Serena was restless. Ever since leaving the hospital, her thoughts had remained fixed on Bella. That woman's gaze had been anything but normal, and even the way she spoke had been weak, as though she were worried about many things.
"Are you okay taking a taxi home, Serena? I can drive you home if you want," Helena offered.
"No need. You go on home. Besides, I still have something to take care of outside, so I'm not going straight home," Serena declined.
They eventually parted ways in the hospital courtyard. Serena then went to the bus stop and sat there to wait for a taxi while she calmed herself down first.
"I can't think positively about Bella. What if ..." Serena began to imagine the worst.
Their relationship had been kept secret to protect the long-standing friendship between them. Varron had said he didn't want Bella and Helena to become awkward around each other when they found out about his relationship with Serena.
But tonight, Bella's behavior made Serena feel like telling both of her friends about her relationship with Varron all this time.
"Varron couldn't possibly be cheating on me, right? He couldn't, right?" Serena shook her head, rejecting the thousands of negative thoughts she had about Varron and Bella.
Instead of worrying about Varron's condition, Serena was busy thinking about Bella's connection to the man—something she knew absolutely nothing about.
"I have to find out secretly. Yes, I have to find out."
Serena got home around midnight. She shouldn't have been that late, but because she had been busy thinking about Bella and Varron, she had nearly spent hours at the bus stop without realizing it.
The house seemed quiet when she walked in. She couldn't even see any sign of Niel. As she began taking off her shoes, the lights suddenly went out.
Everything abruptly went pitch-black, without a single light anywhere, making it difficult for Serena to see her surroundings. Slowly, she searched for her phone inside her bag. When one of her hands finally found it, Serena felt relieved.
"Damn it. Since when does the power in this house suddenly go out like this?" she grumbled as she turned on her phone's flashlight.
However, just as the woman began walking again, she was startled by Niel suddenly standing in front of her. He was wearing a black hoodie and staring blankly at Serena.
"Damn it! Why did you scare me? Why didn't you say anything instead of just standing there? You nearly scared my heart out of my chest, you know?" Serena touched her chest.
Niel didn't respond. At first, he simply stood there in silence. Then, when Serena remained frozen in place, the man began walking toward her.
To be honest, Serena's thoughts were starting to grow uneasy. Especially with those dark thoughts leading toward things she didn't want to happen. Her feet slowly began retreating, putting distance between herself and Nathaniel.
"Where are you going, Serena?" he asked in his distinct deep voice.
"What are you going to do to me? Please don't touch me." Serena began to panic in the darkness.
In one swift motion, Niel pulled Serena toward him, and she ended up pressed against his chest. Serena fell silent, her heart pounding faster. She was caught between fear and awkwardness.
"Keep your mouth shut, Serena. If you want to know, there's a robber in here. Stay quiet, or he'll kill you tonight."
"W-what? A robber? Why haven't you called the police? This is dangerous, Niel. We're in danger."
"It's not me who's in danger. You are."