Chapter 18:
Bella and Jay froze the moment they saw the message flash across Bella's phone screen. It was from the same unknown number—the one Alex had used to contact them before.
Chen and Ash, noticing the shift in their expressions, leaned over to check the message. The tension in the room thickened.
"But... Alex is in jail," Ash said, his brows furrowing. "How can he send messages?"
Before anyone could speak, the phone buzzed again.
"Bella, why don't you reply? I want to meet you soon."
Bella's grip tightened on the phone. Her mind raced. Was it really Alex?
Trying to stay calm, Bella typed:
"Alex, is that you?"
No direct reply came. Instead, the unknown sender simply responded:
"Come meet me."
Jay quickly snatched the phone from her and typed:
"Where? Tell me. I'll come."
A message pinged back almost instantly, revealing an address.
Without wasting a moment, the group grabbed their things and hurried out the door. On their way, they bumped into Sunny, who looked at them, startled.
"Hey, where are you all rushing off to?" she asked.
Jay hesitated for a moment, but Chen responded quickly, "Something important came up. Don't worry—we'll talk later."
But Sunny wasn't convinced. Her gaze lingered on them with suspicion, and after a moment of hesitation, she followed them secretly.
The address led them to an old, abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. It was quiet—too quiet. They looked around, trying to find any sign of Alex.
Jay tried calling the number, but no one answered.
"Alex! We're here!" he shouted into the silence. "Come out!"
Only the wind responded.
After searching the area and finding nothing, the group returned, frustrated and confused.
Two Days Later
Bella's phone buzzed again.
"Meet me at the office cafeteria."
Bella frowned and typed:
"We went to the address you sent. You weren't there. Was it just a joke to you?"
No explanation came—just a repeat of the request to meet.
Determined to get answers, Bella headed to the cafeteria. She scanned the room, then froze. Standing by the window was a young woman she didn't recognize.
The woman looked up, smiled softly, and approached her.
"You must be Bella," she said. "I'm Aria… Alex's sister."
Bella blinked in shock. "Alex's sister? Why you want to meet me? Why did you message me? And why didn't you show up that day?"
Aria's face grew serious. "Because you weren't alone. There was someone else following you that day. I couldn't risk being seen."
Bella narrowed her eyes. "They weren't strangers. They're my friends."
Aria shook her head. "Not them. A girl trailing behind. She looked... suspicious. That's why I stayed hidden."
Before Bella could respond, Jay appeared, noticing her talking with someone new.
"Who is she?" he asked, voice edged with caution.
Bella replied, "She's Alex's sister."
Jay's expression darkened. "Why are you here? What do you want with Bella?"
Aria sighed. "I know what my brother did... and I'm sorry. But I need your help."
"Help? What kind of help?" Chan's voice came from behind, catching them slightly off guard as he stepped forward with Ash by his side.
Aria looked at them desperately. "I need help finding Alex."
Bella's eyes widened. "What do you mean? He's in jail."
Aria shook her head. "No. He's not. And if he is, then tell me which jail he's in. I've searched every police station for months. No one has any record of him."
Ash's voice was cold. "If you lost contact, that's your problem—not ours."
But Jay raised his hand to stop him. "Wait. Think about it—what if she's right? What if he's not in jail at all?"
Chan scoffed. "You're seriously considering this?"
Jay nodded slowly. "Yes. If he's not in jail… then where is he?"
"I'll help you," Jay said, turning to Aria.
Aria stepped forward, taking Bella's hands in hers. "I'm sorry, Bella, for everything that happened to you. I know it hurt. But my brother… he's not capable of killing anyone. He can't even watch others in pain. Something about this doesn't add up."
Ash's voice cracked as he stepped forward. "He can't see people in pain? Really? Then how did he kill my Tia?" His eyes shimmered with tears. "Just because he's your brother doesn't make him a saint. He destroyed lives. He destroyed mine."
Bella nodded, her voice cold and steady. "We'll find him—not to help you, but to make sure he pays for his deeds. We haven't forgotten… and we never will forgive."
Meanwhile, at Chris's Office
Sunny stood quietly as Chris paced behind his desk.
"Did you do what I asked?" he demanded.
She nodded. "Yes. I made sure the problem couldn't be solved without our help. They'd have no choice but to come to you."
Chris smiled darkly. "Good. I want them to come crawling to me. That way, I win."
Suddenly, his phone rang.
He answered and after a few seconds, his expression twisted in anger. He threw the phone across the room. "What?! The store problem is already solved?"
Sunny flinched. "That's impossible… unless…"
Chris snapped. "I want to see for myself."
Back at the office, Ash was explaining the technical details to the group.
Jay and Bella exchanged relieved glances.
Chris walked in with Sunny close behind.
Seeing a new face, he whispered to Sunny, "Who's that?"
"I think he's Ash," she replied softly. "The one who helped reveal Alex. But no one knew where he went… until now."
Chris narrowed his eyes. "He could become a serious problem if he stays with them. Find out everything about him—fast."
Sunny nodded.
Chris approached the group with a fake smile. "Congratulations. I heard your store issue is resolved."
Jay smirked. "Why? Don't you like when our problems get solved?"
Chris chuckled, masking his irritation. "Of course I do. I'm happy for you."
Then, looking at Ash, he extended a hand. "And you are?"
Chen answered proudly, "He's the guy who solved the issue in no time."
Ash shook Chris's hand briefly. "Nice to meet you."
As Chris and Sunny turned to leave, Aria suddenly rushed into the room.
Before she could speak, Ash quickly covered her mouth and whispered, "Not here. Not in front of him."
Chris raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly toward Aria, giving Sunny a questioning look without saying a word.
Sunny shrugged with a slight shake of her head, pretending not to know.