The private jet touched down at Southbay City’s airport just as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the skyline in deep hues of orange and purple. Hunter Reeves stepped off the aircraft, his heart pounding with anticipation.
This moment had played over in his mind a thousand times—walking up to Angel with a smile, asking her out for dinner, pulling out the ring, and hearing her say yes.
Tonight was supposed to be the start of their future.
Adjusting the cuff of his suit, he slid into the waiting black car, instructing the driver to take him straight to KHS Private Care Hospital. Angel was still on shift around this time.
He had no idea that everything he had planned was about to fall apart.
At the Hospital
Hunter strode into the hospital with purpose, his mind focused solely on Angel. He barely acknowledged the greetings from the nurses and doctors as he approached the reception desk.
“Where’s Dr. Foster?” he asked.
The receptionist looked up in surprise. “Dr. Foster?”
“Yes,” Hunter said impatiently. “Angel. Where is she?”
The woman hesitated before answering, “She’s… not here, sir.”
Hunter’s brows furrowed. “Not here? When is she scheduled to return?”
A strange look crossed the receptionist’s face. “She’s not scheduled to return, sir. Dr. Foster filed for an indefinite leave two days ago.”
Hunter froze.
Indefinite leave?
Angel hadn’t told him anything about this. No message. No explanation.
His grip on the counter tightened. “Where is she now?”
The receptionist shook her head. “We don’t know, sir. She left suddenly and hasn’t answered any calls.”
Hunter stepped back, his mind spinning.
Something was wrong.
Angel would never just disappear without a word.
Pulling out his phone, he tried calling her again. Just like before, the call either went unattended or busy.
Without wasting another second, he turned and strode out of the hospital.
If Angel wasn’t here, there was only one other place she could be.
At Angel’s Home
Hunter pulled up in front of Angel’s house, but the moment he stepped out of his car, he knew.
The place was dark. Silent.
No one was home.
Knocking was pointless.
Angel was gone.
At the Foster Estate
With growing frustration, Hunter drove straight to the Foster family estate.
The moment he stepped inside, the tension in the air was palpable.
Vivian Foster, Angel’s older sister, paced the living room with her phone pressed to her ear, calling someone repeatedly. Philip Foster, their father, sat at his desk, his face grim as he flipped through documents.
The entire house was in chaos.
Hunter didn’t bother with formalities.
“Where is Angel?” His voice was sharp, demanding.
Vivian flinched at his tone. “Hunter—”
“Don’t ‘Hunter’ me,” he snapped. “Where is she?”
Vivian and Philip exchanged uneasy glances before Philip finally answered.
“She’s gone.”
Hunter’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean, she’s gone?”
Vivian’s voice was quieter this time. “She disappeared two days ago. We only found out when the hospital informed us about her leave. No one can reach her.”
Hunter’s fists clenched.
Angel was missing.
And no one told him.
His patience snapped. “Why did she leave? What the hell happened?”
Philip sighed heavily before answering.
“She found out the truth.”
Hunter’s breath hitched. “What truth?”
Philip hesitated before finally saying it.
“She found out about your prison sentence.”
The air in the room turned heavy.
Hunter felt like the ground had been ripped out from beneath him.
“She… knows?” His voice was hoarse.
Philip nodded. “She found out about everything.”
Hunter’s heart pounded painfully against his ribs.
Angel knew.
And she left because of it.
The Buried Case
Hunter’s hands curled into fists, his mind spinning.
“Why didn’t you tell her before?” His voice was dangerously low.
Philip shook his head. “Because we didn’t have all the answers back then. The police presented concrete evidence. Even when we refused to press charges, they pushed forward. They told us that because it was an attempted murder case, the state would prosecute you no matter what.”
Hunter exhaled sharply. That explained why he was thrown into prison so quickly—it was never up to Angel or her family.
Philip continued, “After you were sentenced, I tried to visit you. But I was denied.”
Hunter’s brows furrowed. “What?”
“They said direct victims’ families weren’t allowed visitations,” Philip said bitterly. “I fought it. I hired lawyers. But nothing worked.”
For the first time, Hunter saw the exhaustion in Philip’s eyes—the look of a man who had tried but failed.
Philip then said something that sent a chill down Hunter’s spine.
“I hired a private investigator to clear your name. For two years, we searched for the truth. But then—suddenly—it was like your case never existed.”
Hunter stiffened.
Philip’s voice was grim. “The records. The files. Even the trial. Everything disappeared. Like you were never convicted at all.”
Hunter already knew why.
Because Kian had erased it.
Hunter’s blood ran cold as realization set in.
Kian had told him before—“I took care of everything.”
At the time, Hunter assumed he had simply cleared his reputation.
Now, he understood the truth.
Kian hadn’t just cleaned up his name.
He had erased his entire past.
The case. The evidence. All of it.
Which meant…
Hunter had no way of finding out who framed him.
A mix of emotions surged inside him—anger, frustration, guilt.
Philip’s next words brought him back.
“And now, Angel knows. She blames herself. And she’s gone.”
Hunter clenched his jaw.
Angel thought she was responsible for his suffering.
That was why she ran.
He took a deep breath, pushing down the storm of emotions inside him.
Then, he looked Philip straight in the eye.
“I’m going to find her.”
Philip met his gaze. “And when you do?”
Hunter’s grip on his keys tightened.
“When I do, I’ll tell her the truth.”
That none of this was her fault.
And that he would never let her go again.