Dahlia tried to convince herself that the man now sitting across from her was not the same one who had become a recurring partner in her steamy dreams. Nor was he the same person who had helped her when her car broke down. Yet, once again, her heart was reluctant to lie.
"Vlad, where is Cedrick?" Dwi's voice sliced through the tense silence that had settled over the room.
"Cedrick has some matters to attend to," Vlad replied with a frosty expression. Only the glimmer in his eyes hinted at his pleasure in the company of the two women seated with him and Dwi.
"Very well, ladies. I'd like to see the new condominiums you have to offer," Dwi redirected the conversation to the meeting's main objective.
"Certainly." Dahlia smiled warmly and signaled Shanice to retrieve the laptop from her briefcase. Opening the file that detailed the new units and images of the condominiums under construction in Sacramento, Dahlia promptly presented them to Dwi and Vlad. Without much deliberation, Vlad chose several of the best units from Dahlia's offerings, a choice that delighted her. Once again, she had secured a client who was both decisive and willing to pay a fantastic price for the luxury vertical residences she sold.
***
After that evening, Dahlia was plagued by wild and torrid dreams featuring Vlad. She was nearly at her wit's end. She did not want to betray Mathew, even in her dreams. For the past two days, Dahlia had been consuming caffeine pills to stay awake.
"Ms. Vilhem, are you okay?" Shanice asked, noticing Dahlia's downcast expression from across the desk. Dark circles framed Dahlia's tired eyes, giving her a decidedly haggard look.
Dahlia exhaled deeply, lifting her long, slender fingers from the laptop keyboard and leaning back in her chair. "I don't know, Shanice. I'm confused about how to explain it."
Shanice pulled up a chair and sat down in front of Dahlia. "Sorry if I'm being intrusive, but are you having issues with Mr. Corvinus?"
"That's the thing. We're not having issues. It's something else."
"Oh, I see. If you want to talk about it, I'm here to listen."
Shanice was right; Dahlia needed someone to talk to. But not now. She wasn't ready to be considered insane if she confessed her troubling dreams to Shanice. "Thank you, but I don't think I'll share it right now."
"Alright." Shanice's voice carried a hint of disappointment, but the sweet-skinned woman still offered Dahlia another piece of advice. "You should get some rest, Ms. Vilhem. You look utterly exhausted. Your eyes don't lie."
"You're absolutely right, Shanice. I haven't been able to think straight these past few days."
"Okay. Can I head home now?"
Dahlia nodded. "Yes. Thank you for keeping me company."
"No problem, Ms. Vilhem." Shanice stood and made her way to the door. "See you tomorrow. Good night."
"Good night."
By the time Dahlia finished reviewing her work, the clock had struck 10:00 PM. She decided it was time to head home.
The elevator doors opened in the basement parking area. Dahlia glanced around, noting the few cars parked there. The atmosphere was eerily quiet. She hurried toward her car, parked at the end of the aisle.
Sreeek… sreeek…! Dahlia heard a sound like something being dragged. Goosebumps prickled her skin. She quickened her pace, almost breaking into a run, only to stop abruptly when a man in a black leather jacket with an icy demeanor and piercing eyes appeared before her.
Instinctively, Dahlia froze, her body trembling in response to the sudden surge of fear. "Who are you?"
The man said nothing. He yanked Dahlia's bag from her and pushed her back, causing her to collide with the wall.
"Hey, who are you! Let me go!" Dahlia shouted, her voice quivering with panic.
Dahlia's desperate scream seemed to have no effect on the man. Instead, he gripped her shoulders with one hand while drawing a glistening dagger from his waist with the other. His intent was clear as he aimed the blade at Dahlia's abdomen. With a swift, instinctive motion, Dahlia managed to deflect the dagger with her hand, though not without consequence—she sustained a deep cut on her right arm. Despite the pain, she fled from the menacing figure. But the man was relentless; he seized Dahlia's hand once more and threw her onto the cold, unforgiving concrete of the parking lot. With measured precision, he drove the dagger towards her belly. Dahlia lay there, helpless and bleeding, her vision beginning to blur and her breaths becoming ragged. The darkness of unconsciousness began to close in.
Oh God, am I going to die now? she thought, as her vision grew dim and then darkened completely.
***
Faintly, Dahlia heard the murmur of two men conversing. Though their words were indistinguishable, the sound was clear enough to rouse her from her daze. She opened her eyes to a blur, but soon the fog lifted, revealing a pristine, white ceiling above her. The room was bathed in a soft, white glow, with a golden dragon motif carved into the center of the ceiling above her plush silk-covered bed.
Am I in heaven? Dahlia wondered, recalling the terrifying assault from earlier. She gingerly touched her slashed arm and raised it, aligning it with her line of sight. "Hah! No marks. My arm is fine."
She sat up, lifting her shirt to examine her abdomen. Everything appeared intact; her shirt was pristine, without a tear. Strange!
Her gaze then wandered around the room. The decor was opulent, with white walls accented by delicate vertical gold stripes at the corners.
"Oh my God! Is this heaven?" Dahlia asked, her hand covering her mouth, but then quickly retracted her assumption. "No. It's just a room. Huh."
In the midst of her confusion, Vlad suddenly appeared from behind the door. "You're awake, Ms. Vilhem."
"You?!" Dahlia exclaimed, her surprise evident. "You're Mr. Hartono's nephew, aren't you?"
"Yes, Ms. Vilhem," Vlad responded with polite formality.
"Wait!" Dahlia looked around, bewildered, then focused on Vlad again. "Where am I? And please, don't call me 'Ms.' Just call me Dahlia."
"Very well." Vlad's sapphire gaze pierced through Dahlia's golden irises, leaving her momentarily paralyzed. "You're in my home, Dahlia."
"Oh..." Dahlia got out of bed and approached Vlad, but halted as she felt the chill of his cold stare. Her body betrayed her with an unsettling sensation she couldn't ignore. Dahlia voiced her curiosity. "Vlad, have we met before? I mean, aside from at your uncle's house? I feel like we've crossed paths before." But I can't remember where or when, she added silently in her mind.
"Perhaps, but I'm not sure when or where," he replied.
Damn! How does he know what I'm thinking? Dahlia was taken aback by Vlad's response. "May I ask again, Vlad?"
Vlad's smile grew, transforming his previously impassive demeanor into one of warmth and calm. His smile was disarmingly charming, instantly dispelling his earlier aloofness.
"H-how did I get here?" Dahlia inquired.
"Cedrick found you unconscious in the Brick Lane Realty parking lot. He didn't know where to take you, so he brought you here," Vlad explained.
"Cedrick?"
"My brother."
"Oh." Dahlia raised her eyebrows. "Does your brother work at Brick Lane Realty?"
"No. He was just waiting for a friend there."
"By the way, thank you for saving me. But now I need to go home."
Dahlia glanced around, searching for her bag.
As if reading her mind, Vlad clarified, "If you're looking for your bag, it's downstairs. I'll take you home."