Whispers of the Past

Chapter 12 - Mia's Past

Mike took Mia's hand and held it gently between his hands.

"You can tell me anything," he said. "I won't judge you."

His gentle touch broke through the wall she had built around herself. Mia's shoulders shook, and tears streamed down her face. She grabbed his shirt and buried her face against his chest as quiet sobs shook her body.

Mike stood still for a moment, surprised by her sudden reaction. Then he put his arms around her and rested one hand on the back of her head. He stayed with her and let her cry without interrupting.

"It's okay," he said quietly. "Let it out. I'm here."

For several minutes, neither of them spoke, and only Mia's uneven breathing and the occasional broken sob filled the silence between them. When she finally pulled back, her eyes were red and swollen, and she wiped her face with the back of her hand while still avoiding his gaze.

"…I'm from Westwood," she said at last.

Mike stayed silent and listened.

"I used to train at a local gym there. It wasn't anything special, but it was home," she said, her voice quiet and steady at first before it began to tighten. "A group of guys used to hang around the area, harassing girls near the gym, on the streets, everywhere. One evening, I caught one of them forcing himself on a girl behind the building, and without thinking, I beat him until he couldn't stand."

She drew a shaky breath.

"I thought that would be the end of it. I was wrong."

"The next day, when I was walking home, they were waiting. Danny—their boss—and four others. They dragged me into a back alley, but I fought back. I knocked two of them down and turned to Danny, thinking he was just another thug."

She swallowed hard.

"The moment he threw his first jab, it slipped right through my guard. That's when I knew... he was a boxer."

"I tried to get inside his reach, looking for an opening. Then he dropped his guard on purpose. I took the bait and stepped in, but before I could throw my punch, his fist crashed into my nose. He'd left himself wide open because he knew I couldn't touch him first. That's when I realized the gap between us. His technique, his timing... he was on a completely different level."

Mia's fingers curled tightly into Mike's shirt.

The memory caught in Mia's throat. She paused more than once before forcing herself to continue.

"He slammed me against the wall so hard my head bounced, and his hands were everywhere—groping, squeezing, treating me like I was nothing—while the others held my arms pinned so tight I couldn't even shove the bastard off."

"Sob"

"He forced his mouth on mine, all wet and rough, and in that second I realised I was completely fucking trapped, no space to move, no strength left, just pure helpless panic screaming in my head that I couldn't do a single thing to stop it."

Her grip on Mike's shirt tightened.

"I tried to twist away, tried to scream, but nothing worked, and the terror just kept climbing… then that old security guard's flashlight cut through the dark, and they scattered like the cowardly pieces of shit they were."

"If he hadn't heard the noise and come running, I don't even know how far those assholes would have taken it, and saying that out loud still makes my chest feel like it's caving in."

Tears started falling again.

"After that, I left Westwood and moved in with my aunt. I buried myself in studying until I got into S-University. I thought I'd finally left it all behind."

She let out a shaky breath.

"But somehow they found me again. The two you saw... they've been following me and blackmailing me. They said if I don't give them what they want, they'll tell Danny exactly where I am."

The room felt heavier once she finished.

Mike stayed silent. Anger settled deep in his chest, cold and heavy, and he fought to keep it from showing. The hand resting on her back tightened for a moment before he forced it to relax. He had expected an obsessive ex or a stalker—not a gang that had hunted her across cities.

A blue window flickered across his vision.

[Ding!]

[Compulsory Long-term Quest: Protect Mia]

[Reward: Olympic selection path unlocked / Mia's loyalty]

[Failure Penalty: Death]

[Time Limit: 1.5 years]

Mike stared at the text, his expression darkening. The two men he had already beaten were only the surface. Danny was still out there, and now Mike was standing directly in his path.

Before he could fully process it, another notification appeared.

[Seducer's Eyes – Activated]

[Opportunity detected]

[Reward for current rescue available]

Mike's thoughts stalled.

Mia was still leaning against him, exhausted from crying, her face hidden against his chest. The rational part of his mind told him this was the wrong moment. But system was never wrong.

A faint red marker appeared at the small part of her back, just above the waistband of her skirt. After thinking, his hand drifted there. Mia flinched softly at the contact, a small sound escaping her throat.

The next marker sat lower.

Mike's control, already strained by anger and the sudden weight of the quest, slipped. His hand moved down and settled over the curve of her ass, gripping it firmly through the fabric.

"Mm…"

Mia tensed. For a second it seemed like she would push him away. Instead, her fingers tightened in his shirt. She lifted her head, eyes still wet, and pressed her lips against his.

The kiss was unsteady at first — more emotion than skill — but it deepened quickly. Mike responded without hesitation, one hand still on her ass while the other slid up her back. Mia shifted closer until there was almost no space left between them.

When they finally broke apart, her breathing was uneven.

"...Hold me," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Please... just don't let me be alone tonight. I don't want to think about any of it anymore."

Mike looked at her for a long moment. Then he nodded once.

"Alright."

He kissed her again, harder this time. Mia responded with equal intensity, her hands moving to his shoulders as he guided her backward. They sank onto the bed together, mouths still locked, bodies pressed close. Mike's hand slipped under her top and found her breast, kneading the soft flesh while his thumb brushed over her nipple. Mia arched into the touch, a low moan vibrating against his lips.

Her own hands were not idle. She reached down, struggling with his belt and zipper while he continued kissing her. When she finally freed his cock, it sprang out thick and already hard, the tip slick. Mia shifted down between his legs, kneeling on the mattress, and wrapped her fingers around the shaft.

She leaned forward and took him into her mouth without another word.

The sudden wet heat made Mike's breath catch. Mia moved carefully at first, adjusting to the size, then grew more confident, bobbing her head while her tongue pressed along the underside. One of his hands settled in her hair, not forcing, just resting there as she worked him deeper.

The room filled with the soft, wet sounds of her mouth and the low, uneven rhythm of Mike's breathing. Outside, the city continued as if nothing had changed. Inside, the weight of everything Mia had confessed still lingered — but for the moment, both of them chose to bury it under heat and contact instead of words.

Mike's fingers tightened slightly in her hair as her pace increased, the tension in his body coiling tighter with every movement of her lips.

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