Chapter 65: Broken Star-Promise

Diva lay on the road, dazed and disoriented, as Clave’s team surrounded her. She looked up at Clave, her eyes wide with fear and confusion.

"Dad... Mysa... she pushed me out… she… she didn't get out…" Diva’s voice broke as she tried to make sense of what had happened.

Clave's heart broke, but he had no choice but to act rationally.

Despite his face being a mask of anguish, he looked towards the river where Mysa's car had disappeared. "We need to move, now!" he barked at his team. "Get Diva to safety and prepare for extraction."

As they lifted Diva to her feet, she clung to Clave, no tears coming out of her eyes yet. "Why did she do that, Dad? Why?" Her voice was hollow, filled with a sense of detachment from reality. “Why… why would she do that?”

Clave hugged her tightly, his own tears threatening to spill. "She did it to save you, Diva. And now we have to save her. At any cost."

That was when reality finally hit Diva and she started sobbing in her father's chest.

While Clave's team continued their search, Zinnia's frantic call came through to Clave's cell phone. He answered with a sense of urgency.

“Clave, do you know where Mysa and Diva are? We can't reach either of them. What's happening?" Zinnia's voice was tinged with panic.

Clave's voice cracked, a tear sliding down his cheek as he struggled to find the words. "I am sorry, Zinnia. I am so sorry for not listening to you."

Zinnia's panic escalated, and her motherly instincts just knew something terrible had happened. "Clave, what's wrong? What do you mean? Why do you sound like that? Where are our daughters? Answer me."

Clave took a deep breath, his voice steadying as he recounted the events. His own arm was shaking as held onto Diva. "Zinnia, Mysa and Diva were being followed.”

“Followed? By whom and why?” she was confused, and he could feel the terror she must be feeling right now.

Sucking in a deep breath, Clave explained everything to her from the beginning. "... and then to save Mysa, we created a plan named ‘Sugarcode’. Today Sugarcode was activated," Clave continued, his tone heavy with regret. "But there were complications. The plan was for Mysa alone, not for both her and Diva. So they were both in danger."

Zinnia's gasp was audible through the phone. "Oh, my God, Clave. Are they okay? Where are they now?"

Clave hesitated for a moment, his heart heavy. "We are trying to locate Mysa. Diva's safe, but Mysa's car... it drove into the river."

There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line. "No…" Zinnia whispered, her voice trembling. "No, no, this can't be happening. This is impossible."

Draven, who had been standing beside Zinnia, overheard the conversation. His hands clenched into fists, his heart pounding in his chest as he listened to Clave's words.

"What happened to Mysa, Dad? Was she in the car?" Draven's voice was tight with fear.

Clave swallowed hard, his voice breaking slightly. "Yes… Mysa... she pushed Diva out of the car. She sacrificed herself to save Diva."

Zinnia let out a choked sob. "Oh, Clave..."

"I am sorry, Zinnia," Clave said softly, tears welling up in his eyes. "I tried to keep them safe. I failed. It’s all my fault. I…"

Zinnia's voice wavered as she struggled to grasp the reality of the situation. "What do we do now?"

Clave took a deep breath, steeling himself. "We will find Mysa. No matter what happens. We can't lose her. Not after everything."

Draven's jaw clenched, his eyes burning with determination. "I am coming with you, Dad."

###

Draven's heart sank as he arrived at the riverbank, the sight of the murky waters sending a chill down his spine. He rushed there as soon as possible.

Now, standing beside his father amidst a flurry of activity, Draven's emotions were a turbulent storm.

The river flowed ominously before him, its surface disturbed by the efforts of divers and searchlights piercing the fading light.

Clave's team was mobilized, their urgency palpable as they coordinated the search for Mysa.

Draven's thoughts raced, clinging to hope while grappling with the dread that threatened to overwhelm him. He wasn't ready to believe that something might happen to his Mysa.

Soon, a collective murmur spread through the crowd as the search team's efforts bore fruit.

With synchronized movements and strained efforts, they managed to hook onto Mysa's car and slowly pulled it from the murky water.

The vehicle emerged, dripping with water and caked in mud. Gasps and whispers filled the air as onlookers craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the retrieved car.

"She's got to be in there."

"Can you see anything?"

"Oh, god, I hope she's okay."

Draven, his heart racing with a mix of hope and fear, pushed through the crowd to reach the water's edge.

His eyes were fixed on the car, willing it to yield some sign of Mysa. If she had kept the car locked from inside, she could have survived inside the car.

His hands clenched into fists as he braced himself for what he might find.

The search team worked swiftly, their movements precise yet careful as they approached the car. With tense anticipation, they opened the driver's side door first, revealing the waterlogged interior. The murmurs around Draven grew louder, filled with concern and apprehension.

"Careful now, take it slow."

"Is she in there? Can anyone see?"

Draven rushed forward, his heart pounding in his chest. "Mysa!" he called out, his voice cracking with emotion as he peered into the car, frantically searching for any sign of her.

The interior was a mess of waterlogged seats and floating debris.

Draven's hands trembled as he sifted through the wreckage, his fingers brushing against familiar items—a scarf she loved, a book she kept in the glove compartment—each one piercing his heart with memories.

She had recently bought the car with her own money and she was so happy about it. He could still remember the smile on her face when she drove this car for the first time.

"She is not here," Draven muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the sounds of the night.

His frantic search yielded no trace of Mysa, and with each passing second, his hope waned.

Clave came from behind him and placed his hand on his shoulder. “Champ, don't lose hope. Mysa might have gotten out of the car. She might still be in the water.”

Draven solemnly nodded, trying desperately to cling to some hope.

"Dad," Draven's voice quivered, breaking the heavy silence between them. "Will they really find her? Is Mysa... she is going to be okay, right?"

Clave turned to him, his usually composed demeanor strained with concern. His eyes, glistening with unshed tears, met Draven's gaze with empathy.

"We are doing everything we can, Champ. We will find her," he replied softly, his voice thick with emotion. " I am so sorry this happened. I should have been more prepared..."

"She promised she would be here tomorrow," he murmured in a daze, more to himself than to Clave. "It's our wedding day… She will definitely be here tomorrow."

"She will be here, Draven," Clave said firmly, though his voice trembled with the weight of uncertainty. "We won't give up."

Unable to find words, Draven simply nodded again. He wanted to be confident that Mysa was okay. After all, she deserved her happily ever after more than anybody else.

There was no way something could have happened to her before that. She must have floated to the shore somewhere near or was staying afloat in the water. They just had to look harder.

Even so… he was scared. What if—

With a heavy heart, he pulled his father into a tight embrace, seeking solace in the shared fear. He had to keep faith that Mysa was going to be alright.

The Universe can't be this cruel… right?

As the search continued into the night, each passing moment felt like an eternity. Draven clung to the belief that Mysa would emerge from the depths, fulfilling their promise to stand together on their wedding day.

Finally, it was the break of dawn, and there was still no sign of Mysa.

“Sir, the river has been searched thoroughly and all the river banks have been inspected, there is no sign of Ms. Fabiona,” the head of the search party informed Clave. “It is most likely that her body would be found in the depths of the river. You see, the river is quite deep. So finding her body might take time, but—”

“Is there no hope of her being alive?” Clave asked, trying hard to cling to some hope.

He shook his head solemnly. “In such cases, victims don't survive. Their body floats up in a few days on its own, and if it doesn't for some reason, we can try to locate her body. Although it will take a few weeks or months, considering the depth.”

Clave's heart broke, hearing Mysa being referred to as a ‘body,’ and the fact it was all his fault.

He slowly looked over his shoulder at his son, who met his gaze. It didn't take Clave a second to figure out that Draven had heard the entire conversation.

"No, no… that can't be. Mysa can't leave me," he pleaded softly, as if his words alone could summon her back.

His feet staggered back, the strength in his body loosening. "She promised.” He looked over the river, the orange sunlight reflecting on it. “Mysa, you promised we would stand together. Please, don't do this. You gave me a star-promise. You cannot break that."

His eyes stung with tears, but he held back. He didn't believe it. His Mysa couldn't be… It was just impossible!

Clave approached Draven slowly. He placed a comforting hand on Draven's shoulder, his own eyes reflecting the sorrow of a father who had failed to protect Mysa and also ruined his son’s happiness.

"I am sorry, Champ," Clave said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. "We lost her."

“No, Superhero,” his voice broke as he desperately clutched Clave's elbows, “You can't say that. You are supposed to tell me that you will find Mysa. You can't be…” his breath fell short, his chest hollowing up. “You can't be giving up. Tell me you will find her, please!”

“I am sorry, Champ,” was all Clave could manage to say. How was he supposed to give his son hope when there was none?

Seeing the defeat in Clave's eyes, Draven's world shattered in that moment.

The reality of Mysa's absence washed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him breathless and broken.

Tears streamed down his face as he sank to his knees, overcome with grief.

He couldn't believe she was gone—the girl he loved with every fiber of his being, his best friend, his confidante, his future wife. Today was meant to be their day of joy, but now it lay shattered in the wake of tragedy.

Around them, the early morning air was heavy with silence, broken only by the distant sounds of the river and the occasional murmur of voices.

Clave kneeled in front of Draven's side, pulling him into a hug, offering silent support as Draven begged, “Please, Superhero, bring my Mysa back to me… We are supposed to get married today and live happily ever after. This…”

Sobs wracked his body as he struggled to catch his breath. “This is so unfair. Why does the Universe always have to be so unfair to Mysa?”

Even their star promise was now a promise broken by the cruel hand of the Universe.