“Hey, hey! Where are you going?” Melanie quickly stopped Florentina, grabbing her arm while the other hand still held the ringing phone.
“Calm down. Don’t be afraid—it’s just a phone call. She can’t see you,” Melanie said gently, trying to steady her.
Florentina’s face had turned pale, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Only then did Florentina realize how irrational her fear had become.
It was just a call—not the terrifying presence of her stepmother.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t think about my phone. All I could think about was escaping. Luckily, I still grabbed my bag,” she said, her voice shaking.
“I’ll answer it,” Melanie said, about to pick up—but Florentina immediately stopped her.
Melanie raised a finger to her lips.
“Relax. Don’t make a sound. I know what to do.”
Taking a breath, she answered the call in a sleepy tone.
“Oh, Flora? Why are you calling so early?” she said, even adding a fake yawn for effect.
“Good morning. This is her mother,” Theresia’s voice came through—tense and anxious.
“Is Flora there?”
“Oh, aunt… I thought it was her,” Melanie replied, pretending surprise.
She turned on the speaker so Florentina could hear.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“She hasn’t come home since yesterday. Did she go to work?” Theresia asked.
“As far as I know, yes. We’re in different departments, so I don’t know where she went after work,” Melanie answered smoothly.
“What department are you in?”
“I’m in finance, aunt.”
“Oh, I heard she wanted to borrow money from the office.”
Melanie frowned slightly but kept her voice steady.
“Yes, but her request was denied. She hasn’t worked long enough yet, so she can’t apply for a loan.”
She said it deliberately—to make sure Theresia knew Florentina hadn’t lied.
“Don’t give her any money!” Theresia snapped.
“She’s been borrowing from neighbors and hasn’t paid it back.”
“Oh… really?” Melanie replied, feigning surprise.
“If you see her, tell her the neighbors are asking for their money.”
“Alright, aunt. I’ll let her know.”
The call ended.
“What kind of lie is that!?” Florentina burst out immediately.
Her anger flared, replacing her earlier fear.
“She said I didn’t come home? She’s holding my phone right now! Can a phone just walk back home by itself!?”
Melanie sighed.
“She also said you borrowed money from neighbors.”
“And you believe that?” Florentina shot back, clearly offended.
“I don’t,” Melanie said quickly.
“From the way she spoke, it’s obvious something isn’t right.”
Florentina clenched her fists.
“I think she already took money from those men. That’s why she’s panicking and looking for me everywhere.”
Melanie’s expression turned serious.
“If that’s true… then this is worse than we thought.”
“So what should I do?” Florentina asked, her voice filled with anxiety.
“For now, you stay here. Don’t go to work. I’ll figure something out,” Melanie replied firmly.
Then she handed her a towel and some clothes.
“Go take a bath first. You look like you’ve been through a war.”
That day, Melanie went to work as usual, while Florentina remained hidden in the boarding house.
At the office, Melanie acted as if nothing had happened.
“Where’s Flora?” Tina, a chubby assistant pharmacist, asked as she approached.
“I don’t know. Maybe she’ll come later,” Melanie replied casually.
“Her mom called me this morning. Said Flora didn’t come home,” Tina explained.
Melanie was slightly surprised.
It seemed Theresia had contacted multiple people from Florentina’s phone.
*So it’s true… she’s desperate,* Melanie thought.
Not long after, Bobon, the courier, came over.
“Miss, have you seen Flora?”
“Why?” Melanie asked.
“Her mom called me too.
Said she’s missing.”
“Oh really?
That’s strange…” Melanie replied, acting clueless.
“Didn’t she call you?” Bobon asked.
“No.
What’s going on?”
“I don’t know.
But wow… that woman is scary,” he muttered.
“Don’t judge people like that,” Melanie said, though she understood his fear.
“But she scolded me for no reason,” Bobon grumbled.
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed from the front counter.
Curious, Melanie followed Bobon to take a look.
A middle-aged woman was shouting at Anne, the cashier.
“Be honest! If Flora is inside, tell her to come out!” the woman demanded angrily.
“She’s not here, ma’am. She hasn’t come in today,” Anne replied calmly.
Melanie immediately recognized the voice.
*Theresia… she actually came here,* she thought, stunned.
Without drawing attention, Melanie quietly returned to her desk, determined not to reveal anything.
After lunch, Mrs.
Tracy, the owner and pharmacist, called employees one by one.
She had received reports about a woman causing a scene—claiming to be Florentina’s mother.
“Yesterday she tried to apply for a loan, but I rejected it,” Fanny from finance explained.
“She hasn’t worked long enough.”
Melanie, despite knowing everything, pretended ignorance.
Florentina wasn’t ready to face the truth publicly.
Later that afternoon, as Melanie prepared to go home, Tina approached her again.
“Anne got stopped earlier,” Tina said.
“Stopped?
Where?”
“Not far from the office.
Someone asked her about Flora.”
Melanie felt uneasy.
“What did they want?”
“They were looking for Flora.
Asking if she was here.”
“Why don’t they believe she’s not here?” Melanie muttered.
“I don’t know… what’s going on with her?”
“I have no idea,” Melanie replied.
On her way home, Melanie rode her motorcycle as usual.
About ten minutes later, a strange feeling crept in.
*Am I being followed?*
To be sure, she stopped at a minimarket.
As she entered, she glanced sideways—a man passed by.
But when she came out, the same man stood nearby, pretending to light a cigarette.
Through her mirror, she saw him follow her again.
*He’s definitely following me.*
Melanie turned onto a different road, trying to lose him.
But he followed.
She sped up—he sped up.
She slowed down—he slowed down.
Always keeping a distance.
Her chest tightened.
*This is bad…*
Ahead, a roadblock forced vehicles to detour into an abandoned warehouse area.
The place was eerily quiet.
“Oh God… I can’t turn back now,” she whispered.
She accelerated into the area.
Behind her, the man sped up—this time faster.
He was closing the distance.
Suddenly—
Her motorcycle sputtered… and died.
Out of fuel.
Panic surged through her veins.
Without thinking, she abandoned the bike and ran.
But it was useless.
Within seconds, the man caught up and grabbed her shoulder.
“Help! Heeelp!” Melanie screamed at the top of her lungs, struggling desperately to break free.