Followed

Susan nods, unaware of Maria's turmoil. "Yes, Josse came by to visit. It was nice to see him again."

Maria forces a smile. "Okay, I'll get going," she says abruptly, her words rushed. "I just wanted to drop by."

Without waiting for Susan's response, Maria turns and quickly leaves the house. Her thoughts are jumbled as she hurries back to her car, needing to process what she has just heard and the implications for Susan's well-being.

As she drives away, Maria grips the steering wheel tightly, replaying the conversation in her mind and trying to decipher Susan's demeanor and the significance of Josse's visit. "Maybe I can find something on her desk at the office," Maria thinks.

Maria's mind races as she navigates the streets, her thoughts tangled with concern and curiosity. She desperately needs to understand more about Josse's visit and what it might mean for Susan.

When arriving at the office, Maria takes a deep breath. As she enters, she hears a voice from a cubicle. A man stands smiling at her with a curious look, wondering why she is there on a holiday.

"What are you doing here? Isn't today your holiday?" the man asks, walking toward her.

"Hi, Tommy. Yeah, I came to pick up something for Susan," Maria replies, deliberately avoiding further details. She knows Tommy is a bit of a blabbermouth, and his cubicle is right next to Susan's.

As Tommy is about to ask more questions, Maria quickly adds, "I'm in a hurry. I'll just grab what I need and head back."

Maria walks to Susan's cubicle and begins searching for anything that might clarify her doubts, but she finds nothing. Frustrated, she reaches the last drawer, which is locked, and there is no sign of where the key might be.

"Hey, Tommy," she begins, "do you happen to know where Susan keeps the key for this drawer?" She gestures towards the locked drawer with a hint of frustration in her voice.

Tommy looks puzzled for a moment, then his expression brightens. "Oh, I think I might know. Susan usually keeps her keys in a small compartment under the drawer, attached to the underside of it."

Although Maria is creeped out by how Tommy seems to know about things that should be private and frustrated that she has to rely on him, she pushes her feelings aside. The important thing is to find out what is in that drawer.

"Thanks, Tommy," Maria says, her voice clipped as she turns away. She hurries back to Susan's cubicle and crouches down to inspect the underside of the drawer. Sure enough, she finds a small compartment with a brass latch. With a quick flick of her fingers, she opens it and retrieves a set of keys.

Maria unlocks the drawer and carefully pulls it open. Inside, she discovers a diary, its presence seeming out of place among the other documents. Her curiosity is piqued.

She takes the diary in her hand and opens the first page. As she glances through a few lines, she feels a rush of urgency. The words are intimate and revealing, touching on personal feelings and reflections that Susan poured into the diary. But what really catches Maria's attention is something more troubling and specific, something that makes her worry deeply.

Realizing she can't read it all in the office and feeling a mix of urgency and anxiety, Maria quickly slips the diary into her handbag. She then hurries out of the office, her mind racing as she makes her way to her car.

Unbeknownst to Maria, a shadowy figure observes her exit. The figure's face is obscured, but a disturbing smile curls at the edges of their lips. The dark atmosphere around them adds to the unsettling presence, hinting at an ominous intent or a hidden agenda.

As Maria drives away, the figure's gaze follows her, a mix of satisfaction and unease in their expression. The figure remains hidden in the shadows, their purpose and connection to the diary still shrouded in mystery.

As Maria drives, she seeks a quiet place where she can read the diary without interruption. A nearby café comes to mind, so she turns at the next intersection, heading in that direction.

However, as she makes the turn, she notices something. The same car that has been trailing her at a distance seems to follow her every move. Each time she turns, the car makes the same turn, maintaining a consistent distance behind her.

Maria tries to shake off the unsettling feeling, convincing herself that she might be overthinking it. She makes a few more turns, hoping to lose the car or confirm her suspicion. Yet, each time, the same vehicle follows her, tracking her movements with unnerving precision.

Feeling a mix of paranoia and anxiety, Maria decides to drive to a more populated area, hoping that the presence of other people might dissuade any potential follower. Her mind is consumed with worry about who might be following her and what their intentions are.

Maria lets out a sigh of relief as she notices the car that has been following her is no longer in sight. She pulls into the parking lot and navigates toward the D section, which is farther from the mall's main entrance but has available parking spots. She feels a pang of frustration, knowing this means a longer walk to the café, but she reminds herself that it is better to be cautious and make sure she isn't being followed.

Finding a spot in the D section, she parks her car and checks her surroundings carefully before getting out. The area is quieter compared to the A section, which is closer to the mall's entrance and usually more crowded. Maria takes a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, and locks her car.

But to her dismay, someone keeps watch over her. As she walks out of her car, someone else also emerges, tailing her every step. Little by little, he closes the distance between them. Soon, Maria notices someone behind her. In a panic, she picks up her pace, but the person behind also starts walking faster.

Maria's pulse quickens as she realizes someone is tailing her. With each step she takes toward the mall, the person behind her mirrors her pace, closing the distance between them. She tries to stay calm, focusing on the immediate need to get to the safety of the mall, but panic starts to creep in.

She quickens her pace, hoping to lose the tail in the crowd. The thought of the shadowy figure from Susan's diary crosses her mind, intensifying her fear. The footsteps behind her grow louder, matching her increased speed. Desperate, Maria glances over her shoulder and sees a figure—a man, about average height, dressed in a hoodie and jeans. His face is partially obscured by a hat.

Right in front of her, she sees a light flicker in the corner of the C section. She feels that it would be difficult to reach the A section with him running behind her; he might actually catch up to her. So she thinks maybe she can hide behind the cars, as it is dark there.

She quickens her pace, searching for a moment when the light flickers and the area is dark. When the opportunity comes, she dashes behind a car and crouches down, trying to stay as quiet as possible.

Maria's breath comes in shallow, rapid bursts as she huddles behind the car, her heart pounding in her chest. The darkness provides some cover, but her anxiety makes it difficult to stay still. She listens intently for any sign of movement, hoping the man will pass by without noticing her.

The muffled noise of the mall seems distant now, replaced by the sound of her own heartbeat. Maria peers cautiously around the edge of the car, trying to spot any sign of the man.

Minutes drag on, and the flickering light from the C section casts eerie shadows on the pavement. Maria's thoughts race. If the man is still searching, she needs to stay hidden until she can find a safer exit.

She looks through the edges of the car again, but this time there is no sign of anyone. However, she needs to be sure, so she moves to the car next to her to get a better view. After a minute, she starts to get up to have a better look while still partially hiding behind the car.

As she sees that no one is around, she decides she has to get out of there as soon as possible. But just as she turns around, she feels a hand clamped over her mouth. A sudden force pushes her against the car, and everything happens so fast that she isn't able to react. Frightened and disoriented, she realizes there is something against her face—she feels a cloth and notices a strange, overpowering smell. The world around her begins to spin as her consciousness starts to fade.

The person holding her moves closer and whispers in her ear, but Maria can't make out the words. The darkness closes in, and soon, she loses consciousness.