Chapter 5 That Man

'Are you okay?' Ollie asked Maria. And from her pale face, her puffy eyes, black circles around her eyes, plus... her lack of energy, Maria was clearly not fine.

'I miss him so much. I shouldn't have let him go that morning. I should have restrained him from being with me... then that incident wouldn't have happened. he won't leave me like this...' Maria spoke tremblingly, and Ollie could hear extreme sadness coming from her.

'I understand that, Maria. You must really miss him. But everything has happened, let him go...' Maria shook her head, then tears flowed from her eyes. 'How I can?? I can not. Next week, I should be walking down the aisle with him for our wedding...' she said. Maria really regretted what happened to Aaron. She couldn't just forget it. It was very difficult for Maria. Moreover, she was the one who found Aaron who was lying and helpless with his blood pooling. She still couldn't accept Aaron leaving in the saddest way for her. The image of the deep red color of blood and the gunshot wound in Aaron's stomach, which she kept trying to stop that day, is still clearly visible in her head. 'I won't be able to just leave the murderer alone. I will take revenge for Aaron, who had to die very unfairly and horribly.' Maria could see the burning determination and revenge that burned within her, because of her anger at Aaron's death towards the murderer. And Noah's face always appeared in her mind, whom she made sure would receive all her revenge.

'Where do you want to go, Maria? You are still very unstable and too emotional! Don't do anything crazy!' Ollie warned, but unfortunately, Maria didn't want to care. She seemed to cover her ears and didn't want to listen and just walked away with fast steps. She was too angry and vengeful over the death of her lover.

And the place she was going to was the apartment she shared with Aaron. Anna took a deep breath as she was about to enter the door of her apartment which was still marked with a yellow police line after being investigated as a crime scene. Even her body shook as she remembered how she had found Aaron covered in blood inside. Maria's eyes immediately filled with tears as soon as she went inside and saw traces line Aaron's body along with traces of blood that were still on the floor.

'Maybe I should have been quicker... maybe I should have come and taken you to the hospital sooner, so you could be safe, darling...'

Maria still continues to blame herself for not being able to save Aaron. The tears and sadness that had been overflowing suddenly burst out. Her legs even weakened until she knelt down and burst into tears again. 'I really miss you, Aaron...' she said amidst her tears.

And suddenly a voice came from inside Aaron's room. Maria was quite aware of the sound that sounded like someone was hiding there. She even immediately stopped crying. Maria knew that someone besides herself was in the apartment. With slow and careful steps, Maria walked closer to Aaron's room. and what she met then, was a man dressed as the security guard who was looking at several juice boxes that Aaron always gave her.

'You are... the security for this apartment?' asked Maria carefully, while observing the man's face which unfortunately had to be covered by his mask and hat.

She knows very well who the security guards are for the security of her apartment. And the figure holding a red juice in his hand was unknown to her.

That man didn't answer. Instead, he turned his face away, with the gesture of taking a stance to get ready to run away. Maria even found his eyes glancing towards the window which was opened very wide. She thought that the strange man the one dressed as a security guard, might have also entered through the window.

'Who are you? Why are you in my boyfriend's apartment?'

Maria started to take precautions when she realized that maybe she was an intruder. And the atmosphere now turned tense, just as Maria met eyes with the man who had a wound near his eye.

'I asking you! Who are you?! Put my juice in its place and don't move! I'll contact the police!'

Maria said firmly and without the slightest hesitation. 'What? This is yours? Do you own this red juice?' the man asked while looking curiously at Maria. 'It's Aaron's, but it's for me. So, don't think about touching it, picking it up, or doing anything else. I will report you for theft!'

Maria had already taken out her phone, ready to do what she had just said to the intruder. but then... 'Ah! What are you fucking doing, huh?!'

The man suddenly grabbed Maria's phone, and Maria was quickly cornered by the man against the wall. 'Have you been drinking all that drink all this time? What do you feel? Are you experiencing strange symptoms?'

Maria narrowed her eyes, she didn't understand the behavior of the man who she thought was an intruder who was stealing Aaron's valuables. But instead, that man just focused on the juice that Aaron always gave her every night.

'Let me go!!' Mary rebelled. She kept trying to fight the man who also kept making her silent and answering his questions about the juice. 'Answer me, bitch! You're fine with that drink, huh? Have you experienced any decline in your abilities? Don't you feel tired and weak from drinking it?' That man continued to pressure Maria to give the answer. 'Answer me! Or I will make a pathetic cut on your beautiful face!' The man threatened by taking out a knife which he pointed at Maria's cheek.

'What do you care, huh? Let me go!'

Maria continued to rebel and try to fight back. She couldn't stay still until her cheek was actually cut, which fortunately was only a small scratch from the sharp knife. Maria immediately felt the pain, and she groaned softly because of it. 'I told you, just shut up and answer. You stubborn fucking bitch!' The man was quite annoyed with Maria's stubborn attitude, so Maria had to receive a loud shout and slap.

'Don't try to hurt me! Or I'll throw you in with the people who killed my man!!'

Amazingly, Maria still fought fearlessly. She stared no less sharply at the man who looked like he would be able to make her follow Aaron to her death.

Until... 'YOU!! What are you fucking doing here, huh?! Damn, son of the fucking bitch! Let her go!' Noah suddenly appeared and immediately shouted angrily.

'Tch, that troublemaker is here again...' he quipped at Noah with a cackle that sounded as scary as an evil devil.

A second later, a shot was heard, and the shooter was, of course, he's Noah, who looked like an angry dragon.

'What are you fucking doing?!' Maria shouted angrily at Noah's crazy and careless act, which could have cost another life because of the gun he had just fired. But luckily, Noah's shot only targeted the hand of the man who is still unknown to Maria. and because of Noah's shot, Maria was free from the man's restraints.

'Shut the fuck off! Get out of there or you'll be finished by that devil bastard!'

Unfortunately, Noah's warning was in response to Maria's incomprehensible look. She was still frozen, not understanding the situation which could actually endanger her life. Maria still didn't realize that the man who had slashed her face was very capable of cutting her neck until she was no longer alive and following Aaron to her death.

'Maria! Go!' Noah's warning this time not only shouted but also jumped towards Maria, to block the man who was almost going to hold Maria's body hostage from behind. Noah punched and kicked the man who was having quite a fierce fight with him.

Maria was just stunned by her surprise at that very unexpected situation. Luckily, Noah was strong enough to repel all attacks from the man who used the knife in his hand as his weapon. The tension was getting worse when several people approached with guns which they pointed at those who were fighting.

And it seems that the man is aware that now he will be surrounded and could lose because the number of his opponents is unequal. Until he quickly ran away by jumping from the window. 'Hurry up and catch him!' Noah gave that order to the men in suits who had just arrived. And they did it quickly. While the people were running after the man who had just run away, Maria was still silent in her extreme shock and confusion. She didn't even move, didn't seem to blink until she held her breath.

Until Noah approached Maria and looked at her closely, to confirm her condition. 'Aahhh... how could Aaron have a reckless woman like you, huh? Do you know how dangerous that was? He can kill you! tch, indeed, you two match, Aaron is just as stupid and reckless as you!'

Maria's shaking and glassy blue eyes immediately looked at Noah sharply, and it looked like a clear blue ocean with ripples to Noah.

Noah lost consciousness for a moment. He didn't move because of the eyes that seemed to have hypnotized him.

'You... what is this actually? Who's he? And... why is he asking the same thing as you about Aaron's red juice? Are you guys trying to snatch it from Aaron??' Maria asked with a lot of tremors in her voice. She still didn't have a clue about what this was all about.

'You still don't understand? I told you, Aaron has a crazy project that is so fucking dangerous!'

Maria turned her face away as if she refused to believe what Noah had just told her. 'You must be making up the story...' 'Oh, fuck! How stubborn you are!'

That was the second time that Noah had been so annoyed by Maria, who had a hard time believing his words. He wanted not to care and just leave it. but... 'You, did you say anything to him? What did he ask you? And what did you say in answer?'

Noah couldn't just leave Maria, after the incident with the man just now. 'What do you care, huh? Are you the same as him!'

'Stop being so stubborn, or you'll end up like Aaron!' Noah, running out of patience, then screamed and banged on the cupboard beside him.

'He just asked how long have I been drinking it and how I would react after drinking the juice! What exactly is red juice? Why are you guys making such a big deal out of that fucking juice, huh?'

Noah's eyes looked very seriously at Maria. 'Then what do you answer??! You didn't say that you were the successful subject of Aaron's red juice experiment, right?' Noah asked demandingly for Maria to immediately give the answer.

Maria's eyes narrowed at Noah, taking turns staring at a pile of red juice which she just found out seemed to be the cause of the problem. 'I-I... I just...' Maria answered very uncertainly because she didn't give much of an answer and was just trying to get away from the man.

But Noah seemed to be able to understand and even draw conclusions about the unpleasant situation now. 'You are in danger, you might have become their target... you might lose your life...'

Maria was immediately thrilled. She couldn't hide what Noah had just said to him. Her hands were shaking violently as were her eyes and now her whole body. 'W-what do you mean? Why should I be in danger?'

'You still haven't realized it? That man and that red juice are what set Aaron to die! And now... it's your turn to face your death!'

Maria's heart seemed to stop for a moment until it started beating quickly, because of her feelings of panic and fear.

'Don't make it up! You were the one who killed Aaron! You even showed me how to use your gun! You shot him, Noah!'

Noah seemed to want to just give up on Maria, who was very difficult to tell. He even immediately turned around and intended to leave his sister's lover who had died. 'whatever, fuck it I don't want to care anymore...' said Noah.

But of course, Maria couldn't ignore the danger that was targeting her life, even though she still didn't want to really believe it, So, Maria immediately grabbed Noah's hand, and made him turn around. the two of them ended up being face to face again.

'Tell me! And give me the proof... make me believe that everything you say is not just your fucking nonsense..." said Maria.

But instead of giving Maria what she wanted, Noah just stared at Maria's face intently. They stared at each other for a long time, both looking for something. Maria searched for the truth of Noah's words from his deep, black eyes, while Noah was actually made very curious about this woman, who was extraordinarily beautiful and alluring, but extraordinarily too stubborn and who continued to irritate him.

'You... you have to come with me...' Noah said.

***