The Heart System Chapter 582

I tossed the cigarette aside and turned toward my car, my mind already spinning through the worst possible outcomes. Being drunk, alone, and wandering the city in the dead of night was a recipe for disaster.

Just as I was about to reach my car, the door behind me creaked open once more.

"Hey, man!"

I turned back. It was the same guy from inside, the one with the mop. He stepped out, wiping his hands on his pants before motioning for me to return.

"Could you show me the photo again?" he inquired.

I didn't hesitate. I walked back, unlocked my phone, and displayed Ivy's profile picture, holding it out to him.

He leaned in, his eyes narrowing slightly as raindrops dotted his beard.

"Hmm..." he hummed, tilting his head. "Nah... wait. Yeah. Something feels wrong."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, moving closer.

"They were wasted," he stated, shaking his head. "Like, they could barely stand. Amidst all that commotion, the girl who broke up the fight grabbed someone else and rushed into a taxi. This girl... what was her name again?"

"Ivy."

"Yeah, Ivy didn't get in."

For a moment, everything just... fell into place.

My hold on the phone tightened slightly.

"Oh... screw me."

Her friend wasn't mistaken. She genuinely believed Ivy had left with her. Both of them were too intoxicated to even notice the mix-up. The friend even mentioned that this supposed 'Ivy' acted as if she didn't recognize her... precisely because she wasn't Ivy. Damn it.

This implied Ivy had been abandoned.

Alone. Drunk. Immediately after a brawl.

"Can you tell me what she did afterward?" I asked urgently. "Which way did she go?"

He shook his head. "Nah, man. I went back inside right after things settled down. Didn't pay attention after that."

"Shit..." I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "Did anyone record it? The fight, I mean. Everyone loves a good fight, right?"

He gave a slight nod. "Yeah. People were all over it. Phones out, recording like it was some kind of concert. Our bartender even sent me a video. One sec."

He took out his phone and began to scroll. I leaned in slightly, the rain pattering down on both of us as he located the clip.

"Here."

He turned the screen towards me.

The video began shakily, clearly filmed by someone amidst the crowd. The background music was loud and bass-heavy, but it was drowned out by shouting.

The place had been absolutely packed.

People were forming a circle around a small clearing near the bar, the classic formation whenever trouble started. Some were yelling, some laughing, others simply observing like it was a show.

And right in the middle of it... was Ivy.

Her hair was disheveled, strands clinging to her face. Her movements were unsteady, her balance precarious. She was arguing with another woman, who seemed equally drunk but considerably louder.

"You're just like him!" the woman bellowed, jabbing a finger at Ivy. "Helping that lunatic! You think you're so innocent?"

"I didn't..." Ivy attempted to reply, her words slurring, her voice trembling.

"Bullshit!" the woman interrupted, closing the distance. "You stayed with him! That makes you just as guilty! My friend is dead because of you!"

"Hey, back off," another girl intervened, grabbing Ivy's arm and pulling her back slightly. That must have been her friend.

But Ivy wasn't backing down. Even in her state, barely able to stand straight, she tried to push forward again.

"I said I didn't know!" she retorted sharply, her voice rising, shaking with an emotion deeper than mere anger.

The crowd instantly reacted. Some cheered, some guffawed, while others simply held their phones higher.

The tension escalated rapidly.

The other woman made the first move, lunging forward, and everything dissolved into chaos.

Shouts erupted. A table was knocked over. A glass shattered somewhere out of frame. The camera jolted violently as the person filming struggled to keep up.

Ivy's friend immediately jumped in, grabbing her, attempting to pull her away, but Ivy fought against her, still yelling, still trying to reach the other woman.

Then the bouncer forcefully pushed through the crowd.

"Enough!" he roared, easily shoving people aside.

He seized the aggressive woman first, pulling her back, while Ivy's friend intensified her grip and began steering Ivy towards the exit.

"Come on!" her friend urged, practically dragging her at this point.

The camera followed them towards the door. Rain was visible outside, pouring down just as it was now.

A taxi pulled up.

The bouncer shoved the other woman in the opposite direction while Ivy's friend rushed forward. In the pandemonium, with people still shouting and pushing from behind, everything became a blur.

And that was when it happened.

My breathing steadied as I intently observed. In the confusion, her companion apprehended another individual – another intoxicated woman. She possessed a similar stature and build, equally inebriated, and stumbled away with the other person, being pulled into a taxi.

The vehicle's door slammed shut.

The taxi sped away.

Then, the recorded footage concluded.

"Damn..." I whispered, pulling myself upright.

"She genuinely didn't get into the car," an unidentified man remarked, returning his phone to his pocket.

"Right..." I responded, my thoughts already racing. "She didn't."

This development altered the entire situation.

Her safety was compromised. She was not with her friend. She was out there, under the influence, emotionally vulnerable, and utterly by herself.

"Do you have any inkling of her possible destination?" I inquired, though the answer was likely obvious.

He offered a shrug. "Your guess is as good as mine. However, I would investigate another establishment if I were in your position."

"Another establishment?"

"Indeed," he indicated with a nod towards the adjacent street. "There's one directly across the way, situated near that gas station. It's a more modest venue."

"You suspect she proceeded there?"

"According to our server, she consumed approximately seven or eight beers," he stated. "In such a condition, she might have desired more."

I let out a slow breath, directing my gaze towards the direction he had indicated.

It wasn't a substantial clue. Yet, it was something to pursue.

"Very well," I acknowledged with a slight nod. "My sincere gratitude, friend."

"No trouble, mate. Again, I truly hope you locate her."

"Yes," I murmured, already pivoting towards my vehicle. "As do I."