet—spot her fleeing and try to catch up.

"Mikha! Wait!" Gwen calls, her voice urgent. But Mikha doesn't hear them. She can't stop.

The crowd parts as she barrels past, heading for the palace's garage. The media cameras flash, but she doesn't care. Not anymore. Let them capture her. Let them write whatever they want. All that matters is Aiah.

The cousins push through the crowd, trying to catch up to Mikha, but they're too late. By the time they reach the garage, she's already inside her sleek, black car, the palace's emblem gleaming on its door. Her hands grip the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turn white. With a fierce roar of the engine, she floors the gas pedal, tearing out of the garage and into the night.

"Bwisit!" Jhoanna curses under her breath as they watch the taillights disappear into the distance.

"Jho! Asan 'yung kotse mo?!" Colet shouts, pulling out her phone. "Kailangan natin 'yun sundan!"

But even they know it's futile. Mikha is already gone, speeding out of the palace grounds like a woman possessed.

—🦊—

The midnight streets blur as Mikha speeds through the city, the roar of her car's engine drowned by the sound of her own heartbeat. Every red light she ignores, every honking car she bypasses—it all becomes part of the desperate blur of her pursuit. Mikha knows she has no time to waste. She can't let them take Aiah; she can't let her father's wrath touch the one person who managed to break through her guarded heart.

The ride from Manila to Makati feels like an eternity, yet it's a blur of lights and speed. Mikha doesn't care about the traffic laws, barely noticing the way her car weaves dangerously through lanes. Her foot is pressed to the pedal, speeding through the city streets as if her life depends on it.

No. Not her life. Aiah's.

Mikha's hands tremble as she grips the steering wheel, her heart pounding against her ribcage like a frenzied drum. She can still hear her mother's urgent voice echoing in her mind, every word sharp and piercing: "Your father... He's ordered Aiah to be taken. You have to find her, Mikha. Now."

Her heart races faster than the car, her thoughts consumed by fear. What if I'm too late? What if I never see her again? The image of Marc's smug face flashes in her mind, and her blood boils just thinking about him.

She grips the steering wheel tighter, swerving past a truck, barely avoiding a crash. It doesn't matter. Even if she crashes, even if she wrecks the car, nothing matters as long as she reaches Aiah in time.

Minutes feel like hours until she finally screeches to a halt in front of Aiah's apartment building. The tires scream against the pavement as she leaps out of the car, adrenaline pumping through her veins.

Mikha sprints through the lobby and into the elevator, repeatedly pressing the button for Aiah's floor as if she could make it go faster. Every second feels like a lifetime, the thudding of her heart loud in her ears.

Finally, the doors open, and Mikha rushes down the hallway, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The sight of Aiah's apartment door ajar stops her cold. Dread pools in her stomach as she steps inside.

"Juno?" she calls, her voice shaky.

She finds him slumped against the railing, his hand gripping his side where Alex's taser must have struck. Blood trickles from a wound, and he struggles to stay upright.

Mikha rushes to his side, her hands trembling as she grips his shoulder. "Juno, what happened? Asan si Aiah?"

His hand tightens around her wrist, and he looks up at her, his face pale. "Your Highness..." His voice is weak, barely more than a whisper. "Si Aiah... Nakuha nila si Aiah."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. She feels the world tilt, her vision going red with fury. As Juno speaks, a sharp honk pierces the air from outside. Mikha whips her head toward the window, heart pounding.

Through the glass, she sees him—Marc. His SUV idles at the curb, and from the ground floor, he meets her gaze, smirking that same twisted grin.

"No..." Mikha breathes, horror filling her chest as she watches Alex haul Aiah's unconscious body into the SUV.

Without thinking, Mikha shoves her phone into Juno's hand. "Tawagan mo sila Colet!" she orders, her voice fierce. But she doesn't wait for his reply. She's already out the door, her mind running on pure adrenaline.

She races back down to the street, not caring who sees her, not caring about the flashing cameras or the gathering crowd. The SUV pulls away just as she reaches her car, and without hesitation, Mikha starts the engine and takes off in pursuit. She spots the van up ahead, a dark, unmarked vehicle speeding through the empty road. Her eyes lock onto it like a predator to its prey. There is no plan, no careful thought—just the raw, visceral drive to save Aiah at any cost.

—🦊—

Mikha's hands tremble as they grip the steering wheel. Her heart thunders in her chest, and her mind spins with thoughts of Aiah. The streets blur around her, the lights of the city streaking past as she speeds through the night. Her eyes lock on the SUV ahead, narrowing with determination.

"Marc, you..." she mutters, her voice shaking with fury. She floors the gas pedal, the engine roaring as her car closes the distance between them. She can see him clearly now, driving like the coward he is, taking Aiah from her.

Her car is faster, sleeker, and she catches up with ease. Without hesitation, she swerves to the side and slams into the SUV's rear, sending it skidding across the road. The force of the impact jolts her, and she fights to keep control of the wheel.

But Marc recovers quickly, jerking the SUV back on course. Mikha's vision blurs with rage as she accelerates again, her focus singular. She lines up her car with the SUV once more, slamming into it again—this time harder. Both vehicles careen toward the sidewalk, crashing into a lamppost.

Mikha's car flips, the metal groaning as it skids across the road. Glass shatters, and the world spins around her.

For a moment, everything goes black.