"Red dress??" Finn's voice was laced with disbelief as he watched Leon's frantic expression.
"What do you mean? Is it really important right now?" Finn struggled to grasp the urgency behind Leon's words.
"It is crucial," Leon replied, "Out of all the time I spent with her, she was obsessed with that red dress. I've seen her nurture it, caress it, and even weep over it. The very first day we met, she was wearing that same dress."
"But I've never seen her wear it," Finn said, confused.
"Exactly! It was so precious to her that she never wore it again," Leon said.
"Then why is it important now that she finally chose to wear it?" James interjected, his brows furrowed in concern.
Just then, Leon's phone buzzed. It was the chief of Deskmore Security. Leon answered, putting the call on speaker.
"Sir… we've tracked the lady," the chief's voice crackled through the phone. A charged silence fell over the room.
"She took a cab from the house and headed to an abandoned building on the outskirts of Ravengrade."
"An abandoned building?" Leon shot back, scared.
"Yes. It's an old three-story manufacturing unit from the '90s, completely deserted now."
"Finn, James... we need to move!" Leon's voice escalated as determination coursed through him. They raced toward the outskirts, Deskmore and Hales Security flanking them.
As they sped through the streets, the phone rang again,
"Sir, and…" a breathless voice began.
"What is it?" Leon demanded.
"The lady, on her route, made a stop to buy a bouquet of white roses and…"
"And??" Leon pressed;
"And two bottles of wine..."
James let out a sharp gasp. "A bouquet and wine? Is she going to meet someone at a grave?"
Leon remained silent, his thoughts jumbled as they closed in on the abandoned building. Time was running out, and he had to reach her before it was too late. Each moment felt like a countdown to him.
As they neared their building, his heart raced with a turbulent mix of dread and desperation. He, who had never been one to lean on faith, found himself murmuring prayers—clutching his hands together as if the sheer force of his hope could stop any danger. The skies above turned ominously gray, heavy with rain that mirrored the storm brewing within him.
The old building loomed ahead, shrouded in an eerie silence. He could see it clearly now, a haunting silhouette against the horizon. His gaze locked onto a small red dot on the terrace—a stark contrast amidst the decay. It was her. Joy and fear warred inside him, a pulse of dread drove him forward.
As the car screeched to a halt at the gates, time warped. Even in the strong rain, he could hear his heartbeats and feel a strong unknown fear inside him. Without a second thought, he flung the door open and leaped out. Suddenly, his whole body stood still on the ground, he saw her fall from the building, her dress swirling in the wind. "No!" he shouted, diving to catch her. His fingers brushed her waist but missed completely. The sickening crack echoed as she hit the ground, and he stood frozen, the weight of the moment crashing down around him. He collapsed near her, a silence enveloping the moment like a heavy fog. He laid there, drenched in her blood and water...