My room was a mess after I had scattered the insides of my closet while searching for something to wear. Finally, after a long search, my eyes landed on clothes that caught my interest.
An oversized black hoodie, with large sleeves that swallowed my hands and concealed most of my body, giving me that loose, relaxed look I adore.
I paired it with loose black street-style pants, long enough that they almost covered my shoes.
As for my feet, they chose simple black sneakers, peeking slightly from beneath the pants.
I put them on in a hurry, as if clinging to something that gave me a sense of safety. Everything about these clothes blended perfectly with my coal-black hair—this was my favorite kind.
I glanced around my room for a few seconds, then sighed in irritation at the amount of mess I had left behind. I'd clean it later. I left it as it was, and the moment I stepped into the living room, I froze in place.
My mother was standing there, waiting for me in full elegance. Her black hair was neatly styled, her clothes carefully coordinated as if she belonged to a high social class, and her smile was so radiant it made me feel like my jaw was about to hit the floor.
I hadn't expected her to dress so luxuriously, especially with that sunny look in her eyes.
"Mom, you—"
She didn't give me a chance to finish. She waved her hand impatiently, her eyes telling me to hurry.
I wasn't surprised by her behavior—this was my mother whenever she got excited about something. We went out together, heading to our first destination: the bank.
We entered the bank, and my mother walked with confidence and grace that drew attention. It made me feel uncomfortable and eager to disappear—if only the ground would split open and swallow me at that moment.
How I hated those admiring stares. I never understood why celebrities loved all this spotlight.
We approached the teller, who looked stunned by her refined manner, while I stood behind her trying to hide my face behind my hair like a lunatic.
My mother stood before him and casually rummaged through her bag, pulling out the check she had signed at home before we left. She spoke in a voice colored with happiness.
"Sir, I'd like to withdraw this amount."
The teller took the check and examined it carefully. After completing the necessary procedures, he asked her to wait a little while as he prepared the amount.
She turned to me, smiling brightly, grabbed my hand and shook it with joy.
"I'll mark this as a day to celebrate every year."
I didn't interrupt her; I merely drew a small smile.
A few seconds later, the teller returned carrying an amount that looked enormous—far more than I had ever imagined.
We completed the process. My mother took part of the money and placed it in her bag, then we left the bank.
Before we walked away, she extended her hand toward me and gave me a banknote.
"Eily, go to the nearest café here and wait for me. I'll go get rid of the debts."
She left, leaving me standing there, staring in astonishment at the bill between my fingers. I sighed deeply and slipped it into my pants pocket.
I didn't walk far before finding the café. It was nearly empty, yet I chose an outdoor table beside an artistic view of the café's garden.
The moment I sat down, a young, beautiful waitress approached. It was clear she was a student here, working part-time.
There was a gentle smile on her face, but it soon turned into open astonishment as she stared at me, making me instantly want to hide my face.
Then her voice reached me—warm, sincere, tinged with wonder.
"This is the first time in my entire life I've met a girl this attractive."
A shiver ran through my body from my head to my toes. I was about to respond, but my nervousness betrayed me. I accidentally grabbed a notebook, causing hers to fall from her hand. I bent down quickly, picked it up, and handed it to her.
"Here you go, and I'm sorry for my clumsiness."
She took the notebook, but instead of stepping away, she held my hand.
My hands were cold, so she enclosed them between her soft palms to warm them, replying gently,
"It's alright. It was my fault."
She then smiled apologetically, took my order—a cup of coffee and a strawberry cake—and excused herself to prepare it.
As soon as she walked away, an overwhelming drowsiness washed over me—heavy and sudden. I slapped my cheek, trying to shake it off, but it only grew heavier instead of fading.
My awareness wavered, my limbs grew heavy, until my head dropped between my arms and I sank into complete darkness.
The darkness was absolute, rigid, until a blinding light tore through it violently.
I shut my eyes immediately—it was painfully bright—then a screaming voice echoed, ripping through the space.
"Didn't you promise we'd get married? I loved you deeply, I did everything for you, and in the end you cheat on me with my friend!"
Then the tone shifted into brokenness and betrayal.
"And you—didn't you tell me he loved me? You always advised me… You're both liars!"
I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
It was the same waitress, screaming in collapse, her tears pouring like a river that had finally found its path.
On the other side stood a tall young man, and beside him a girl smiling with cold mockery, wearing revealing clothes, as if she were completely unconcerned with the destruction she had caused.
I looked around, trying to grasp the place—it seemed like the rooftop of a tall company building. My gaze returned to the man. He was kissing that woman shamelessly, with provoking pride.
He pulled away slightly and said with harsh contempt,
"And who said I ever loved you? I only wanted your father's wealth. Unfortunately, he lost everything."
The woman laughed arrogantly, stepped forward, and spoke with a voice dripping with disdain.
"He loved me from the start. You were nothing but a toy. As for our friendship, I never saw you as more than a means to help him reach the top. How much I endured your poor behavior, how disgusted I was by your job instead of enjoying your father's wealth… Fool."
The waitress trembled, her anger overtaking her reason. She tried to strike her in response to her words and revolting behavior, but the woman shoved her violently.
In a fleeting moment, she didn't fall to the ground—she fell off the edge of the building.
The woman widened her eyes in feigned shock, pretending to scream, while the man hugged her as she cried that she hadn't meant it. I, meanwhile, rushed forward without awareness.
I saw the waitress's body lying below, blood surrounding her. It wasn't just that—the horrific sight froze the blood in my veins. My body shook violently.
Then everything vanished, replaced by a calm, beautiful voice.
"Miss…"
I jolted awake and straightened in my seat, only to find the same waitress standing before me, placing my order on the table.
She noticed the pallor on my face and moved closer to calm me, but my memory was faster—it replayed the image of her fallen body and the blood. I gasped in terror, my breathing tightening, and without realizing it, I grabbed her hand tightly.
My hands trembled violently, as if fear had seeped into my bones. She looked at me in surprise and sat on the chair across from me.
"I think it was a nightmare you went through. It's alright."
I steadied myself and opened my mouth with difficulty.
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
My question made her stare at me for a moment, then she answered gently.
"We started dating yesterday… He's a nice person. But why this sudden question?"
I replied while intertwining my fingers to calm their trembling.
"Don't trust him… He's deceitful. And don't befriend any girl who pretends to love you."
She looked at me in astonishment, as if I had pierced through her life, as though I had lived beside her in the very moment she wanted to speak. I interrupted her.
"If you want, it's better to stay away from them. And it's best to follow your own desire—they only love their own interests."
I saw hesitation in her eyes. Then she sighed slowly.
"You're right. His sudden closeness is strange. And my friend says he's loved me for a long time, and I was the one who didn't notice. Also, my friend has started clinging to me in a suspicious way."
She sighed again, deeper this time, then smiled.
"I never expected to meet a girl who is beautiful, attractive, and also gives advice… But how did you know? Do you know me?"
I felt flustered, as if cornered, and was about to answer when a worker's voice interrupted us.
"Bilan, your father is calling you."
She jumped up, searching her pockets, and spoke in a softer voice, as if scolding herself.
"I was so drawn to seeing your face again that I forgot my phone."
She hurried toward the worker.
As for me, I watched the steam rising from my coffee and sighed in relief—it seemed she would stay away from them, judging by her words. How comforting that was.
I reached for the cup and took it, sipping slowly, enjoying the warmth of the coffee. As I listened to her laughter, she sounded happy. Then her voice gradually faded, as if she had quietly moved away.
I continued sipping my coffee, savoring its rich flavor, tasting the cake before me, surrendering to a moment of calm.
After a short while, I saw my mother approaching, nearly jumping with happiness. I stood up, left money on the table, and went to her.
The moment I reached her, she hugged me tightly.
"Mom, I think you've gone crazy… I can hardly breathe."
She kept hugging me as I spoke, then let go to tell me that we were going to see Agent Aiden Wilson.
She pulled out a paper with his office address written on it, and I noticed the place was close to this café.
What kind of luck was this, suddenly leading me here?