Metropolitan Opera House.
An opera house that bore witness to the beginning of Juliette’s relationship with Leo. Initially, she and Leo went there for a date. Still, in the middle of the opera performance, Leo stood up and walked toward the stage. To everyone’s surprise, he declared his feelings in front of everyone. It was truly an unexpected and brave act.
That night, Juliette and Leo officially became a couple. After leaving the building, Juliette asked one of the visitors to photograph her and Leo. In the photo, she laughs happily while Leo affectionately kisses her cheek, wrapping his arms around Juliette’s waist. They looked so happy that night. Even her mother was unaware of their joyful evening. Juliette had never mentioned anything and wanted that moment to remain a beautiful secret.
The two places had very fitting criteria. Instantly, a sense of excitement began to rise. Juliette immediately removed her IV, and with her body still wrapped in hospital clothing, she grabbed her bag. She took out some dollar bills from her wallet. Not forgetting her phone, Juliette walked out of the hospital room. She glanced to the right and left, checking the surroundings. When she felt it was safe, Juliette hurried toward the elevator.
Upon arriving on the ground floor, Juliette walked to the emergency exit. She took a deep breath as her bare feet touched the asphalt. The night wind blew fiercely, and for a moment, her body shivered from the cold, but Juliette steeled her resolve. Time continued to pass, and half an hour passed when she checked her phone. Had she been gone that long? Oh yes, of course; she had to find an alternative route while simultaneously not drawing attention to herself, especially from the medical staff.
Juliette stood on the sidewalk and hailed a taxi. Once comfortably seated inside, Juliette asked the driver to simultaneously take her to both places. First, she went to Radio City Music Hall. Upon arriving there, Juliette noticed the place was quite empty. Slowly, she got out and walked around the building. Not caring about her dirty feet, Juliette entered through the back door, which happened to be open. She searched every room but found this was not her destination, so she exited and returned to the taxi.
Her second destination was the Metropolitan Opera House. She had already checked the time, and two and a half hours had passed. The traffic and navigating around such a large venue had consumed much time. Juliette sincerely hoped that her second destination was the place referred to by Master D because if it weren’t, she wouldn’t know what to do next. She couldn’t simply ignore Master D’s threats, as the man never joked about his threats, and Juliette did not want her mother to get hurt.
However, one question lingered in Juliette’s mind: why did that man hurt others but not her?
Upon arriving at the Opera House, Juliette looked around. The atmosphere was already so quiet because it was very late at night, with only the streetlights illuminating the scene. The street was deserted, with only occasional cars speeding by, as the drivers wanted to get home quickly and rest.
Juliette took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the phone. With large, determined steps, she walked into the Opera House. Juliette briefly wondered why a building that attracted tourists was not locked and guarded by security, but then a thought crossed her mind. Could this be one of Master D’s tricks?
She didn’t know the answer, but Juliette was sure she would soon find out whether this was Master D’s doing or not.
Juliette walked down the main hall of the building. She couldn’t enjoy its architecture’s beauty due to its pitch-black surroundings. She was grateful that her phone still had plenty of battery left, allowing her to use it as a flashlight. Her slow footsteps echoed in the silence of the building. Juliette would have run away in fear due to the eerie atmosphere if she were in a different situation. She passed the main room where she and Leo had watched a performance, but seeing that the lights were out and the stage curtains were closed, Juliette was sure this was not her destination.
She took a deep breath and continued walking until she finally stopped in front of a room. For some reason, her feet halted in front of that door. Perhaps it was because this was the only one that was lit among all the rooms with their lights off.
Doubt began to creep in among her other feelings; the image of the unfortunate woman echoed in her mind. Would she find a new corpse behind this door? Would that psychopathic man kill someone else for the sake of another game? Or would there be nothing else that could terrify her even more?
Once again, Juliette took a breath, and with her hands sweating coldly, she turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. She was shocked to realize that the room she had entered was a makeup room for the artists who would perform on stage. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary inside; there were rows of makeup arranged on a long table, dresses neatly hung on racks, and a large mirror mounted on the wall near the table. Nothing was strange or suspicious, and Juliette wondered what Master D wanted this time.
She walked around the room until she finally stopped near the sofa set available in the room. In the middle of the sofa set was a glass coffee table. Nothing was unusual-just a folded red dress, a note, and a tablet. With trembling hands, Juliette picked up the note and read its contents.
“Wear the dress I have provided for you. Dance like you did that night. Behind the door in this room is a studio. Dance there, and you will receive the second clue.”
Juliette looked around, and sure enough, this room had a hidden door. Juliette might not have realized it was a door if she hadn’t been observant. She placed the note she was holding down and reached for the tablet. She turned on the device and gasped when the video inside the tablet opened. Her entire body trembled uncontrollably as she saw a woman tied to a chair bearing similar features to Juliette. However, this time, the woman was still alive. Her face was streaming with tears, and there were wounds on her head, causing blood to flow out.
Suddenly, a man stood behind the woman, pointing a gun directly at her head.
Her phone rang.
In a hurry, Juliette answered the call, and sobs escaped her lips as the man’s voice greeted her. “Kitten.”
“Why? Why are you doing this? Please, let her go. Don’t kill her. I don’t want to be the reason another woman dies. Please…”
“You have fifteen minutes to prepare. Wear that dress, make yourself beautiful. Once you’re done, dance for me. If you complete everything, the woman will live, and you will receive what you desire-a clue.”
After saying that, the connection was cut. Juliette’s entire body trembled, and with shaking hands, she placed the tablet down and grabbed the neatly folded red dress from the table. Quickly, without wasting time, she put on the dress and ran to the table. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the dress she was wearing. The red dress was the same one she had worn when she went to a nightclub with Leo. But how could that man know? Or could it be that Master D is-No! She shouldn’t make accusations without solid proof. Juliette could suspect Leo or anyone, but she couldn’t say anything until she found evidence.
Juliette took a slow breath and hurriedly applied her makeup. After finishing, she styled her hair to look more polished. She ensured her appearance was alright before entering and opening the door.
The first thing that greeted her was a vast room surrounded by mirrors. The lights shone brightly, making Juliette feel like she was on stage. The room she entered resembled a dance studio. As her feet stepped into the middle of the room, suddenly, a song blared, replacing the silence that had previously filled the space.
With her heart racing, Juliette closed her eyes and began to dance in the center of the room, accompanied by the music.
….