Chapter 3 Who was that girl

Who was that girl?" he muttered, his eyes flashing with fury. He recalled seeing her fighting men in the bar hallway, her movements swift and deadly. He quickly called Michael's wife to inform her about the incident. However, she was uncooperative, scolding him without listening to explanations. Her voice was shrill and angry, like a bird screeching in the night. She blamed him for being safe while her husband was injured. After ending the call, he took a laptop from a staff member to review the surveillance footage.

Although he couldn't hear the conversation, he understood that the multimillion-dollar contract they were about to sign was now off. He saw that Mr. Miller had been visibly angry before leaving, his face red with rage.

Since he didn't know the girl's name, he made a call to investigate her identity. The phone rang, and he waited for an answer, his eyes fixed on Michael's battered face. Meanwhile, a car packed up at the MPA hotel, the engine purring smoothly. A replicate of Kosi exited the car and entered the hallway, now looking different in the clothes Kosi had worn when leaving the hotel for the bar. Keeping her head down, she headed straight to the hotel room booked by Kosi, gathered everything, and checked out. The sound of the keycard swiping through the lock was like a soft click, and the door swung open with a gentle creak. She exited the hotel, entered the car, and sped away, the tires screeching slightly as she pulled out of the parking lot.

Minutes later, the police arrived at the MPA hotel, inquiring about the lady. The sound of sirens filled the air, and the officers' uniforms were a stark contrast to the hotel's luxurious decor. They soon discovered that a taxi driver had reported a suspicious passenger. The driver told them that a lady had hired him at a mall and asked him to take her to the Northern Hotel. On the way, she requested his help in buying food at a bar opposite the hotel. When he returned the taxi was gone.

The police tracked the taxi's GPS and spotted it heading to a remote area with no cameras. The sun beat down on the asphalt, casting a golden glow over the desolate landscape. As they followed the signal, the dot stopped on the map, and the officers' hearts quickened with anticipation. They continued to the location and found the taxi parked in a quiet area, surrounded by trees that cast long shadows in the fading light. With no nearby cameras, they searched for fingerprints, but the car was clean, devoid of any clues. The police split up, some searching a nearby forest and others checking nearby shops, but they found nothing. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the distant hum of traffic.

As they were about to give up, a lady in a pink suit passed by, her heels clicking on the pavement. The officers stopped her and asked about the lady in a red skirt. She claimed she hadn't seen her and was just passing through from the village. One of the police officers approached the taxi driver and asked if the lady in pink was the one they were looking for. The driver said, "That lady was lighter-skinned than this one and didn't look like her." The police officer nodded and thanked the lady, who smiled and continued on her way. The lady, Nosy, Kosi's replicate and best friend, had cleaned off her makeup, her features now subtly different.

With their similar features and training in disguise, Nosy had convincingly played the role of Kosi. She walked past the police, who were still searching for her, and stood at a bus stop a few meters away. The bus rumbled to a stop, and Nosy boarded it, disappearing into the crowd. The police continued to search the area but found nothing. Nosy traveled back to the MPA hotel, where she checked in using her own ID. The hotel staff didn't recognize her without the makeup and Kosi's clothes. In her new room, Nosy took out her cellphone and dialed Kosi's number.

Meanwhile, Kosi sat on a couch in the Northern Hotel room, which Nosy had booked using Kosi's identity. The soft glow of the lamp cast a warm light on her face as she answered the phone. When Kosi answered, Nosy laughed, trying to contain her amusement. "What a funny day," she said, referencing her successful evasion of the police. Kosi smiled, knowing Nosy must have had a good time. "It almost went wrong. Let's not take risks today. You need to rest," Kosi advised, her voice filled with concern. Nosy promised to behave and sleep, and they wished each other a good night before hanging up.

Kosi, however, was wide awake, working on her laptop as she hacked into the MPA group's system. The company had been her father's business, built through hard work, but her stepmother and her lover, Victor, had taken control of it. Kosi had gathered evidence against them but was biding her time, planning to punish them step by step. The keyboard clacked softly under her fingers as she worked, the screen casting a pale glow on her face.

After finishing her work, Kosi closed her laptop and went to bed. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she heard a heavy knock on the door. Kosi stood up, her piercing gaze meeting the police officer's as she opened the door. Without greeting him, she asked curtly, "How may I help you? I'm tired and need to sleep, so be quick." The police officer struggled to maintain his composure, taken aback by Kosi's beauty and intimidating aura. Her tiny nightdress accentuated her features, and her cold, beautiful eyes seemed to send a chilling warning. The officer composed himself and explained, "We're investigating the case of Mr. Michael, who was beaten by an unknown lady at a bar. You're one of the suspects, and we need your cooperation."

Kosi's gaze never wavered, her voice firm as she replied, "I'll cooperate with you, but not now. I'm sleepy, and I don't know what you're talking about. I arrived yesterday after many years, and I only visited a single mall. Investigate thoroughly and find your suspect. If you want to keep me from sleeping, sign a contract – my hour is worth $1,500, not Rands. Think carefully." With that, she closed the door and returned to bed, leaving the police officer standing in the hallway, shocked by her boldness. He took out his phone and dialed a number, clearly taken aback by Kosi's confidence and demands. The sound of the door closing was like a punctuation mark, emphasizing Kosi's dismissal.