"Why did you leave?"

The sharp smell of alcohol hit her nose. She turned around and saw Derek in front of her. His eyes sparkled, and his face was flushed from the alcohol.

"It's too stuffy in there. I needed some fresh air," Maria replied with a hint of concern in her voice.

But it seemed like he wasn't listening at all. Without taking his eyes off her, he approached and grabbed her hands.

"I've wanted to tell you for a long time, but I didn't know how. I like you. No, I think I'm going crazy for you. Since the moment I first saw you, I knew I wanted you to be mine," he said, squeezing her hands even tighter. "Tell me, do you like me? Well, even if you don't, I don't care."

He pulled her closer and lowered his head to kiss her.

Fear paralyzed Maria. She wanted to run away, but her legs seemed to be chained to the ground. Her heart pounded, creating a buzz in her ears, and her eyes reflected desperation and horror. What could she do? He loomed over her like a rock, creating a sense of utter helplessness.

"Derek, you're drunk. You don't understand what you're doing!" she said, making a last attempt to stop him.

"Do you think so?" he said with a smirk.

She realized she had no chance of escaping him, and with tear-filled eyes, she said, "Please, let go. You're hurting me."

But he didn't release her.

"Hasn't the girl made herself clear?" a low, threatening voice interrupted. She turned her head and saw Mr. X in front of her. He stood leaning against his car, arms crossed, staring at Derek.

"Get out of here. You weren't invited," the man said with irritation in his voice, not taking his eyes off Maria.

In an instant, the stranger closed the distance and grabbed the guard by the chest. Taken by surprise, Derek released Maria's hands, giving her a chance to step back. Slightly lifting Derek off the ground, the mysterious man pulled him closer. Even though the man was much taller than the guard, his actions astonished Maria; he did it with such ease, as if he possessed superhuman strength.

"Let's talk," Mr. X said in a tone that sent shivers down their spines. Derek looked at the man, and his face turned pale. In his eyes, there was not only horror but also something mysterious, as if he saw something unimaginable. The stranger led the guard into a dark alley, where darkness swallowed their traces.

Maria took a deep breath and squatted down. She wanted to cry, but tears stuck in her throat like a lump. It seemed like all this was happening not to her. How could such a kind person, as she thought he was, treat her like this? Thoughts raced in her head one after another until Anna's voice interrupted her musings.

"I've been looking for you. Where have you been? Are you okay?" Anna asked with concern.

Maria turned to Anna, her face pale, and with a distant look, she replied, "No, something's wrong with me. I think I'll go home."

"I'll call you a taxi," Anna said, taking out her phone. "Have you seen Derek? He went to look for you."

Maria looked at the dark alley and emotionlessly answered, "No."

Then she turned her gaze to the car parked nearby with an open door, as if providing real evidence of what had just happened. After standing there for a while without uttering a single word, she headed towards the arriving taxi.

The next day, she didn't leave her bed.