Chapter 1

Linda gazed out her apartment window, watching the rain cascade down in rivulets. The city's lights danced in the puddles, creating a distorted reflection of the world outside. She clutched the worn armrest of the armchair, her fingers white with tension. The past week's events had left her on edge, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

It had been a week since Robert Ellis's murder, and the city was still reeling from the shock. The media had dubbed the unknown killer "The Justice Seeker," given the pattern of targeting men who had caused harm to women. Linda had followed the reports with a sense of detached interest, her secret self carefully hidden beneath a facade of normalcy.

Linda worked at the city's central library, surrounded by rows of books. Her colleagues saw her as a quiet and diligent librarian, never suspecting the darkness beneath her surface. As she shelved books and helped patrons find their desired titles, she couldn't help but feel a profound disconnect between the life she portrayed and the one she secretly led.

That evening, as Linda walked the dimly lit streets back to her apartment, her senses were on high alert. She had meticulously covered her tracks, leaving no trace that could lead the police to her. But the feeling that someone was watching her had become a constant presence, a shadow that refused to be shaken.

Entering her apartment, Linda locked the door behind her and turned on the lights. The small living room was cosy, filled with mismatched furniture and the soft glow of lamps. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unease that clung to her like a second skin.

As Linda settled onto the couch, her thoughts drifted to the man who had haunted her dreams for the past week. Detective Hiroshi Tanaka was no ordinary investigator. He had a reputation for solving the most perplexing cases, his sharp mind and relentless pursuit of the truth earning him both admiration and fear.

Linda had followed the news coverage of the murder investigation closely. She had seen Tanaka's determined expression as he stood before the press, vowing to bring the Justice Seeker to justice. His eyes held a fierce determination that sent shivers down her spine.

But it wasn't just fear that Linda felt when she thought of Detective Tanaka. There was something else, a strange and unsettling attraction that defied reason. She had caught glimpses of him on TV, his dark eyes piercing through the screen, and each time, her heart had raced inexplicably.

Shaking her head as if to banish these thoughts, Linda rose from the couch and walked to the window. The rain had subsided, leaving the city glistening under the streetlights. She knew that her actions were risky, that the thrill of the hunt was becoming dangerously intertwined with her own desires.

Linda's phone buzzed on the coffee table, interrupting her thoughts. She picked it up and saw a message notification. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the unfamiliar number. With trembling fingers, she unlocked her phone and opened the message.

"Tick-tock, Linda. The game is afoot, and you can't hide forever."

The words sent a chill down Linda's spine. She felt panic and exhilaration, knowing that her carefully constructed world was teetering on the edge of exposure. As she stared at the message, she couldn't deny the rush that surged through her veins.

Outside her window, the city seemed to hold its breath, its secrets buried beneath layers of rain-soaked pavement. In the shadows, Linda and Detective Tanaka were on a collision course, their destinies entwined in a dance of obsession and danger that would challenge everything they thought they knew.