"Finally, I found you, darling."

As soon as the man's captivating voice fell on her ears, Irene woke up with a start. She was gasping for breath, sweat dribbling down her forehead. She frantically looked around her to see where she was, the familiar walls of her bedroom staring back at her. Only when she was certain that she was not in the mysterious castle but in her apartment, tucked in her tiny bed, did Irene heave in relief. She licked her lips which had gone dry in fear after the horrible dream she had seen.

Irene grabbed the bottle from the bedside table and drank the water, soothing her tensed nerves. The cold water worked like magic, and finally, her erratic heartbeat returned to normal. With a frustrated sigh, she ran her hand through her hair, recalling her dream.

It was always the same scene, the same place, and the same man. No changes at all. It always started with her standing in a beige dress in front of a dark, mysterious castle at night. Irene remembered the mystifying man's red eyes, a color so strange yet beautiful. They captivated her like no other as they glowed in the candlelights.

"Why do I keep seeing this dream?" Irene held her head, trying to decipher the meaning behind it. "Who is that man, and what is that place?" She wondered, the man's charming face flashing before her eyes. It was always him. None but him. He occupied her dreams every night, luring her to him every time. Yet, Irene had no idea who he was and where the place was. She had never seen the man or the castle as far as she could remember.

The alarm blared, snapping Irene out of her thoughts. With a grumble, she pushed herself off the bed, forgetting about her dream as she dragged her body to the bathroom. She had an important meeting with her client, and she wanted the contract at all costs. Everyone in her company had placed their hopes on her, including her Boss. If everything went well, her company would get a billion-dollar contract, and they could enter the international business.

Irene stared at the girl in the mirror, her brown eyes staring back at her. She looked exhausted, and Irene wondered if it was because of the upcoming meeting. Not dwelling on it more, she got ready for her meeting.

Irene dropped her files on the small dining table, padding towards the kitchen in search of her breakfast. She quickly set up two sandwiches and a glass of juice as she carefully went through her files, ensuring she had everything she wanted. Though the meeting was scheduled for the forenoon, she had some files she had to run through her Boss. So, she was in a hurry.

She finished the sandwiches in three large bites and gulped the juice, licking her lips. Irene threw the dirty utensils into the dishwasher before she grabbed her keys and rushed out. She was glad that her neighbor was nowhere in sight. The old woman nagged at every meeting, irking Irene every time. Though she had good intentions at heart, her nosy character annoyed Irene, and she tried to avoid her.

However, her relief was short-lived when the door to the adjacent apartment opened, and the older woman peeked out, her lips widening in a grin on seeing Irene. "Irene, darling." The woman chirped, opening the door wide, and Irene cursed her lousy luck silently. 'Why did she have to find me? I managed to save myself from her for almost a week.'

Though vexed, Irene donned a smile and faced the older woman. "Good morning, Mrs. Briggs."

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"Good morning, dear. You have grown thin." The woman commented, making Irene want to roll her eyes. "Has work been stressful, dear?"

"A little, Mrs. Briggs," Irene replied, controlling her urge to run away from the place.

"That is why I tell you to quit your job and find a good man. You need to look after yourself, dear."

"Mrs. Briggs, I am sorry. I am in a hurry." Irene was done entertaining the older woman. She spoke about this every time they met, and Irene knew her every word by heart now. "I have an important meeting to attend." Even before her old neighbor could respond, Irene walked toward the elevator.

"You need to take care of yourself, dear." Finally, the elevator arrived, much to Irene's relief, and she hurried in before the older woman could continue. "When I was your age..." Irene did not hear further, for the elevator doors closed, separating the two women.

With a click, she opened her car, priding upon herself for making it here on her own. Being an orphan had never been easy, especially for Irene. She had to face struggles at every step of her life until she reached where she was. Although she seemed to live a lavish life to others, only Irene knew how much she had struggled to get where she was. Donning her shades, she ignited the engine and zoomed out of the building, smiling at the young security guard, who stood up seeing her, his eyes twinkling.

Irene knew that the guy liked her. Who didn't? Most of her male counterparts had a crush on her, and some were bold enough to approach her. However, she rejected all of them. She was not ready for any relationship, and even if she wanted to date a guy, her dark past prohibited her from taking the first step. She was well and comfortable living alone. She could care about love in the future.

Irene stopped at the junction when the signal turned red, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. She did not budge when she heard whistles from the men from the car beside her. Their lewd remarks did not faze her, for she had already noted the car number. She would hand over the details to her friend in the police department. He would take care of them for her.

When the signal turned green, Irene pressed on the accelerator, smirking at the car that had yet to catch up with her. But her smirk vanished when she saw another vehicle speeding from behind. Unfortunately, in her attempts to escape from lecherous boys, she had missed the three black cars behind her and from the looks of it, it seemed as if it was out to get her.

Irene frowned and pressed hard on the accelerator. However, the car behind her was quicker than her and caught up in an instant.

"Fuck," She gnashed her teeth, cursing the driver who was assaulting her this way. "Damn you, bastard. If I do not send you to hell today..."

Irene's eyes widened when the window rolled down, leaving a small gap. However, she could not see anything, the tinted glass obstructing her view completely. What petrified her the most was the gun pointed at her and she immediately perceived the danger she was in.

"What the hell!" She screamed in fright. Death was looming before her, and she did not even know who wanted her dead. She barely had any enemies; the ones she had were rotting in jail. Irene did not have time to think about other matters. She had to save herself first.

The road was utterly deserted, and she was trapped. Irene desperately tried to devise a plan to escape the threat as her pulse raced with adrenaline. Then, the sound of gunfire abruptly broke the stillness, and shots rained down on her car, one of the bullets striking her upper arm.

Irene lost control of the car immediately and she swerved wildly, hitting the vehicle on the left. At the same time, the car behind her collided with her vehicle. The impact jolted her, sending her crashing into the steering wheel while her car careened off the road and slammed into a ditch.

Irene was coughing and gasping for air as she endured the pain when she glanced up to see the three cars encircling her and the gun once more aimed at her, this time much closer.

With a sudden burst of energy, Irene lunged for the door handle, desperate to escape. But it was too late. Another shot rang out, this time hitting her chest. Irene slumped back in her seat instantly before darkness consumed her.