Tonight, the streets of Luxembourg were just like any other winter night of the season. However, to Madam Luo it was the perfect night— the night that she had been waiting for. She eyed the soft crystals of ice falling from the dark skies as her small footsteps took her to the marketplace where the tourists frequented when they visited the city.
She tightened her hands around her body, pulling her coat closer to her chest as she tucked her chin closer to the body. Despite wearing three layers of clothing, a scarf and the cashmere beanie that she bought when she heard that Lily was here, it was not enough to keep her warm.
Must be my age, she mused. She was already in her seventies, her body was slowly losing the strength that it once had. A sad smile crept on to her face as she paused and eyed the fabric store to her left. This store had been around for decades— a place that she used to frequent when she came back from London.
London.
Even now, the name was enough to make her tremble in fear. She shook her head as she decided not to think about the past. What was the point of stressing herself over the past? She had spent most of her life thinking about it. Wasn’t it time for her to set herself free from the horrors that woke her up every night for decades now?
Madam Luo was just a woman. She was nothing but a weak woman who owed Lilian Facci her life. And she was adamant that she pay back this debt before she left this world. She continued walking.
Her eyes soon halted at the couple walking towards her. Smiling at each other as they walked as close to each other as possible. It immediately reminded her of her good friends, Lilian and Fred. Sometimes, Madam Luo would wonder what would have happened if she didn’t fall in love with a man who was already in love with someone else.
Maybe she too would have found her own soul mate. Maybe she would have spent her life with her kids and grandchildren. She would have been happier, lighter. Of course, she could not blame fate for the things that had happened in the past. It was all her choice and fate had nothing to do with what happened in the past.
She smiled and continued walking.
It’s funny how she used to think that this was her fate, to be alone forever. At that time, she used to blame fate for everything. Fred and Lilian were fated for each other and she, the loser Madam Luo was fated to be alone. It was all fate’s fault.
However, as years passed by, Madam Luo realized that it wasn’t fate’s fault. It was hers and hers alone. She gave herself hope that Fred would love her, She followed them to London. She was the one who chose to have a relationship with that man thinking it would anger Lilian. She was the one who opened her legs to people just to get them to help her scheme against Lilian.
It was her choices that brought her to that night— the night that Lilian saved her. Instead of killing her, she told her to leave. Forget everything that she saw. She even went as far as assuring her that Lilian would choose Fred no matter what— and that she would love him more than she would love her own life.
A sad smile left her lips. Since Lilian’s death, she had been pretending to be crazy to keep herself alive, enough to see Lily, enough to tell her the truth about her grandmother’s death.
Madam Luo slowly walked towards the alley that would lead her to the small pub. Next to the pub was a small crafts store. And that was where she would meet Lily.
Madam Luo had secretly bought this store and had told the store keeper to keep it a secret from his grandson. She specifically told the keeper not to put any cameras on the premises. She also made sure not to put anything that could possibly record their conversation. No telephone or radio.
Aside from this, the craft store was known for not having electricity and for using only candles to light the whole place. Everything that was displayed in the store was specifically chosen by Madam Luo to make it look like their theme was magic— a fantasy world, where people could buy crafts and magical things.
Madam Luo smiled as she neared the store. It won’t be long now. However, it did not take too long for Madam Luo’s smile to vanish from her face as she eyed the once empty alley— two men stood on the alley, looking at her.
That is impossible! Madam Luo trembled as she hastened her steps. How could these people…
Madam Luo’s thoughts were interrupted when she saw another man standing at the other end of the alley. Just a few feet away from her. It was as if her world stopped as she halted her steps. Tears immediately pooled in the older woman’s eyes.
Is this going to be the end for her? She balled her hands into fists, a false determination flickered in her eyes. What if these were Lily’s men? Were they here to rescue her instead? Unsure of what to do, Madam Luo opened her purse and grabbed a small pepper spray can that Claude had given her in case she got lost and encountered some people with ill intent.
It was a Christmas gift that he jokingly gave her just last year. She quickly held the spray closer in her chest— an action that was deemed useless as her trembling hands enabled her from even holding the spray. With a small thud, the spray fell into the road. A gasp escaped her lips.
Madam Luo felt her heart raced as the four men started walking her way. They were here to kill her. She could smell it. Despite not seeing their eyes, she could feel the bloodlust coming from them. Are they going to make it look like a robbery? Slowly, tears made its way into the older woman’s cheeks as she stepped back until her back hit the wall.
Is this going to be the end?
…………..
Pls note, this scene happened just after Lily was telling Secretary Go to go to Madam Luo.
