Hunter leaned back in the plush leather chair of his hotel suite, exhaling slowly. The city skyline stretched before him through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, its twinkling lights reflecting the late-night buzz of Central City. He had barely had a moment to himself since he arrived, caught up in back-to-back meetings and discussions with Kian and the other board members.
The expansion of their luxury shopping mall into Southbay City was a major step for the company. Hunter had spent the last two days finalizing plans, reviewing blueprints, and meeting potential partners. The schedule had been grueling, but everything was progressing smoothly.
Now, for the first time in two days, he finally had a quiet moment to breathe.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and powered it on. The screen flickered to life, and immediately, a series of notifications appeared.
His eyes zeroed in on the most important one.
Angel – Missed Call
Hunter frowned. A single missed call from her. No messages. No follow-ups.
That was unusual.
Angel was always direct—if she needed to talk to him, she would’ve called again.
A strange feeling settled in his chest as he tapped her contact and pressed the call button.
The line rang once.
Then twice.
Then—
“The number you have dialed is unattended. Please try again later.”
His frown deepened.
He tried again. This time, it didn’t even ring. The call went straight to voicemail.
Maybe she was busy. Or maybe she had fallen asleep early.
Still, something didn’t feel right.
Hunter sighed, leaning forward and rubbing the back of his neck. His instincts told him to keep calling, but he knew Angel—she was strong, independent, and could handle herself. If there was something urgent, she would have found a way to reach him.
"Maybe I’m just overthinking."
Letting out a slow breath, he placed his phone on the table. But before he could fully push aside the nagging feeling in his gut, his fingers instinctively reached into his pocket again.
This time, what he pulled out wasn’t his phone.
It was a small, black velvet box.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he flipped it open.
Inside, nestled in the dark fabric, was a stunning diamond ring.
The perfect ring for her.
His sister had helped him pick it out, choosing a design that matched Angel’s elegance—timeless, graceful, but with a subtle brilliance. Meanwhile, Kian, ever the supportive older brother, had personally arranged an exclusive venue for the proposal.
Everything was set.
Tomorrow, he would fly back to Southbay City.
And then, he would ask Angel to be his forever.
His heart pounded with anticipation at the thought.
They had already lost too much time. Years wasted. Years spent apart, suffering in silence, bound by forces beyond their control.
But now, they had found their way back to each other.
Hunter had no intention of wasting another second.
They didn’t need a long engagement. They didn’t need more time to "figure things out."
They had already been through hell, and they still ended up choosing each other.
That was enough.
Hunter snapped the ring box shut and exhaled.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow, everything would change.
But for now, he needed to rest.
With that thought, he set the ring on the nightstand and lay back on the bed, closing his eyes.
Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.
The Next Morning
Hunter was up early, his bags packed and ready. He had a private jet waiting at the airport, courtesy of Kian, who had insisted on making his trip back as smooth as possible.
"Everything is set, little brother," Kian had told him the night before. "All you need to do is ask the question."
Hunter smirked at the memory.
He was ready.
Grabbing his phone, he checked one last time for any messages from Angel.
Still nothing.
A slight frown formed on his lips, but he brushed it off.
"I’ll see her soon anyway."
With that, he picked up his suitcase, grabbed the ring box, and headed out the door.
Meanwhile, in Southbay City…
Angel sat alone in her car, gripping the steering wheel with trembling hands.
Her heart pounded violently against her ribs, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps.
Tears blurred her vision, but she didn’t care.
All she could see were the images—the horrifying, gut-wrenching images that had shattered her world in an instant.
Hunter.
Captured by the police.
Shouting his innocence.
Pleading.
Handcuffed.
Dragged away.
And then the trial—his sentencing, the cold, unforgiving words of the judge sealing his fate.
Five years in prison.
Because of her.
The weight of the truth was suffocating.
All this time, she had wondered why Hunter had disappeared. Why he had left without a word.
And now, she knew.
It wasn’t because he didn’t love her.
It wasn’t because he had moved on.
It was because he had been suffering—alone, imprisoned, betrayed.
And she had been living her life, completely unaware.
Her hands tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white.
A fresh wave of tears spilled down her cheeks.
She had to confront them.
Her father.
Her sister.
They had known.
They had watched it happen.
And they had said nothing.
With a sharp inhale, Angel wiped her face and started the car.
The mansion wasn’t far.
But the confrontation waiting for her there would be life-changing.
As she sped through the streets of Southbay City, her heart pounded with a mixture of rage, pain, and overwhelming guilt.
Hunter had suffered because of her.
And now, she would make sure he knew the truth.
No matter what it took.