The Angel's Dilemma

4th Page

"Ms. Verity!"

Verity quickly turned around when she heard the familiar voice.

"Yvonne?"

"Go get that man. A young man is running away right?!" Verity urgently pointed in the direction where she last sensed Caius. "Who? Who is it?" Yvonne asked, glancing around curiously, trying to spot whoever Verity was referring to. But the park was empty.

"Over there! He's getting away! Go get that man right now!" Verity commanded, her voice full of determination. But Yvonne hesitated, puzzled by the lack of any visible person. "No one is here." Yvonne replied, still scanning the area, more bewildered than ever.

"What?" Verity's voice faltered, her frustration growing.

"He was right here!"

She insisted, feeling around the bench as if she might find some trace of the mysterious figure. "Are you... seeing a ghost now?" Yvonne asked cautiously, her tone half-joking, but her words caused Verity's eyes to widen.

Verity refused to give up, her hands moving methodically over the bench until she felt something soft. She picked up a small cloth and carefully examined it by touch. It felt like a handkerchief.

--FANTASIA BALLET COMPANY--

"Have you been well, Mr. Charles?" Lilith asked, her tone casual but laced with something colder.

"Tomorrow is Verity's parents' d**th anniversary." Mr. Charles began, his voice respectful yet firm. "I'm aware of that." Lilith responded curtly, not bothering to meet his gaze.

"What's your point?"

She added, her voice sharp. "Must it be tomorrow?" Mr. Charles set down an invitation on the table between them.

"To be precise, the 20th anniversary is next week." He continued, making Lilith finally glance at him, a small smile show across her lips.

"Is Verity coming?" She asked.

"Ms. Verity." He corrected gently, though Lilith seemed unfazed by the formality. "She's been cooped up at home for three years. She never shows her face at events held by the foundation." Lilith stated with a flick of her hand, dismissing the thought as trivial.

"It's incrediblely hard to run a big organization like this in place of her." She added, her hand gesturing a circle in the air, feigning the burden. "You have no idea." Mr. Charles sighed, his patience wearing thin as she rapped her knuckles against the small table beside her.

"I invited her, so she can come and see."

"To see it for herself how well I ran the organization she threw away." Lilith's voice rose with satisfaction. "My bad, she won't able to see it with her eyes. My poor niece."

She said, turning away dramatically. But that comment was enough to make Mr. Charles stand, his irritation evident.

"Verity won't be attending the event tomorrow." He said firmly, adjusting his suit jacket. "Let's make one thing clear. We've fulfilled out duties." Lilith’s eyes flashed, but she kept her voice measured.

"It's three years. I was curious as to why she still hasn't received a cornea donation." He said to her, making Lilith simply look away.

"She's always so close. But it's always cancelled at the last minute." He said to her, who is still not looking. "Well, I guess the cell doesn't match. What can I do? It's her luck." She said nonchalantly.

Mr. Charles couldn’t help the smirk that formed on his face, his patience gone.

"Thanks to that, you managed to keep your position as the General Director, right?"

Lilith shot up from the couch, her face flushed with anger. "What do you mean?" She demanded, her voice sharp.

Mr. Charles didn't flinch. He merely raised an eyebrow and kept the smirk on his face.

"It's interesting that someone's fortune can bring luck to someone." He said, turning to leave.

Just as his hand reached for the door, he paused and glanced over his shoulder. "I plan to ask the police to investigate regarding the cancelled donation this time."

Lilith’s eyes narrowed, burning with fury, but she forced her voice into a calm tone. "Don't make a fuss. The transplant is---"

Before she could finish, Mr. Charles turned back fully, cutting her off. "Of course. No one would try to hinder the donation process." His tone was deadly calm.

"If someone did, I won't let that slide."

Without waiting for her response, he walked out, the door slamming shut behind him, leaving Lilith staring after him with clenched fists and seething anger.

_______________________________________

Lilith sat down gracefully, removing her sunglasses as she glanced over her shoulder.

"Tell me. How much did he found out?"

She asked, her voice calm but laced with tension.

"He already talked to the administration and the donation center." Mr. Williams, sitting nearby, sighed heavily. He admitted, his voice carrying a hint of fear.

"How am I supposed to hide the truth?"

"So you're telling that you told him the truth?" Lilith's expression darkened, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Today I pretend that I didn't know anything."

Mr. Williams quickly responded, a note of panic creeping into his voice. "Today?" She questioned sharply, leaning forward.

"I can't do this anymore." He confessed.

"I'm a doctor too. I came here to tell you that." Lilith let out a small, mocking laugh before her eyes turned cold. "Mr. Williams, I'm aware that you are a doctor."

"And because you're a doctor, I'm talking to you very politely and treating you with respect." Her words cut deep, and Mr. Williams looked away, guilt weighing heavy on him.

"I didn't know anything, you know."

"The doctor is the one who takes care of the corneas, transplant and everything else." Her voice dropping to a chilling tone.

"If there's an investigation..." She paused, watching as his face drained of color face. "No, that won't happen, that can't happen." She whispered to herself, though the worry was evident in her clenched fists.

"Investigation?"

Mr. Williams stammered, visibly anxious now.

"Just keep this in mind."

Lilith stood, adjusting her sunglasses and smirking. "Dr. Williams, you've crossed a bridge, and I’ve already burned it behind you. There’s no going back now." Her words were a sinister promise, leaving him frozen in place.

"Do you understand?" she asked, her voice dangerously smooth. He nodded, though his face was pale with dread. With that, Lilith turned and walked away, her composure untouched, as if nothing had ever happened.

__________

The Fourth Page Turns...