After the incident at the café, Liz went back home because her day hadn’t gone as planned. She couldn’t stop thinking about Otto. To distract herself from everything that had happened, she decided to go on the blind date Lena had been persistently asking her about. So, she picked up her phone and gave her a call.

“Hey babe, yeah… umm, about that blind date you’ve been asking me to go on, I think I need it now,” she said.

“Wow, are you for real?” Lena asked.

“Yes, I am.”

“I’m gonna get you the best date. Just get ready. I’ll text you the address. See you at six. Bye, girlfriend.” Lena ended the call.

Liz chuckled at how Lena had sounded over the phone. She was clearly excited that her best friend had finally agreed to go on the blind date she’d been insisting on. Liz remembered their conversation about a month ago when she had bluntly refused.

“Why don’t you just want to go on this date? Seriously, tell me,” Lena had asked.

“I’ve told you countless times, I don’t wanna go. All these blind dates never work out. How would you feel if you went on a date with a guy you’ve never met before? Come on, it doesn’t make sense,” Liz had replied.

“You know what? You’re impossible. I still ask myself how we became friends. Like, how the hell did we even meet?”

“You’re the one who came up to me and asked if we could be friends,” Liz reminded her.

“But why won’t you go on that date? I’ve told you it’s one of my colleagues from work… you need to have second thoughts about that, Liz,” Lena pleaded.

But Liz had paid her no attention back then. Now, deciding to go on the date felt almost funny.

At the moment, she was standing in front of her mirror, admiring herself. Liz always liked to look her best, she never joked with her appearance. She smiled at how stunning she looked in her red, body-hugging, knee-length dress. It was a gift from her mother on her last birthday, and she’d kept it safe for a special occasion. Tonight felt like the right moment.

After getting dressed, she set off to the restaurant Lena had texted her about. When she arrived, she spotted her blind date immediately from the description Lena had given. She walked up to him.

“Hi,” she greeted, flashing her best smile.

“Hey, you look more beautiful than I imagined,” he complimented, gesturing toward their table.

As they sat down, their food was brought to them.

“I’m Giles—Giles Macmillan,” he introduced himself.

“Liz Fred. Nice to meet you, Giles,” she replied.

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss. So, can I get to know more about you?” he asked gently.

“As I said earlier, my name is Liz, and I’m a writer,” she said.

“Wow, you’re a writer, that’s nice. So, can you tell me your interests? I mean, your hobbies, what you detest, you know… things like that,” he asked.

“My hobbies are traveling and singing. I detest when people speak ill of me or when someone doesn’t mind their business,” she said with a smile.

“Ouch, that hurts,” he joked, touching his chest.

“Oh, I didn’t mean it that way,” she replied apologetically.

“I was just kidding.”

“Oh, great. I thought you took it seriously. So, can you tell me about yourself too?” she asked.

“Well, there’s not much to know. I’m a nurse, a senior nurse. I’m twenty-eight and currently single, but I’m planning on settling down soon… if I find the right lady,” he said.

“Of course. Everyone wants to find the right person. No one wants to end up with the wrong one and regret it later,” Liz agreed.

“Yeah, you’re right. So…” he continued, but Liz’s attention had drifted. She couldn’t help thinking about Otto. Giles was perfect, polite, had a good job, a well-reserved gentleman, and good-looking but he wasn’t as handsome as Otto. No matter how she tried, Otto’s face wouldn’t leave her mind.

It seemed Giles noticed her distraction, because he tapped her gently, bringing her back to reality.

“It seems I’m boring you with my chat, right?” he asked calmly.

“No, no, you’re not. It’s just… I’ve been having a bad day,” she said.

“We all have bad days. Do you mind sharing your little adventure with me?” he asked politely.

(Giggles) “Your… your what? Why would you call it an adventure?” she asked.

“Isn’t it an adventure? Or what would you like me to call it?” he teased.

“Anything other than adventure,” Liz replied.

“Okay, Miss Liz, do you mind sharing your worries with me? Remember, a problem shared is a problem solved,” Giles said.

(Laughs) “Oh my goodness, you’re really funny. I think you’d make a good comedian,” she said.

“I’ve been told that countless times. So… mind sharing?” he asked again.

“Nah, I don’t think you should bother yourself with that. Let’s just focus on our date and forget about my so-called adventure,” Liz said.

“Well, if you insist. I wouldn’t want to seem persistent,” he said, and they moved on to another topic.

Liz decided she wasn’t going to let her mood ruin the date. She already had a bad day starting with that unsettling dream and she felt sorry for being absentminded. She resolved to enjoy the evening with Giles and take her mind off Mr. Otto Hewlett.

Just as they were getting into the flow of conversation, some commotion started outside. Curious murmurs and shouts drew their attention. After a while, the noise died down slightly but didn’t completely stop.

Then, a group of suited men walked straight to Liz’s table. One of them bowed before her, leaving her wondering what on earth was happening. Who were these men, and why was this one bowing to her?

“Madam, Mr. Hewlett would like to meet you,” one of them said.

The words hit Liz like a thunderbolt. Her heart raced wildly. Why would he call her? Did he know her from somewhere? In that instant, flashes from her dream came rushing back they all felt terrifyingly real.

Outside the window stood Mr. Otto Hewlett, staring straight at her with a deadly smirk. She couldn’t see his eyes through the dark glasses, but she knew, deep down, that he was staring daggers at her.

But why? Why would he want to see her? she thought.