The Rahman Enterprise Tower, Ibrahim Rahman's Empire stood tall and imposing, a symbol of power and influence in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The tower's windows bore the marks of recent rain, with droplets glistening in the morning sun, signifying that the rain had come to an end.
Faisal entered Ibrahim's organized office, holding a file in his hands. Ibrahim, who had been intently scanning his computer screen, turned his attention toward his friend.
With a welcoming nod, Ibrahim acknowledged Faisal's presence. "Welcome, my friend." He then reached for the intercom and spoke to his assistant, instructing them to bring two cups of coffee.
Faisal placed the file on Ibrahim's polished desk. As he took a seat, he began to speak. "All the details are here."
Ibrahim's sharp gaze moved from the file to Faisal's face. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Hmm," Ibrahim mused, his fingers idly tapping the file. "The one thing I've always liked about you, Faisal, is that you get the job done on time." Faisal just simply nodded for the praise.
Ibrahim opened the file, revealing a treasure trove of information about Ava. Her age, her family background, her educational qualifications, her interests, her dislikes – all the details had been meticulously compiled.
Faisal watched closely as Ibrahim's gaze travelled the pages, noting the subtle shifts in his expression."Ava is very young, Ibrahim," he began, "She's only 23 years old. Whatever you're considering, please remember her age."
Ibrahim leaned back in his chair, the file remaining open before him. He met Faisal's concern with a calm yet resolute gaze. "I know, but I want her." he replied.
Their conversation was briefly interrupted as a staff member entered the office, bearing a tray with two cups of coffee. He placed the cups on the desk then left the office.
Ibrahim's gaze shifted to the windows, where the black clouds still loomed in the sky. He spoke softly, "If I were to propose a date to her, do you think she'd accept?"
Faisal let out a deep sigh and leaned back in his chair. He considered the question carefully before answering, "Who knows, dear. But you should remember, her brother is a police officer."
With a smirk playing on his lips, Ibrahim continued to stare outside. He questioned Faisal, "Have you ever seen me scared of anyone? If I were the type to be easily intimidated, I wouldn't be in the position I am today."
Faisal picked up his cup of coffee, gently blowing over the surface to cool it down before taking a sip. "I know that, Ibrahim, but you've always had a... complicated relationship with the police. If Elara were to find out that you and Ava were dating, things could get much worse." he replied.
Now Ibrahim turned his attention back to Faisal, "I want to know everything about her daily schedule. From the moment she wakes up in the morning to where she goes, what she does throughout the day – every details."
..........
The two-hour lecture came to a close. As the professor packed her belongings and left the classroom, students began to stir from their seats. Some stretched their arms and yawned, some sighing in relief as they finally got to their feet.
A few students began to make their way to the exit.
Amidst the bustle of students, Ava sat at her desk, jotting down some notes from the lecture. Beside her, there was Farah - Ava's best friend.
Farah leaned over, peering at Ava's notes with a sly smile. "Ava, still taking these notes, huh? Don't you ever get tired of all this studying?"
Ava chuckled, glancing up at her friend. "Well, someone has to keep us on track, Farah. You'd sleep through the entire lecture if I didn't remind you."
Farah shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, sleeping is a skill, too. Besides, I've got all the notes I need – in dreamland."
Ava playfully rolled her eyes, closing her notebook. "You and your dreams, Farah. They must be quite the academic resource."
Farah playfully nudged Ava's shoulder. "You know, Ava, you should try it sometime – the art of sleep during a lecture. It's truly an underrated skill."
Ava chuckled, her affection for her food-loving, nap-taking friend evident. "I'd love to, Farah, but I'd probably wake up with drool on my notes and missed half the lecture."
Farah raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Who said anything about drooling? I'm a pro at discreet napping."
Ava raised her own eyebrow in amusement. "Oh, really? So, what's your secret, Sleep Master?"
Farah leaned in closer, her voice hushed in mock secrecy. "It's all about the perfect balance between head-nodding and actual sleeping. Just enough to give the illusion of attentiveness, but not so much that the professor notices."
Ava burst into laughter. "Farah, you're something else, you know that? But seriously, one of these days, you're going to get caught."
Farah waved off the concern with a nonchalant shrug. "Eh, if it happens, it happens. For now, let's go grab some food. I'm craving a post-lecture snack."
Ava couldn't help but chuckle ,"You've got your priorities straight, Farah. So, where do you want to grab that post-lecture snack?"
With that the friends rose from their seats and headed out of the university together.
Farah's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she suggested, "I'm thinking we should try that new burger place that just opened nearby. I've heard their burgers are absolutely massive!"
Ava considered the proposal, her stomach giving a subtle growl of agreement. "Burgers do sound tempting right now. Let's go check it out."
The two friends made their way to the burger restaurant, where Farah took charge of ordering. As they sat down with their trays of delicious burgers and fries, they delved into a conversation about Mia's wedding from the previous night.
Ava couldn't help but reminisce, "Mia looked stunning, didn't she? It was like a fairy tale."
Farah nodded, her mouth full as she mumbled her agreement. "Absolutely, it was a night to remember."
Ava's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, Farah, you have to send me the pictures you took last night."
Farah's face brightened with a grin. "Of course! I got some great shots. I'll send them to you as soon as we're done here."
As Ava and Farah savored their burgers, a waiter approached their table, holding a beautiful bouquet of white roses. The moment they saw the flowers, their conversation trailed off, and Ava's eyes widened in surprise. "It's for you, miss," the waiter said, extending the flowers toward her.
Ava was momentarily taken aback. "White roses, once again?" Ava mumbled. The déjà vu was impossible to ignore. She looked up at the waiter and inquired, "Who sent these flowers?"
The waiter shook his head with a polite smile, apologetically unable to provide answers. "I'm sorry, miss. A gentleman came in and simply instructed us to deliver this bouquet to you. He didn't share any further information."
The waiter gently set the bouquet in front of Ava. With a polite nod, the waiter left.
Farah couldn't hide her surprise. "Wait, Ava, you received this exact bouquet last night?"
Ava nodded in response. "Yes, Farah. I received the same bouquet last night."
Farah leaned in, her concern evident. "Did you tell Elara about this?"
Ava hesitated before answering, "No, I haven't told him yet."
Farah's eyes widened in surprise, "Why didn't you tell Elara about it?"
Ava hesitated, her thoughts racing, "I... I'm not sure. I didn't want to worry him unnecessarily. Besides, it's just flowers, right?"
Farah sighed, leaning back in her chair, "Ava, there's something wrong here. Receiving the same bouquet twice is more than just a coincidence. You need to be careful."
Farah's brows furrowed with worry as she pressed on, "Did you receive any letters or anything else with the bouquet last night?"
Ava's memory was jogged, and she nodded. "Yes, there was a note in between the flowers."
Eager to get to the bottom of this mystery, Farah quickly took the bouquet from the chair. Her search revealed another note, similar to the one Ava had received the night before. She opened it and revealed the contents to Ava – a phone number scrawled on the paper.