Recognition dawned on Luzella as she identified the voice, the same low, husky tone that had held an air of intensity both yesterday and tonight at the auction. The familiarity was unnerving, yet somehow comforting, as if the stranger's presence was a dark shelter from the chaos unfolding around her. His deep voice seemed to resonate within her.
As he released his hand from her eyes, Luzella turned to face him, her eyes locking onto his, and she felt a jolt of confirmation, it was indeed the same man she had met yesterday and tonight at the auction. Luzella responded to him with a soft "OHH" His intense gaze met hers, but his expression remained unreadable.
Just then, one of the volunteers called out to her, breaking the silence that had settled between Luzella and the stranger (Alaric), "Luzella, come here, we need your help." The urgency in the volunteer's voice was clear, and Luzella's attention was immediately drawn away from the intense gaze of the stranger.
As Luzella turned to go, Alaric's sudden movement caught her off guard, he grasped her hand firmly, his fingers wrapping around hers with a gentle yet unyielding pressure that seemed to hold her in place. The touch sent a spark through her, and Luzella's eyes flew back to his, searching for answers in the depths of his gaze.
Luzella glanced down at her hand, which Alaric firmly holds, then met his face, her eyes searching for some hint of explanation. With a polite tone, she breaks the silence, asking, "Do you need anything, sir?" Her words hang in the air, awaiting Alaric's response, but he remains silent, his expression unreadable.
Luzella's patience finally wore thin due to Alaric's prolonged silence, and she attempted to free herself from the situation by stating, "Sir, I have work. I need to go." Her words were a direct result of his inaction, a hint that she couldn't stand there indefinitely without a response, and a polite yet firm reminder that she had other responsibilities to attend to.
With a glance over her shoulder, he watched the police arrive and released her hand, his voice low and abrupt as he uttered a single, curt word: "GO." There was no explanation, just a dismissal that left Luzella wondering what had transpired.
Luzella turned and walked away, leaving him standing there as she headed back to her duties without a backward glance.
Alaric's gaze lingered on the space where Luzella had stood, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched her depart. His expression remained unreadable, giving no hint of the thoughts that occupied his mind, before he finally turned away.
As Alaric approached the car, another person was already waiting there, leaning against the car with a relaxed posture, his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes fixed intently on Alaric as he drew near. "Why did you go in again?" he asked, his tone casual, yet tinged with curiosity, as he watched Alaric's expression for any hint of an explanation, his gaze narrowing slightly as he awaited the response.
But he got none. Alaric walked around to the passenger side of the car and slid into the seat. The person watched him for a moment and sighed before opening the driver's side door and getting in. As he settled into the driver's seat, he turned to Alaric and asked, "What do you need with the girl's information? I dug up everything I could about her," he said with a confident tone, "I got it all done in under an hour, not bad, if I do say so myself." His eyes locked onto Alaric's, awaiting a response as he started the car and prepared to drive.
Alaric shot him a stern look, his voice firm as he said "Cut the nonsense and drive"
The person beside Alaric didn't dare say another word and calmly drove off, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, his expression neutral, the only sound was the hum of the engine and the soft rush of the wind outside.
•••••••••••••
The police, who had already been stationed at the auction venue to ensure guest security, swiftly responded to the incident, securing the area and beginning to question witnesses. Additional officers and an ambulance soon arrived, and paramedics carefully transported the lifeless body of the bold lady to the hospital for a postmortem examination. Meanwhile, the medics attended to the grieving father, providing what comfort they could. The police also began inquiring with a group of the bold lady's friends, who were visibly shaken and struggling to process what they had witnessed, trying to gather as much information as possible from them.
The bold lady's friends recounted everything to the police, from their arrival at the auction event to the argument that ensued when she tried to kiss someone and failed,
They described how she stormed off, leaving them behind. They described how her father grew increasingly worried when she didn't return after the event and how they helped him search for her, scouring the venue and surrounding areas, until they finally stumbled upon her lifeless body, a discovery that left them all in shock.
The police officers reviewed the CCTV footage, but disappointingly, they found no useful footage that could shed light on the incident.
The incident at the joint auction event, organized by several orphanages in the city to raise funds for children's education, added a somber note to the charity effort. Representatives from the participating orphanages were now dealing with the aftermath, trying to process the unexpected turn of events while also ensuring the charity's goals remained the focus.
With her volunteer duties completed and everything wrapped up, Luzella felt a sense of satisfaction knowing the auction event had come to a close. However, the unsettling events that transpired lingered in her mind, leaving her wondering about the mysterious circumstances surrounding the incident.
As Luzella prepared to leave, she bid farewell to some of the other volunteers, wrapping up her time at the event. With her work done, she departed the venue, heading back to her orphanage as the evening's somber events lingered in her thoughts.
As she arrived at the serene orphanage, surrounded by lush greenery and the warm glow of night lights, Luzella exchanged warm greetings with some of the staff and children as she made her way to her room, the weariness of the evening's events beginning to catch up with her.
After a refreshing bath, Luzella changed into comfortable clothes and settled in for the night, feeling grateful that she had eaten dinner at the auction event earlier, saving her the trouble of a late-night meal. As she slipped under the covers, her mind replayed the evening's events, and her thoughts drifted back to Alaric. She remembered the way he had leaned against a tree, absently playing with a lighter in his hand, his eyes distant. And then her thoughts shifted to the moment he had grabbed her hand, his touch sending a spark through her. The memory of his firm grip and the warmth of his hand lingered, as her thoughts fading into darkness she drifted off to sleep.
In the blink of an eye, morning had arrived, and Luzella woke up to the gentle light peeking through the windows of the orphanage. She stretched, feeling the softness of the bed, and yawned, letting out a quiet sigh. As she sat up, her gaze wandered around the familiar room, slowly coming to life.
After freshening up, she made her way to the dining hall, the aroma of freshly baked bread and porridge wafting through the corridors, mingling with the chatter of the younger children. As she entered the hall, she was greeted by the cheerful faces of her little sisters and brothers, their eyes sparkling with excitement.
They eagerly made space for her at the long wooden table, and Luzella smiled, taking her seat beside them. The breakfast spread was simple but hearty porridge, bread, and fruit, and the children dug in with gusto, their laughter and conversation filling the room.
With breakfast over, Luzella helped the younger children tidy up the dining hall before heading to the study room. As she had done the day before, she assisted them with their lessons, patiently guiding them through their reading, writing, and arithmetic exercises. The children's faces lit up as they grasped new concepts, and Luzella's encouragement and praise boosted their confidence. As the morning wore on, the sound of scratching pens, murmurs, and occasional bursts of laughter filled the room.
During the lunch break, Luzella seized the opportunity to return the call from her best friend, who had reached out while she was engrossed in teaching the children. She stepped into a quiet room, the peacefulness of a welcome respite from the morning's activities. She dialed her friend's number, When her friend answered, Luzella's face lit up with a smile.
"Aw, Luz, I'm really sorry I wasn't there to welcome you back," her friend said, sounding remorseful. "I had a sudden trip to another city and I couldn't get back. But I'm all wrapped up here now and I'll be home tomorrow. I'll come over to you and we can hang out, I've got so much to tell you and I'm dying to hear all about your time abroad." Her friend rattled on nonstop.
Luzella listened patiently, a warm smile on her face as her friend chattered on without stopping, barely pausing for breath. She laughed and interjected "No worries, Sophie. I totally get it." She said reassuringly. "I'm glad you're done with your work early."
"I know my sweetheart will understand my situation," her friend said, her tone infused with a deep trust followed by a gentle inquiry, "What are you doing now?"
Luzella chatted with her friend Sophie over the phone sometime, as Sophie regaled her with stories about her latest work trip.
Just like Luzella, Sofiya grew up in an orphanage from infancy. She was placed in the orphanage after her parents died in an accident. Years later, she was adopted by a loving family, but her bond with Luzella remained strong.
After wrapping up her call, Luzella finished her lunch and continued to help the children days lessons in the afternoon
As the evening classes came to a close, Luzella bid farewell to the little ones and headed to her room in the orphanage to freshen up. She had been looking forward to organizing her documents for the interview she was scheduled to attend in two days. Just as she was about to start, there was a knock on her door. It was one of the sisters from the orphanage, who informed Luzella that someone had come to see her.
Luzella's brows furrowed in confusion. 'Who could it be?' Sophie was supposed to come tomorrow, so, wondering who it might be, Luzella made her way to meet the person.
Luzella's eyes widened in surprise as she took in the unexpected visitor. It's the stranger she had met twice.