Chương 14: CHAPTER 14: FOLLOWING SIMON BEHIND

A voice on the other end asked, "What is Draymond's secretary doing at the moment?" The tone was both mature and menacing, causing a shiver to run down Dark's spine as he listened.

'I'm curious how old this guy is. His voice sounds so scary and powerful, damn! Even Agent Red, the fearless man I know, is afraid of him!' Dark cursed inwardly in silence after hearing his boss's words.

Dark glanced at Simon, who was seated near the window, sipping his coffee with a weary expression.

"Nothing much. Just sitting in a coffee shop, maybe celebrating his boss' death with a cup of coffee," Dark replied, a sinister laugh escaping his lips.

'Are you tired of searching for someone you can't find, kid? What a pity,' Dark thought, gazing at Simon.

The mysterious man on the other end chuckled with a sense of victory. "Good. Watch them closely and inform me of any suspicious activity," the boss instructed, his voice chillingly cold.

Dark couldn't help but think, 'I thought he wanted me to vanish. Why the change of plans? This assignment seems rather dull. I was expecting something more thrilling, but here I am, babysitting this little secretary. Is this really the menacing figure Agent Red talked about? He seems far from ruthless."

A tinge of disappointment filled Dark's mind.

"Of course, boss," he replied shortly.

Before Dark could say more, the man ended the call, leaving him bewildered and furrowing his brow as he slid his phone back into his pocket.

Dark lit a Marlboro gold cigarette, inhaling slowly as smoke wrapped around his face. His eyes stayed fixed on Simon. Suddenly, lightning streaked across the dark sky, accompanied by a loud clap of thunder.

"Ugh! Rain sucks!" he grumbled, enduring the cold weather, relying on just a cigarette to fend off the chill of the night.

****

It had been nearly a couple of hours since Simon, lost in thought, gazed blankly at the bustling streets—the heavy rain outside mirroring his somber mood.

Simon sat alone at a peaceful table by the window in a bustling city coffee shop, sipping his black coffee. He observed the people outside, treading carefully on the slippery streets.

As he raised the cup to his lips and savored a sip of his black coffee, Simon could feel the warmth of the hot liquid spreading through his body, providing a comforting contrast to the chilly weather outside.

Lately, Simon had been plagued by terrible nightmares that kept him awake at night ever since Draymond had gone missing. The guilt weighed heavily on him because he had urged Draymond to take a break that fateful day and allowed him to drive alone.

'It's all my fault! I'm such a fool, failing at my simple job. I couldn't protect him. He's the only one who stood by me when everyone else turned their backs!' Simon scolded himself silently, drowning in guilt.

Lost in thought, Simon took another sip of his coffee, his hand tightly gripping the cup as intense anger and guilt consumed his mind.

Just then, a group of young girls entered the coffee shop and settled at the vacant table before him.

With a glance, Simon assumed they were college students, probably studying fashion design and arts, given the sketch pads they held close to their chests.

"Come on, Layla, start spilling the beans about what happened at the Hudson River. I'm itching to know!" urged one of the girls, her eyes widening with excitement, clearly intrigued by her friend's story.

Simon's ears perked up at the girl's lively voice, prompting him to quickly glance at the silver nameplate pinned to her left chest.

'Nicole Johnson,' Simon thought, silently absorbing the information.

They set their belongings on an empty chair and used their handkerchiefs to wipe away the dampness from their hair.

"Relax, Nicole, you're giving away your crush on Sherlock Holmes. But hey, why not idolize his smarts instead of just being nosy?" her friend, with blonde hair and a pearl hair clip, playfully teased.

"Is this blonde hair trying to say I'm a gossipmonger, always eager to hear and spill the latest scoop?" Nicole thought to herself quietly.

Nicole shot a playful glare at her friend. "Ugh, Phoebe, cut it out. I don't idolize that fictional Sherlock Holmes, alright? I'm just curious about what Layla has to say. You know she's not the chatty type; she hardly opens her mouth," Nicole's gaze shifted to Layla, innocently tending to her hair. "Eventually, when I get the chance, I'll introduce her to other uses of the mouth besides eating," Nicole added with a chuckle.

'Ugh! Seriously, am I witnessing a girl's chit-chat this time?' Simon mused to himself.

Simon expected the ladies to dive into conversations about good-looking guys, dating stories, or the latest fashion trends—completely different from his discussions with friends. His usual conversations centered around cars, strategies for building wealth, work-related topics, and monthly earnings.

Simon smirked, murmuring, "They're girls anyway. Boys and girls have different perspectives. Silly of me to compare."

At another table, Layla chuckled and said, "You won't believe what happened to us two weeks ago. My boyfriend and I were walking near the Hudson River when we saw this crazy scene. There was a car trying to push another one into the river. It kept ramming into it five times in a row, and then, bam! Splash! The car went right into the water." Her voice carried through the cafe as she shared the story.

Nicole's eyes focus on Layla, her hands tucked beneath her chin as she listens intently. Across the table, Phoebe absentmindedly twirls her hair, wholly engrossed in Layla's story.

'I guess I was wrong about her being quiet. Her voice is way louder than mine; it could probably shatter eardrums,' Nicole thought, glancing at Layla.

As Layla started sharing her story, several heads turned in their direction, and her voice echoed loudly throughout the cafe, catching the attention of many.

Nicole gently tapped Layla's hand, motioning for her to speak more quietly. "Layla, keep your voice down. This could be a serious matter. Be cautious; witnessing something like that might put your safety at risk," she whispered, her eyes filled with concern.

Layla glanced at the onlookers, mustering a nervous laugh, clearly embarrassed. "I'm sorry for being loud," she apologized, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Layla pressed her lips together, taking a moment to gather her thoughts.

Meanwhile, Simon's curiosity was piqued. He was intrigued by the girls' conversation and eager to hear more about it.

'It's been two weeks since Draymond disappeared. Could he have been the driver of that car?' he pondered, his mind filled with intense anticipation.

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