Who were they after ?

Sam grabbed his jacket and rushed out the door, his mind racing with a thousand questions. What was happening? Who was following Maria?

"Shit, where is this location? Did she send me her location?" Sam thought frantically.

He fumbled for his phone, scrolling through his messages in a panic. Did Maria send her location? He couldn't remember in the rush. His hands shook slightly as he searched for any clue. Nothing.

Desperate, Sam called her again. The phone rang, but there was no response. It rang again and again, each ring amplifying the surge of fear in his chest. His mind spiraled with worst-case scenarios. Come on, Maria, please pick up, he silently pleaded, his heart pounding as he imagined what could have happened.

"Pick up the call! Where's the nearest café from here?" Sam muttered through gritted teeth, berating himself. "Think, Sam, think! Damn it!" He agonized over what might actually happen if he arrived too late. The thought of Maria alone sent a chill down his spine. He couldn't afford to waste any more time.

Just as he was about to call Maria again, his phone buzzed. A message. He quickly unlocked it, shocked to see it was from her. Without hesitating, he opened it—her location. Relief mixed with fear as he saw the address. Without a second thought, Sam ran, though every cell in his body screamed in protest.

The café was 30 minutes away from his house on foot, and though he could have taken his car, he'd had an accident a few days ago, leaving it unusable. He cursed under his breath. Why now, of all times?

His legs felt heavy, but the urgency drove him forward. Every step felt slower than the last, but he couldn't stop. Time was slipping away.

Soon, Sam reached the mall where the café was located. His lungs burned, and sweat dripped down his face, but he barely noticed. His mind was locked on one thing—finding Maria.

"Which floor is it?" Sam muttered to himself as he scanned the area. He darted through the first floor, his eyes frantically searching for the café. There was a café near the entrance, but Maria wasn't there. His heart raced even faster, his fear growing by the second.

No, no, she has to be here. Without wasting time, he ran to the escalators, pushing through the crowd to get to the second floor. He scanned every sign, his eyes darting from shop to shop, searching for the café she had mentioned. His legs were screaming, but he couldn't stop now. Not when he was so close.

Reaching the second floor, Sam spotted another café in the corner. This has to be it, he thought, his pulse pounding in his ears. He rushed toward it, his eyes scanning the tables by the window.

And then he saw her—Maria, sitting alone, trembling, her eyes darting around the café nervously. She looked on edge, as though every shadow in the room was a threat. When her eyes finally locked onto Sam, relief washed over her face like a flood. She quickly waved him over, her voice barely steady as she called out, "Sam! Come here, quickly!"

Sam wasted no time. He hurried toward her, heart still racing. "Maria, what's going on? Are you okay?"

Maria looked at Sam, drenched in sweat, out of breath, and trembling just as much as he was. She seemed unsure of where to start, her lips quivering as she tried to find the words.

"First, drink some water," Maria said, handing him a bottle with a shaky hand, thinking he might actually faint from the stress. "We'll talk in my car. The café is about to close."

Sam accepted the bottle gratefully, taking a deep drink before nodding in agreement.

"Let's go," Sam urged, his voice filled with urgency. "Where's your car?"

Maria hesitated for a moment, her fear evident. But then she said, "It's in section D, but… the person following me might be there."

Sam's expression hardened with determination. "Alright, we'll go there together. Stay close to me, and keep an eye out. We need to make sure you're safe."

With that, they headed toward the parking lot, Sam's gaze scanning their surroundings. They made their way to section D, tension building with every step. Sam's mind raced, trying to anticipate any potential danger while keeping Maria close and alert.

When they reached section D, they found nothing out of the ordinary. The parking area was quiet, the dim lighting casting long shadows. Soon, they arrived at Maria's car. They both quickly got inside, locking the doors behind them.

As Sam started the engine and began to drive away, he glanced at Maria, his concern still evident. "Okay, we're out of the parking lot. Now, tell me everything. Who do you think is following you, and why do you think they might have been in the parking lot?"

Maria began recounting the details of her harrowing experience. Her voice, though still trembling, was steady as she spoke.

"I noticed someone lurking around, but I tried to ignore it. It seemed like they were following me. I thought maybe it was just my paranoia until I saw them again in the parking lot. The next thing I knew, I was unconscious. When I woke up, I ran here as fast as I could."

Sam listened intently, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. "So, you think this person was specifically following you? Why would they do that?"

Maria nodded, her expression troubled. "I think it's connected to Jose's visit to Susan. I'm not sure if Jose had any connection to this person or if there's something else going on, but it's all linked somehow."

Sam glanced at Maria, concern etched on his face. "And the diary? What's in it that you think is important?"

Maria sighed deeply, her eyes dropping to her handbag where she had hidden the diary. "The diary had personal reflections from Susan, but some things made me more anxious. Jose isn't the only one who's back. I saw the names of people we thought Susan didn't know about. I couldn't read everything in the office, but I have a feeling it holds something critical."

Sam nodded, understanding the urgency. "We need to be cautious. If someone was following you, they might come after you again."

Maria nodded, her anxiety still evident. "Yes, I'm worried that whoever's behind this might not be done with me yet."

Sam's gaze hardened with determination. "We'll stay alert. Let's get you home safe, and then we'll focus on that diary and figure out what's really going on. For now, you need to calm down—you're still shaking."

As they continued driving, Sam remained vigilant, constantly scanning their surroundings. Maria, still shaken but resolute, glanced at her handbag, feeling the weight of the diary. She knew that the answers to Susan's situation—and possibly her own—might lie within its pages.

Sam took a different route to avoid any potential tail, carefully navigating through less frequented streets to ensure their safety. The drive seemed endless, but eventually, they reached Maria's home.

Sam pulled up to the curb, and they both sat in silence for a moment, the gravity of the situation settling over them. Maria finally broke the silence. "Come inside the house. It's empty. We can figure something out about the diary."

Sam nodded and followed Maria inside, his senses still on high alert. The house was quiet, a stark contrast to the tension of their recent ordeal. Maria led the way to the living room, where she gestured for Sam to sit on the couch.

"I'll bring some coffee for us. Take the diary out and see what we're dealing with," Maria said to Sam.

Sam nodded and took a seat on the couch, his mind already focused on the diary. Maria headed to the kitchen to prepare the coffee, her movements tense but purposeful.

He opened Maria's bag, searching for the diary amidst the clutter. There were various items: a few papers, some receipts, a pen, and a crumpled napkin. Sam carefully took out each item, laying them on the coffee table to make more room.

After sifting through everything, there was no diary in there. Sam searched through the bag again and again, growing increasingly frustrated. Despite carefully examining every item, he couldn't find the diary. The feeling of unease grew as he realized something crucial was missing.

His mind raced through the possibilities. Had Maria misplaced it, or could it have been taken? Sam's heart pounded as he considered the implications. The diary was the key to understanding what was going on, and without it, they were left in the dark.

When Maria returned with the coffee, she noticed the anxious look on Sam's face.

"What's wrong?" Maria asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Sam looked up, his expression grim. "The diary... it's not here. I can't find it in your bag. Are you sure you brought it with you?"

Maria's face turned pale. "I'm sure I put it in my bag before we left the office. It must be here somewhere." She began searching through her bag herself, but after several moments of frantic searching, it became clear that the diary was indeed missing.

Sam's mind raced with worry. "If the diary is gone, we need to figure out what happened to it. It might have been taken from you, or maybe you left it somewhere. We should retrace our steps and see if we can find it."

Maria shook her head, panic rising in her eyes. "No, wait. I kept it hidden in there. There's no way it just fell out. That means the stalker was after the diary."