Chapter 20: Desperate Measures

BLISSFUL EUPHORIA

Jay's parents have observed a gradual change in their son's behavior. He has become more jovial and has a calmer mindset. Some bank employees have mentioned that Jay is being friendly with others, and his work is being completed on time without any complications. Previously, Jay used to get irritated at work and had a couple of escalations from clients due to his rude behavior. Now that positive things are being said about Jay, Jasper thought of leaving him as he is and remaining silent.

Jay and Aria have been in a relationship for a couple of months, but they have kept their love story hidden from their parents.

One day, Jay mentioned to Aria that he had a holiday for a few days, so Aria suggested going on a long trip. Both of them became excited and began exploring all the places they could visit for five days. Ultimately, they decided on Singapore, and Jay took charge of planning the stay, tickets, and trip locations.

They both boarded their flight and arrived in Singapore. Jay observed and studied the local culture and places of interest in Singapore. They thoroughly enjoyed their stay and were fascinated by the many new discoveries they made while exploring the city. Despite being exhausted, they didn't waste their time resting. Instead, they fell in love with the place and with each other.

Passionate kiss at Singapore blissful euphoria

As Jay and Aria savored the evening breeze on the beach, they decided to head back home since it was getting late and they were both hungry. While Jay retrieved their car from the parking lot, Aria waited outside. Suddenly, a group of thugs snatched Aria and forced her into their car, muffling her cries for help. Despite her efforts to escape, Aria was powerless against the kidnappers. As soon as Jay realized that Aria was missing and saw her bag lying on the ground, he immediately gave chase to the car, which had been disappearing from his view.

Jay attempted to catch up with the kidnapper's vehicle, but they were familiar with the roads and took inside routes, leading Jay into dark alleys where he lost sight of the car. He felt panicked and attempted to call the Aria's phone, only to discover that it had already been switched off. Feeling helpless, Jay tried to ask people on the road if they had seen the car, but due to language barriers and being in an unfamiliar place, he received no assistance.

He found himself lost and unsure of what to do next, consumed with anxiety about the possibility of losing Aria. But in moments of desperation, he recalled Aria's words: "If anything ever happens to me, the first person you should contact is my dad. I saved his number on your phone." With no other options, he knew he had to call her father.

Jay was plagued by negative thoughts, fearing her dad's potential anger towards Aria for going on the trip or placing blame on Jay for her disappearance. He also worried about how he could possibly rescue Aria in a foreign country like Singapore. Despite these doubts, Jay refused to leave any chance of saving Aria unexplored.

Aria's father answered the phone with a cold, husky voice, leaving Jay unsure of how to begin. "Hello, this is Jay," he said. "I'm a friend of Aria's. Please, I need your help to find her."