As the clock struck midnight,
the silence of the room enveloped Leo like a thick fog.
He had thought the darkness would bring him peace,
a respite from the turmoil of the day, but instead, it morphed into a
battleground for his restless mind.
In his dreams, the familiar scene unfolded—a dimly lit street,
the air thick with tension.
The sound of distant sirens wailed like a haunting melody,
and the night felt alive with an impending sense of dread.
He was there again,
standing helplessly in the midst of chaos,
the memories crashing over him like relentless waves.
Suddenly, a group of fans appeared, Genna's fans.
their faces twisted with rage, eyes wide and wild.
They were shouting, their voices echoing in the night like a cacophony
of accusation and fear.
"He's a stalker!" they screamed, their words piercing through the darkness.
"He did this to Genna!"
Leo's heart raced, pounding in his chest like a war drum.
He felt the weight of their anger bearing down on him,
each accusation driving deeper into his psyche.
He tried to speak, to defend himself, but the words wouldn't come.
His throat tightened as if an invisible hand was gripping it,
choking him, making it hard to breathe.
Just then, the sharp flash of cameras erupted around him, blinding him momentarily.
The strobe-like lights sparked a deep-rooted terror within him,
igniting memories of the media frenzy that had engulfed his life after the incident.
The relentless clicking of shutters echoed like gunfire,
each flash capturing his torment,
each photograph an unforgiving reminder of the scandal that had shattered his world.
He saw unfamiliar faces that sneering at him and laughing at him and saying..
"Look what you've done," the figure sneered, voice dripping with disdain.
"This is all your fault. You should have protected her."
Leo's heart raced, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"No… please, no…" he pleaded, tears streaming down his cheeks.
As the figure advanced, Leo's world began to crumble, the weight of guilt pressing down on him like a heavy shroud.
He could feel the darkness closing in, suffocating him,
and just as he thought he might lose himself completely,
he jolted awake, gasping for air, the echoes of his nightmare still reverberating in his mind.
His heart raced as he sat up in bed,
drenched in sweat, the remnants of the dream lingering like a shadow.
He pressed his hands against his chest,
trying to calm his racing heart, reminding himself it was just a dream.
But the fear still clung to him, the images of betrayal and blame fresh in his mind,
compounded by the haunting flashes of cameras that had captured his most vulnerable moments.
With a shaky breath, Leo tried to shake off the lingering dread.
He glanced at the clock, the late hour reminding him that he would have to face another day filled with the pressures and uncertainties he so desperately wanted to escape.
But for now, all he could do was sit in the dark, grappling with the haunting memories that refused to let him go.
As the morning sun filtered through the office windows,
casting a warm glow on the otherwise sterile environment,
Leo sat at his desk, the remnants of his nightmare still clinging to him like a shadow.
He stared at the scattered documents in front of him,
but his mind was elsewhere, lost in the echoes of the night before.
The sounds of the office—keyboard clacking, phones ringing—felt distant, as if he were underwater, submerged in a world that didn't quite touch him.
Just then, I entered the room, a steaming cup of tea in my hands. The aroma wafted toward him, a gentle reminder of warmth and comfort.
"Leo, are you okay?" I asked, concern etching my voice as I approached his desk.
He blinked, pulling himself from the depths of his thoughts,
and looked up at me with a blank expression.
"Hmmm?" he murmured, as if trying to shake off the remnants of the dream.
"Ahh, Melody. I'm okay, thanks for the tea," he replied,
his tone nonchalant, but the heaviness in his eyes told a different story.
"Are you sure?" I pressed, not ready to let him off the hook so easily.
I placed the cup down in front of him, leaning slightly closer.
"You don't look okay."
Leo let out a soft sigh, running a hand through his hair.
"I just had a rough night, that's all," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Nothing I can't handle."
I frowned, studying him intently.
"It's okay to talk about it, you know. You don't have to go through this alone,"
I offered, hoping to encourage him to share.
He finally met my gaze, and for a moment, the walls around him seemed to crack.
"I appreciate that, Melody," he said, his voice steadier now.
"It's just hard to talk about it right now."
I wanted to probe further, but I sensed his hesitation. Instead, I shifted the topic.
"I brought you the reports you needed," I said, handing him the stack of documents.
"I thought it might help you focus on work."
He took the reports from me, a slight smile breaking through his somber expression.
"Thanks, Melody. You always know how to help me get back on track."
"Just trying to make your day a little easier," I replied, returning his smile.
"Do you have a plan for the meeting later?"
"Yeah, just trying to wrap my head around these reports first," he said, glancing down at the papers, his brows furrowing slightly.
"I want to make sure everything is in order before we present."
"Let me know if you need any help,"
I offered, wanting to support him in any way I could.
He nodded, appreciating the gesture.
"I will. It's good to have someone I can rely on."
His gaze softened as he looked at me, and I felt a warm flutter in my chest at his words.
As we talked about the reports and upcoming projects,
I could see the tension in Leo begin to ease, his focus shifting back to work.
As Leo and I entered the conference room, the atmosphere felt off.
The soft hum of conversation between his employees died down as he took his place at the head of the table.
But just as he began to speak, the lights flickered, casting strange, intermittent shadows across the room.
Leo's breath hitched, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the blinking lights. It was subtle at first—a tightening of his jaw, a quick glance around the room.
But I noticed. Something was wrong.
The lights flickered again, more violently this time, as if taunting him.
His hand gripped the edge of the table,
his knuckles white.
I saw the tension rising in his shoulders,
and a bead of sweat trickled down his temple.
"Fix the lights!"
Leo's voice cracked sharply across the room,
startling everyone into silence.
The sudden shout hung heavy in the air,
his usual calm demeanor shattered by the panic seeping into his voice.
I stepped closer, ready to calm him, but it was too late.
The flickering lights seemed to pull him deeper into his own mind, into a place where reason couldn't reach him.
His breath became ragged, shallow, as though the air itself was thinning.
He tugged at his collar, his fingers fumbling with his tie.
"I said fix it!" His shout grew louder,
the demand more desperate.
His eyes darted around the room, as if searching for an escape.
"Cancel the meeting!" he barked,
his voice a strained growl as he slammed his hand against the table.
"Everyone out—now!"
His employees exchanged nervous glances,
unsure of what was happening, but no one dared to challenge him.
The room emptied quickly, chairs scraping against the floor as they scrambled out,
leaving me and Leo alone.
Leo turned on his heel, practically storming out of the conference room and down the hall.
I followed close behind, the echo of his footsteps fast and uneven.
When he reached his office, he shoved the door open and stumbled inside,
his hands immediately going to his tie, yanking it loose with trembling fingers.
He stood there, gasping for breath as if suffocating under invisible pressure.
The tie fell to the floor, forgotten.
His chest heaved, his eyes wild and unfocused,
lost in a memory that had taken hold of him with brutal force.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to approach him.
"Leo," I called gently, stepping toward him.
He didn't respond.
His breathing was erratic,
like he was caught in the grips of some terrible nightmare.
"Leo!" I said more firmly, reaching for his shoulder.
He flinched at my touch, his wide eyes snapping to mine, still filled with the remnants of panic.
The fear was palpable,
as if the flickering lights had ripped open old wounds he tried so hard to keep buried.
The shock of his action froze me in place,
my arms falling limply to my sides.
For a moment, Leo looked as stunned as I felt—his eyes filled with a fleeting sense of regret.
But he didn't stop.
Without another word, he hurriedly stood,
bolting from the room,
leaving me standing there in stunned silence.