Chapter 2 The Warning

The music was still blaring that afternoon. Some were partying, eating, and surfing with gusto. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Me, still standing in front of the glass, waited for Mr. David to pull a blue folder from the shelf.

After he got the book. He placed it on the brown table of his desk. The folder was thick and worn. He opened it from the back, and stopped at a sheet containing a photograph. Underneath it was a date written in black ink that was still clear. 13 August.

The date that was in my question moments ago. The date I was desperate to get an answer to from Mr. David. When I saw his eyes, he stared at the date for a long time. His eyes seemed to be full of feelings that were difficult to interpret.

"This is what you asked me," he said as he pushed the folder slightly towards me. "Look at this photo carefully," he said while reading the look on my face. As if in the hope that I would understand the meaning of the photo. "The answer to your question about the 13th, is in this photo."

I frowned, trying to read the hidden message that might be behind the picture. "You were at a party?"

He smiled a little. As if satisfied with my answer.

"You were at a party on the 13th of August?" I repeated. This time in a firmer tone.

He had yet to answer my question, while his smile remained the same.

"But in the video...,"

"Are you sure it was me?' he cut me off before I could finish. His tone remained calm, but there was a sudden firmness to it, like he wanted to make sure I stopped and rethought everything.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said firmly. "I'm not sure about this photo. This photo and the writing can be manipulated."

He raised his eyebrows, looking a little surprised at my audacity, but that little smile still lingered at the corners of his lips. "Manipulation, huh?" He said softly, his tone more of a statement than a question.

"Interesting."

He pulled back the photo, looking at it for a moment, before looking at me again.

"If you believe the video so much, why are you interviewing me?" he asked in a casual tone, though there was a palpable tension in the air. "Just write an article according to what's in the video. Easy."

He smiled wider this time, but it was an enigmatic smile. His eyes were still focused on me, watching my reaction with an intensity that made the atmosphere even heavier.

"So, what were you doing there and with whom?" I said, more like interrogating him.

He handed me the book again. Then he pointed to a photo of someone embracing Mr David. "He's my best friend. His name is Daniel Davidson." When he said Daniel's name, his eyes lit up, as if there was regret hidden there. "We took this photo on his birthday on the 13th of August." He caught his breath, as if preparing to say something heavier. "And he... died the day after."

He looked at me with conviction. As if giving a riddle through her eyes that what he was saying was completely true. However, I thought hard. All of this was too complicated. The secrets and riddles she gave me made me even further away from hope and reality to find the answer.

"This island..." He continued his story as he stepped towards the window. Staring at the island from end to end, as if holding out hope. "This island was built by the two of us. DD Club, my management and Daniel."

In the last sentence, he looked at me. Then he smiled. The look in his eyes seemed proud as he shared it with me. I could feel the atmosphere of sincerity from his eyes. He didn't even look like the villain that the media had rumoured him to be. There were no signs of manipulation or lies in his demeanour. Although I didn't believe a hundred percent of what he said, I could feel his soul trembling, as if revealing his true side.

I stepped closer to him. Every step I took felt heavy, but there was a kind of urge that kept me going. He didn't move, remaining standing by the window, staring at the island that seemed so far away from us, like a world apart. I could feel the tension in the air, yet there was also an unusual peace.

"You've worked hard, Mr. David." I said, trying to keep him talking.

He turned to me. Looking at me with a gaze that I couldn't decipher. "Thank you," he said then.

Then he turned his gaze back to the sea in front of him, and his guests who were still enjoying the party by the sea. After a while, the look on his face changed to one of panic. He turned around, taking out a pair of binoculars from inside his desk drawer.

I was surprised by his sudden reaction. "What's going on, Mr. David?" I asked, my voice strained, feeling the sudden tension flowing between us.

He didn't answer, just fixed his eyes on the binoculars, staring out at the party that was still going on. His gaze sharpened, as if he was seeing something invisible to me.

With one quick step, he headed for the door and opened it. As soon as the door opened, several bodyguards were already standing there, their demeanour alert, as if waiting for instructions.

He whispered something to them, his words sounded faint, and I couldn't hear them clearly. However, there was something in the way she spoke-something firm, like an order that could not be refused. The bodyguards nodded, and instantly the atmosphere turned more tense.

"Hanna, come with me!"

He turned to me, gesturing with his hand for me to come closer to him. His face was now more serious. I could feel there was a sharp atmosphere that I couldn't interpret.

Wordlessly, I stepped closer to her. Reaching her, she grasped my hand, and pulled me out of the room in a hurry.

We ran towards the back entrance of the villa, then through the forest that covered part of the island. Each step felt faster, more urgent, as if there was something threatening, chasing us behind.

I almost fell over every time I followed his fast pace. But his grip seemed to reassure me that I would be fine. Several bodyguards also followed us along the island to Mr David's destination.

We reached a corner of the island. Far away from the crowds. The sound of music wasn't even audible anymore. Only the sound of the waves crashing against the shore could be heard, creating an echo that added to the panic among us.

A speed boat was leaning on the shore. The boat's engine seemed to be running, as if it was ready to go.

He pulled me to the side of the speed boat. "Get on, Hanna!" he said, his voice low but full of urgency.

"And what about you?" I said questioningly.

"Listen to me," he said, leaning in slightly when I was already on the speedboat. "Don't mind me. Make sure you make it safely to the harbour." His words sounded more like a command. "I know you have questions for this," He said with a sharp intake of breath. "Save your question until we meet again."

One of the bodyguards immediately took control of the steering wheel. The sound of the boat's engine began to speed away from David and the island. I looked back one last time. My mind was full of lingering questions.

Arriving home, the curiosity about the incident had not disappeared. I opened my computer. I typed David Alexander Thomson's name into the search engine. All the rumours were still clearly written on every news headline. I switched my search, typing in the words 'Daniel DD Club'.

I found one article about him. However, it was more about his life history. Nothing special other than that. David's name wasn't mentioned in the article either, as if Daniel and David were never related. In fact, it says in the last sentence, that DD club is for Daniel Davidson. Not for David and Daniel Club.

Crazy! I was really confused.

Suddenly, someone rang my doorbell. When I stepped down, and looked at the CCTV screen, a courier was standing at the door. When I opened the door, he handed me a large brown envelope. The envelope was neatly sealed.

I began to open it slowly, trying to stay relaxed and not damage the inside. When I opened it, the envelope contained a picture of me with David on the island that afternoon.

On the back of the photo, it says, 'Stay away, Hanna. This isn't a game you want to play.'