Farah held up the note with the phone number, displaying it for Ava to see. "Look, there's a phone number here."
Ava considered the note for a moment before asking, "Should I call the number?"
Farah studied the note and then looked back at Ava, her brow furrowing in thought. "Whoever this person is, they're clearly inviting you to call them. But think about it, why would they send you a phone number in a bouquet? If they wanted to talk, they could've just called you directly."
Ava suggested, "Maybe they don't have my number."
Farah couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief. She whispered, "Ava, you're far too innocent sometimes. Nowadays, it's not difficult to find someone's phone number. We're in countless group chats, social media platforms, and more. Plus, if they've sent flowers to your apartment, that means they know your address. And if they know your address, they most likely have your number, too."
Ava's eyes widened in realization. She had never thought about it that way. Her voice quivered as she mumbled, "What... What should I do now?" Ava's breathing got faster.
Momentarily forgetting about her burger, Farah handed Ava a glass of water. She advised, "Drink some water first, Ava. Calm your nerves."
Ava obediently took the glass. After finishing the glass, she took a deep, calming breath.
.....
An hour had passed since the unexpected bouquet of white roses had arrived, and Ava and Farah now found themselves in Farah's room. Farah lived in a shared apartment with some of her classmates, each having their own room.
Farah reached for her laptop and powered it up. She looked at Ava and said, "Hey, give me the note." Ava retrieved the note from her jeans pocket and handed it to Farah. Ava also took seat beside Farah.
"Do you think you can find out whose phone number this is?" Ava asked.
Farah's confident grin reassured her. "Don't doubt it, buddy. It's a one-minute job." Farah had a knack for hacking and computer skills that had earned her a reputation among her friends.
Farah began to work her digital magic. First, she ran the phone number through various online databases and directories, hoping to find a public match to the seemingly enigmatic digits. Then, she scoured social media networks, searching for any profiles or mentions associated with the number. However, her excitement turned to disappointment.
Frustration crept into Farah's expression as she realized the dead-end nature of the task. She shook her head and, with a sigh, turned to Ava, admitting, "I'm sorry, Ava. This number seems to be well-protected, and I can't access the owner's information. It's a private number." She closed her laptop and let her head rest on the bed, clearly disheartened by her inability.
Ava's face mirrored Farah's disappointment. Ava attempted to comfort her friend, " Leave it, The more we dig into this, the more we might stress ourselves out."
She stood up on the floor and reached for a packet of chips that was on the table, opening it with a crinkle of plastic. Taking a seat beside Farah, Ava extended the packet. Farah accepted a handful of chips, her mood improving as she munched on the salty snack. "What was written on the previous note, Ava?" Farah asked.
Ava munched on the chips, her tone nonchalant as she replied, "Not much, really. The note just said that the sender had seen me at Mia's wedding last night. Nothing else."
"So, they've seen you at Mia's wedding, but why all the secrecy, It's just so... bizarre." Farah crunched on a chip and said.
Ava leaned her back on the bed. "I wish I knew, Farah. It's been bothering me since last night."
"We can't just let someone toy with you like this. It's not right." , Farah replied.
"Thanks, Farah. I'm lucky to have you by my side. Let's just hope we don't get any more of those white roses.", Ava appreciated.
Farah couldn't help but smile, "Hey, if those roses keep coming, at least we'll have a beautiful garden by the end of it."
Ava playfully nudged Farah with her elbow. "Even we could start our own flower shop with all these roses. We'll call it 'Mystery Roses' and become famous."
Farah chuckled as she added, "And you'll become the unofficial rose queen of Kuala Lumpur, Ava."
Ava rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, but a smile played at the corners of her lips. "Oh, great. Just what I've always dreamed of – a garden of mystery roses."
.......
Ibrahim's heavy footsteps echoed through the dimly lit apartment, each step an harbinger of the storm brewing within him. He pushed the door open without ceremony, and there he stood, a looming presence, his sharp jaw tense and his brown eyes smoldering with anger.
Haroon, his business partner, was seated at a cluttered desk, his focus locked onto a laptop screen displaying an array of digital charts and figures. His shock at Ibrahim's unannounced entrance was evident as he looked up, caught off guard by the sudden intrusion.
For a moment, the room was draped in silence. They had just faced a substantial loss in their arms trafficking business, and the tension between them was suffocating. They were same age and they have done arms trafficking for years.
Ibrahim wasted no time, getting straight to the point. "Haroon, do you have any idea what you've done? We were on the brink of sealing a massive arms deal, and you messed it up! Do you have any explanation for this?"
Haroon looked flustered and uneasy. He stammered, "Ibrahim, I swear, it wasn't my fault. There were unforeseen complications, and I couldn't control the situation."
Ibrahim's anger intensified, and he clenched his fists. "Complications? Haroon, we can't afford complications in this business. We're talking about millions of dollars, and you jeopardized everything. Explain what happened."
Haroon began recounting the unfortunate turn of events. "We were supposed to meet the buyers at the designated location, but as soon as we arrived, the authorities were already there. It's like they knew we were coming. They seized the entire shipment, and we had to flee to avoid arrest."
Ibrahim's fury was a smoldering fire, "We're under the scrutiny of the law now, and our entire arms trafficking network could be exposed. Our rivals will seize this opportunity, and our buyers may no longer trust us. Do you have any idea of these , Haroon?"
Haroon wiped his sweat-drenched brow, his voice shaking as he spoke. "Ibrahim, I understand I made a colossal mistake. I couldn't have foreseen the level of scrutiny we'd face. But we can recover, right? We can find another way, rebuild."
Ibrahim's stern expression darkened with every passing moment. "We can't afford mistakes like this, Haroon. This isn't a game we're playing. Our lives, our business, everything is hanging by a thread. Do you think our competitors will show us mercy? Do you believe our buyers will have faith in us after this fiasco?"
Haroon hung his head, admitting his failure. "Ibrahim, I'll do whatever it takes to make amends. I'll find a way to fix this, to regain control."
Ibrahim's voice was unrelenting and unforgiving as he responded, "You've put us in a perilous position, Haroon. If we don't act decisively, if we don't regain control and identify who tipped off the authorities, we might as well surrender to them ourselves. This is no time for hesitation or half-measures. We need to discover who's behind this."
Haroon attempted to calm the storm that was Ibrahim. "Ibrahim," haroon began "We can attempt to recover the arms from the authorities.I have some contacts who might be able to help but I also need your help. I can't do this alone."
However, Ibrahim was in no mood for reassurances. He stepped close, his eyes locking onto Haroon's, "This isn't the time for your usual talk. If those arms aren't recovered within two days, you won't see the sun on the third day. Don't forget to find out who betrayed us, who tipped off the authorities. I want every names, and I want them at my feet."
Haroon's eyes widened in terror at the ominous threat. "Ibrahim, I promise you, I'll move heaven and earth to get those arms back. I won't let our business crumble. You have my word."
With that Ibrahim turned on his heel and left Haroon's apartment. Haroon, left behind, took a deep, shuddering breath. He muttered to himself, "This man will give me a heart attack one day."