Brian paused for a moment, his hands instinctively clutching his head, which still felt heavy and throbbing, as if the remnants of the incident hadn't completely left his body.His breathing was still unsteady, and what he was most aware of was how the burning sensation spreading within him hadn't completely subsided, like embers still smoldering beneath the surface.Brian's gaze slowly shifted to Emily, who was standing not far from him. The woman was still wearing a thin tank top and shorts, her appearance simple, but somehow even in this state, she felt incredibly seductive.Her hair was slightly messy from sleeping on the sofa, and her usually cold face now looked softer in the dim lighting of the room.Without much thought, Brian got up and approached, then hugged Emily tightly from the front, as if seeking a balance to the turmoil within him."I can't take it anymore," he whispered softly near Emily's ear, his voice deep and honest, unconcealed.Emily didn't immediately respond

"Are they really coming today?" Emily asked Brian, her voice casual, but her eyes betrayed a serious concern for what was happening."Yes, because they still had work in the village yesterday, so they couldn't come yesterday. They left the village this morning using a travel agent," Brian replied, although he wasn't entirely calm when he said it."So, who's picking them up?" Emily asked again, this time in a slightly sharper tone, as if she were beginning to notice something odd about the situation."I should have picked them up a little while ago, because they hadn't arrived according to the estimated departure time. But somehow, they've already arrived," Brian replied, his face beginning to show a unease he could no longer hide."I'll go after them immediately," Emily said without hesitation, as if it were the only sensible decision at the moment.Brian immediately nodded, not wanting to waste another second. Ignoring the atmosphere of what was supposed to be his most joyous graduat

"Follow this map, they're heading this way, and we can't be late," Emily said to Brian, placing her phone screen on the dashboard for easy viewing.Brian stared intently at the address Emily had given him. It was already quite a distance from their current location, and that meant they were racing against time if they wanted to catch the car carrying their parents."Where are they taking my mom and dad?" Brian muttered softly, more to himself than to Emily."You don't need to think about where they're taking them. The important thing is that we catch up and stop them," Emily replied firmly, not wanting Brian to get caught up in anxiety that would only slow his reactions.Brian nodded, though his mind was still filled with various negative possibilities he didn't want to imagine."Are you going down yourself later?" Brian asked then, his eyes remaining focused on the road ahead."No. Two of my men have already arrived at the location. They'll move quickly to help us stop the car," Emil

“Ting!”An incoming message on Brian's cell phone broke the silence of the night which was increasingly feeling oppressive. He, who had been standing near the car, immediately grabbed his cell phone quickly.However, as soon as the screen opened and the contents of the message were clearly visible, his jaw immediately tightened, while his hands were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.How come?An unknown number sent a picture that made his chest feel like it was being squeezed.In the picture, his parents are seen sitting in a closed room. Their faces looked confused, even a little worried, as if they didn't understand what was actually happening.Maybe they still thought they would meet Brian, because they had been told that from the start. But in reality, they are now in a place they are completely unfamiliar with."God damn it!" shouted Brian in a voice full of anger, his emotions that had been suppressed for a long time finally exploded."What is it?" asked Emily,