"We'd be delighted to interview you," interviewer said as long as she enters Henry's office while holding her a thick book.
Henry who sitting cross-legged in his office chair, asks the interviewer's name.
"My name is Niki Aurora," she replies, bowing her head respectfully.
"Please proceed," Henry says, gesturing for her to begin the interview. Niki sits at a distance and asks her questions, maintaining a respectful demeanor.
"Mr. Henry, thank you for agreeing to this interview. My first question is, everyone knows your story of perseverance and hard work in achieving your dreams, especially during difficult times. If you had to go through that same experience today, how would you approach it?"
Henry smiles confidently and responds, "That day will never come again. No one can easily replicate my success (says proudly), and if I were to face a similar downfall, I would change everything before it's too late."
"You're absolutely right. My next question is straightforward, but everyone's eager to know the answer. What lessons or inspiration can people draw from your journey to achieve success like yours?"
"Simply put, hard work is the key to success. Dedicated effort and perseverance are the only paths to reaching the top."
"That's also true, so I'm willing to believe that anyone can work hard and become the richest person in the world, like... (raises an eyebrow) you."
"(Henry forces a smile.) Of course, you can."
"Mr. Henry, I've heard that you recently inaugurated a 7-star hotel, and the area where the building stands used to have 50 family homes. Can you tell me where all those people have gone?"
"(Henry exhales with relief.) My team has relocated all those people to a safe place. We're taking care of them, and I assure you that they'll receive the kind of homes that every human being deserves."
"Is that really true? Because there are news reports that 30 people from those 50 houses committed suicide due to homelessness and starvation."
Niki clenches her fists, eagerly awaiting Henry's response.
"Nobody's death is my responsibility, and my employees handle all the details, so I'm not fully informed about everything..." Henry says. But before he can continue, Niki's anger reaches a tipping point. She jumps up from her chair, her face red with rage. Suddenly, a thick book appears in her hand. As she opens it, a hidden compartment is revealed, and a small pistol falls out. With swift and deadly precision, Niki fires multiple shots at Henry's chest, her bullets piercing the air with a deafening roar.
Despite his efforts to stand he collapses to the ground. The sound of the gunfire echoes through the room, and Xylia rushes in. As the emergency alarm blares to life, Henry's bodyguards burst into the office, swiftly taking control of the situation and securing the room.
Niki crumples to the ground, the pistol still clutched in her trembling hands. She buries her face in her palms, her body racked with sobs. With a quivering voice, she whispers a heartbreaking apology: "Forgive me, Mom... Dad..." The words hang in the air like a lament, a poignant expression of her anguish and regret. As she weeps, her tears fall like bitter rain, a testament to the devastating consequences of her actions.
Niki rises to her feet once more, her eyes devoid of remorse. With a resolute expression, she extends her hands outward, ready to be taken into Jail. Her movements are deliberate and unhesitant, suggesting a sense of conviction and justification for her actions. She seems to embrace her fate, her face set in a determined mask, as if she is convinced that what she did was necessary and right.
Within minutes, an ambulance and police arrive at the scene. The paramedics rush to attend to Henry, puts him into the ambulance as the police officers move to apprehend Niki. Xylia, consumed by shock and rage, lunges at Niki, grasping her throat with both hands and screaming, "Why did you do this?! Why did you shoot him?! Why?!" Her voice is hoarse with anguish and her grip is tight, but the police officers intervene, struggling to restrain her and pull her away from Niki.
Niki whispers in her mouth, her words laced with a sinister grin: "He's not going to make it." The eerie smile that spreads across her face sends a chill down Xylia's spine, as if Niki is reveling in the gravity of her actions.
The police forcibly pull Niki away from the scene, but Xylia, overwhelmed with grief and shock, collapses to the ground, unable to bear the weight of what has unfolded. She sits there, motionless and distraught, as the reality of the situation crushes her.
"No, I can't bear the thought of living without Henry. I can't lose him. I won't let anything happen to him," Xylia murmurs, her voice cracking with emotion. Suddenly, she regains consciousness from her nightmare, quickly wiping away her tears as she struggles to compose herself.
Xylia quickly gets her car from parking spot and heads towards the place where their story first began, where she made Henry hers. Although it's already night, she doesn't hesitate or stop. She continues driving until she reaches the exact spot where she had first met Kaelara, the place where it all started.
Xylia drops to her knees, her hands clasped together in a pleading gesture, and calls out desperately into the darkness: " where are you? Please, come out! I need you!" Her voice is laced with urgency .