CHAPTER 423: CHAPTER 423 KIDNAPPED

"Not good, not good! Karl and Kaelan went missing!!!"

That was the news Ruby heard just after she and the whole team had finished editing the ending part of the project and rolled the credits on screen. The room, which had been filled with relief and quiet pride a moment ago, instantly turned cold.

"What!!!" Ruby’s eyes widened, her voice sharp with shock.

Penny, who had rushed in with the news, looked pale and shaken. Her hands trembled as she spoke, her words spilling out too quickly. "Karl was walking toward his dorm, and suddenly this luxurious car stopped right beside him. They pulled him inside before anyone could react! And Kaelan—Kaelan saw it happening. He tried to pull Karl back, but they grabbed him too. He was also taken..." Her voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes.

Ruby’s heart raced, panic flashing across her face as the weight of Penny’s words sank in. She grabbed Penny by the shoulders firmly, steadying her. "Calm down! Don’t cry now—we need to act fast."

Penny’s breath hitched, and she nodded, though fear still clouded her face.

Ruby didn’t waste another second. She grabbed her keys, and stormed toward the door, her movements quick and sharp. "I’m going to report this to the Civil Services Officer right now!" she said, her voice fierce.

She didn’t wait for anyone to follow. The door slammed behind her as she rushed out, her mind already spinning with what steps to take, her heart pounding with only one thought—I will bring them back.

Ruby wasted no time once she reached the Civil Services Office. She pushed past the long lines and spoke directly to the duty officer, her voice steady but filled with urgency. "Two ghost have been taken in broad daylight. They were forced into a luxury car. You need to investigate immediately."

The officer at first blinked at her, surprised at her directness, but once Ruby gave the names—Karl and Kaelan—the seriousness of the situation shifted. Papers were pulled, reports written, and within the hour, an official investigation was launched. Witches in uniforms began to move, phone calls were made, and Ruby found herself answering sharp questions about what she knew.

Penny was brought in as well. Her hands shook as she spoke, but she repeated everything she had seen. "It happened so fast," she explained, her voice breaking. "Karl was walking alone toward his dorm... then the car stopped right in front of him. Black, shining, so expensive-looking. The door opened, and someone inside pulled him in like he was nothing. Kaelan saw it—he was close by. He tried to fight them, to pull Karl back, but they grabbed him too. They were both gone in seconds."

The officers wrote everything down, their pens scratching quickly, while others passed the description of the car to nearby patrols. Still, the tension inside the office grew heavier with every passing minute.

Back at the Soulstream workplace, the air had turned thick with unease. Everyone was whispering about the missing pair, their voices low but their eyes wide. The name "Karl" came with shock and disbelief—he was known for his playful nature, never the type anyone thought would be targeted. But it was Kaelan’s name that made the tension even worse.

Kaelan was not just anyone. Within hours, the news of his disappearance began to spread on Soulstream, the city’s most popular live-feed and news platform. His face, calm and confident in old pictures, was suddenly everywhere, flashing under bold headlines: "Kaelan of the Nightmare Family Missing." Streams filled with speculation, strangers discussing what might have happened, others pointing fingers, while some sent messages of worry and fear.

****

Meanwhile, Karl slowly stirred awake, his head pounding with a messy, splitting headache. His body felt heavy, and for a moment he couldn’t tell where he was. The sheets beneath him were soft, almost too soft, and the faint perfume in the air made his chest tighten with unease. Before he could move, he felt something—light fingers brushing against his cheek.

His eyes flew open, though his vision blurred at first. Slowly, the shape hovering above him came into focus—a witch. She was strikingly beautiful, her silky dark hair spilling over her shoulders, her lips curved into a smile that wasn’t sweet at all, but dangerous. Her eyes glimmered with something close to obsession as she leaned closer.

"Woke up, sweetheart," she purred, her voice thick with amusement.

Karl’s throat tightened, fear crawling up his spine. He tried to sit up, his pulse racing. "Wh... who are you?" he stammered, staring at her face that looked far too dangerous despite its beauty.

The witch chuckled lowly, tilting her head, her smile twisting cruelly. "Well, well. I am Lex Storar," she said, her name rolling off her tongue like a taunt. She leaned closer, her eyes burning into his. "Your wife... nearly destroyed my business. But I am a forgiving witch." She smirked, her lips curling as if savoring the moment. "Because now, you’re going to pay in her place."

Karl’s eyes widened in shock, his chest heaving. "No! I don’t even know you! Let me go!" His voice cracked with panic, his body jerking back, but she only watched him with a cold, dangerous glint.

Her smile faded into something sharper. She grabbed his chin roughly, forcing his gaze to hers. "If I’m treating you well, behave nicely," she hissed. And before Karl could react, she pressed her lips to his in a rough, possessive kiss.

Revulsion shot through him instantly. His whole body tensed, his stomach lurching. With all his strength, Karl shoved her back, his chest heaving with disgust. He scrambled up from the bed, his eyes darting desperately until they landed on a door nearby—an attached bathroom. Without a second thought, he bolted toward it.

His hands fumbled with the handle, and the moment it opened, he rushed inside, collapsing by the sink. His stomach twisted violently, and he leaned over, vomiting as his whole body shook. His vision blurred again, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes—not just from sickness, but from the sheer disgust and fear that clung to him.

Behind him, Lex stood in the doorway, her smile never leaving, watching him with the calm patience of a predator.

To be continued... 🪄