# Chapter 3 "The Invisible Shadow"
"There is someone who is always near you... only the world chooses not to see him."
Morning arrived beneath a clear sky. Sunlight streamed through gaps in the clouds, illuminating the city streets as they began filling with vehicles and activity. Birds chirped in the treetops, as if enthusiastically welcoming the new day.
Yet for Tania Geisha Kusumawardhani, that morning felt different.
The beauty of the sunlight could not drive away the shadows of the previous night that kept circling through her mind.
The accident was over. Her white sedan had already been removed by the police. The doctor had assured her that she had suffered only minor injuries—a small scratch on her left temple, bruising on her right arm, and shoulder pain from the impact of the seat belt.
Physically, she was fine.
But... It wasn't the pain that continued to trouble her. It was the blue-eyed man who had appeared out of nowhere, saved her, and then vanished before she could even learn who he was.
"Who is he, really...?" The question kept echoing without an answer.
The family car slowly entered the exclusive neighborhood where the Wijaya Kusumawardhani family home stood. The towering black iron gates opened automatically.
The rows of palm trees lining the driveway swayed gently in the morning breeze. The green lawn was perfectly trimmed. The fountain in the middle of the grounds sent sparkling sprays of water into the sunlight.
The grand modern-classical house looked utterly luxurious.
Yet... Luxury did not always mean warmth. As soon as the car stopped in front of the main entrance, a driver quickly got out to open the door.
Several house servants standing in neat rows immediately bowed respectfully. "Welcome home, Miss Tania," one of them greeted her softly, lowering his head.
Tania returned the greeting with a faint smile. Though she looked tired, she still tried to be friendly. "Thank you," she replied quietly with a small nod.
She walked into the house. The polished marble floor reflected her figure. A massive crystal chandelier hung grandly from the foyer ceiling.
The house was beautiful.
Yet it felt lonely.
Even the sound of her footsteps echoed.
When she entered the living room, her pace slowed.
Both of her parents were already seated there.
Her father, Adrian Wijaya Kusumawardhani, was leaning against a black leather sofa while reading a stack of business reports. His gaze remained fixed on page after page, as though nothing in the world around him mattered more than numbers and business contracts.
Meanwhile, her mother, Diana Kusumawardhani, sat elegantly on the sofa beside him. Her fingers wrapped around a cup of warm tea, her face calm and showing not the slightest hint of panic.
Tania paused.
For some reason...
A small hope still lingered in a corner of her heart.
Maybe...
This time, they would hug her.
Ask how she was doing.
Or simply say that they had been worried.
But that hope slowly faded.
Without lifting his head from the report in his hands, Adrian finally spoke.
"I heard your car was pretty badly damaged." His voice was flat and calm, almost devoid of emotion.
Tania drew a quiet breath before answering.
"Yes, Dad," she replied softly, standing straight in front of her parents.
Adrian turned another page of the report. Only then did he ask,
"You weren't seriously hurt?"
His tone sounded like someone checking whether a report had been completed, not a father who had just learned that his daughter had been in an accident.
Tania lowered her gaze for a moment.
"Just minor injuries."
Adrian finally looked up for a few seconds. His eyes briefly turned to the small bandage on his daughter's left temple.
Then he nodded slowly.
"Thank goodness."
Just one phrase.
There were no follow-up questions.
No curiosity about how the accident had happened.
No embrace.
No touch.
A short while later, Adrian lowered his head again and continued reading his business reports, as though the conversation were over.
Tania forced a small smile. It felt hollow even to her.
Diana then slowly set her teacup on the table.
Her gaze shifted to her daughter's face. Her eyes paused briefly on the small bandage at Tania's left temple.
"Has the doctor examined you?" she asked in a gentle voice that still sounded flat.
Tania gave a small nod. "Yes, Mom."
Diana nodded again.
"Get some rest."
"Okay."
That was all.
The conversation fell silent again.
The large room was once more filled with quiet.
The wall clock ticked softly.
The air conditioner hummed faintly.
No one spoke anymore.
No one asked anything else.
Tania stood there for a few seconds before finally offering a faint smile.
Not because she was happy.
But because she had grown too used to all of this.
Ever since she was little...
That house had always been filled with people.
There were servants.
Drivers.
Her father's personal secretary.
A chef.
Security guards.
And yet... It was strange. In a house this large, warmth was the hardest thing to find. Sometimes Tania felt that the house resembled a luxury hotel more than a place to come home to. Every need was provided for.
But...
There was nowhere to share her stories.
No comforting embrace.
No voice saying,
"We're glad you're okay."
She looked at her parents one more time.
Her father was still busy with his reports.
Her mother had gone back to enjoying her warm tea while reading the news on her tablet.
Neither of them noticed that their daughter was still standing there. Slowly, Tania turned around. Her footsteps sounded soft as she made her way down the long hallway. Each step felt lonelier than the last.
By late afternoon, the sky had begun to turn golden. Warm sunlight slipped through the large windows of Tania's bedroom, forming bands of light across the wooden floor.
After washing up and changing clothes, her body did feel refreshed. But her mind was still crowded. Images of the previous night's accident kept flashing through her thoughts.
Especially... The gaze of that mysterious man's blue eyes. Tania let out a long sigh. She knew that if she stayed in her room, her head would only fill with more questions. Finally, she opened her bedroom door and walked toward the garden behind the house. That place had been her refuge since childhood. When her parents were busy. When she felt sad. Or when the world felt too loud. The garden had always been a place that could make her heart a little calmer.
As soon as the glass door opened, the evening breeze brushed against her face. The scent of roses filled the air. A natural-stone path cut through a stretch of well-tended green grass. On the right, red, white, and pink roses bloomed beautifully.
In the center of the garden, a small fountain pool reflected the glittering evening sunlight like thousands of gold coins.
The gentle murmur of water blended with the chirping of birds preparing to return to their nests. Tania walked slowly along the path. Her long black hair swayed gently in the breeze.
When she reached the pool, she stopped. Her eyes closed for a moment. The tightness in her chest, which had lingered since morning, finally eased as she drew a deep breath. Then she exhaled slowly. A faint smile appeared on her face.
"Finally..." she whispered, lifting her face toward the evening sky. She drew another deep breath.
"...I can breathe again."
For a moment...
Everything felt peaceful.
But without realizing it...
A strange feeling slowly crept back into her chest.
The hair on the back of her neck prickled faintly.
As if a pair of eyes were watching her from somewhere.
Tania slowly opened her eyes. Her breath caught for a moment as she turned to the right and left, letting her gaze sweep across every corner of the garden bathed in evening light.
The small pool.
The path.
The rows of roses.
The trees swaying gently in the breeze.
There was no one there.
She slowly shook her head and gave herself a small smile.
"Maybe I still can't stop thinking about last night..." she murmured. Her voice sounded as though she were trying to convince herself, though the doubt was still plain on her face.
Tania turned around, intending to go back inside.
But her steps suddenly stopped.
Near a white frangipani tree...
Someone stood calmly.
His long black coat fluttered gently in the evening breeze.
He was tall and sturdy.
His black hair was slightly tousled, while a pair of striking blue eyes gazed at Tania with gentle warmth.
Tania's heart seemed to stop beating for several seconds.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Her lips slowly parted.
"Nicholas...?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
The man answered with a faint, barely visible smile.
His gaze remained calm.
"Good evening," he greeted her softly.
That voice.
The same voice as the night before.
Tania blinked several times, making sure she wasn't hallucinating.
Then, without realizing it, she took several steps closer.
Her face was still filled with shock.
"Y-you..." she stammered, looking Nicholas up and down. "You really came?"
Nicholas slowly nodded.
His expression remained calm, but his eyes looked warmer than they had the night before.
"I just wanted to make sure you were all right," he replied quietly.
That simple answer made Tania's chest feel slightly warm.
For some reason.
A relief she couldn't explain filled her.
She let out a long breath before crossing her arms over her chest, trying to hide the nervousness that had suddenly surfaced.
"You know," she said, pursing her lips slightly. Her voice held a hint of irritation, though her eyes showed relief instead. "You just disappeared last night. I didn't even get the chance to properly thank you."
Nicholas lowered his head slightly.
A faint smile appeared on his face again.
"I'm sorry."
Tania sighed softly.
She raised one eyebrow as she looked at the man in front of her.
"Just 'I'm sorry'?" she asked, half-protesting.
Nicholas seemed to think for a few seconds.
Then he gently rubbed the back of his neck, a small gesture that made him look slightly awkward.
"I'm not very good at explaining things," he answered honestly.
Seeing his expression, Tania couldn't hold back a small laugh.
"At least now I know..." she said with a faint smile. "...you're not a hallucination."
Nicholas looked at her for a while without saying anything.
His blue-eyed gaze was so calm that Tania unconsciously fell silent as well.
Then the corner of Nicholas's mouth lifted again.
"Are you sure?" he replied softly.
Tania blinked.
Her smile slowly faded.
That answer sounded strange.
Very strange.
She stared at Nicholas with a furrowed brow.
"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.
Nicholas only gave a small shake of his head.
"It's nothing."
That answer only deepened Tania's curiosity.
Before she could ask another question, Nicholas stepped closer.
They were now only about three feet apart.
Nicholas's gaze slowly shifted to Tania's temple, still covered by the small bandage.
His expression grew more serious.
"How's your injury?" he asked in a low, concerned voice.
Tania instinctively touched her temple.
"It's much better," she answered with a small smile.
Nicholas continued studying the injury for several seconds.
"Does it still hurt?"
Tania nodded slowly.
"A little. My shoulder still aches if I move it too quickly."
Nicholas's gaze softened.
He let out a quiet breath, as if he had only just managed to relax.
"That's good."
Tania immediately furrowed her brow.
"Good?" she repeated, puzzled.
Nicholas seemed to realize how he had worded it.
He gave a small laugh and shook his head.
"I mean..." he said with an awkward smile. "...it's good that the injury isn't serious."
Tania finally smiled, amused.
"I thought you were happy to see me hurt."
Nicholas smiled faintly as well.
"Impossible."
He said the brief answer with such sincerity that...
For some reason...
The simple words made Tania's cheeks feel slightly warm.
Silence settled over them again.
But this time, the silence felt comfortable.
They stood side by side, gazing at the pool's surface glittering in the evening light.
The gentle murmur of water was the only sound they could hear.
After a while, Tania started the conversation again.
She turned toward Nicholas.
Her gaze was full of curiosity.
"I'm still curious."
Nicholas turned to her.
"About what?"
"Where do you actually live?" Tania asked, tilting her head.
Nicholas looked at the sky as it began turning orange.
His smile slowly widened.
"Somewhere quite far away."
Tania sighed softly.
"How far?"
Nicholas shrugged casually.
"Far."
Tania rolled her eyes and laughed quietly.
"You always answer my questions halfway."
Nicholas smiled more broadly than before.
There was something difficult to explain in his smile.
Warmth.
But also the promise of countless secrets.
"If I answered all your questions now..." he said slowly, looking directly into Tania's eyes.
He paused briefly.
Then continued in a gentle voice.
"...you wouldn't have a reason to meet me again later."
The words made time seem to stop.
Tania's heart began beating faster again.
Their gazes met for several seconds.
Tania's cheeks slowly flushed.
She hurriedly looked away toward the pool.
"Why am I getting so nervous...?" she thought.
"We've only met twice..."
Before she could answer—
"Tania!"
A loud voice from a distance shattered the silence.
Tania jumped.
She instinctively turned toward the voice.
Hendra, the house security guard who had worked for the Kusumawardhani family for more than a decade, came hurrying along the path, slightly out of breath.
"Miss Tania!" Hendra called, his face anxious. "Sorry to interrupt."
Tania smiled politely.
"Yes, sir?"
Hendra stopped several yards from Tania.
His expression looked confused.
He glanced right and left before looking back at Tania.
"Miss..." he said carefully. "Who are you talking to?"
Tania gave a small smile.
Without thinking, she turned to the side.
"I was talking to—"
The sentence broke off.
Her smile froze.
Her eyes widened.
Beside her...
There was no one.
Nicholas...
Had vanished.
Tania spun around.
Her gaze swept across the entire garden.
Toward the frangipani tree.
Toward the pool.
Toward the path.
Behind the rose bushes.
Empty.
Completely empty.
Her breathing grew ragged.
"Nicholas?" she called softly.
There was no answer.
Hendra also looked in every direction.
Confusion filled the middle-aged man's face.
"Who are you looking for, Miss?" he asked.
Tania swallowed.
Her hands clenched into fists without her realizing it.
"The man who was standing here just now," she answered quickly, pointing to the spot where Nicholas had been only seconds earlier.
Hendra frowned.
He looked around the garden again.
Then slowly shook his head.
"Since I arrived..." he said carefully, "...you've been alone."
Tania's eyes widened.
She immediately shook her head hard.
"That's impossible!" she said firmly. "We were talking just now. He was standing right beside me."
Hendra smiled awkwardly.
"Maybe you're still in shock from last night's accident."
"No." Tania cut him off quickly, staring at him seriously. "I really saw him."
Hendra fell silent.
He didn't know what to say.
A few seconds later, he spoke quietly.
"Then... maybe he left before I arrived."
But Tania was no longer listening.
Her gaze remained fixed on the garden, now filled only with the evening breeze and falling leaves.
Slowly...
Her fingers gripped the edge of her own sleeve.
For the first time since meeting Nicholas...
Doubt began to grow in her heart.
"Was I really talking to someone..."
"Or..."
"Was I only talking to a shadow that I alone could see?"
The evening breeze drifted past, swaying the branches of the frangipani tree until several white blossoms fell to the ground.
But Tania's attention was not on the beautiful sight at all.
Her gaze continued sweeping across every corner of the garden, her breathing growing increasingly uneven.
Her heart pounded faster and faster.
Just seconds ago...
Nicholas had been standing right beside her.
They had talked.
They had looked into each other's eyes.
She could still clearly remember the faint smile of the blue-eyed man.
But now...
There was no one.
As if he had never been there.
"Nicholas..." Tania called once more. Her voice was softer now, but filled with hope.
She hurried toward the frangipani tree where Nicholas had last stood.
Her hand touched the trunk, and her eyes searched behind the rose bushes.
Empty.
She hurried to the edge of the small pool.
The pool's surface reflected only the fading evening sunlight.
There was no shadow of a black coat.
No tall, blue-eyed figure.
All she could hear was the murmur of water and the rustle of the wind.
Hendra watched everything with a deeply puzzled expression.
The middle-aged man scratched the back of his head before finally walking a few steps closer to Tania.
"Miss Tania..." he said cautiously. "Was there really someone here?"
Tania quickly turned toward him.
Her eyes were filled with certainty.
"Yes, sir," she answered firmly. "He was standing right there." She pointed toward the frangipani tree. "We were talking for quite a while."
Hendra followed the direction of her finger.
He stared at the spot for several seconds.
Then he slowly shook his head again.
His expression grew even more confused.
"I'm sorry, Miss," he said politely. "Ever since I came from the security post, I've only seen you standing here alone."
The words made Tania's heart beat faster again.
She shook her head repeatedly.
"No way..." she whispered.
Hendra tried to recall what he had seen a few minutes earlier.
"As I was walking toward the garden," he explained, pointing to the path he had just come down, "you did look like you were talking."
Tania immediately lifted her face.
A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes.
"See? That means you saw him too!"
But Hendra slowly shook his head.
His expression became even more awkward.
"What I saw..." he said carefully, "...was that you were talking."
He paused, as if choosing his words so he wouldn't hurt his employer's feelings.
Then he continued softly.
"...but you were talking to yourself."
The words struck Tania mercilessly.
She fell silent.
Her gaze went blank.
Her clenched hands slowly relaxed.
"By myself...?" she repeated faintly.
Hendra nodded slowly.
"I even thought you were on a call with wireless earbuds." He smiled faintly, trying to lighten the mood. "But after I came closer, there was no one there."
Tania immediately shook her head hard.
"No..." she said, her breathing growing ragged. "I wasn't on the phone."
She stared straight at Hendra.
Her voice now sounded more serious.
"I really was talking to someone."
Hendra fell silent.
After working in the Kusumawardhani family home for years, he knew Tania as a calm, polite girl who never made things up.
That was why he felt so confused.
On one hand, he trusted Tania's honesty.
On the other...
His own eyes hadn't seen anyone.
"May I ask you something, Miss?" Hendra said carefully.
Tania nodded slowly.
"Go ahead."
"That man..." Hendra paused for a moment. "Who was he, really?"
Tania let out a long sigh.
Her gaze returned to the pool.
The still water made the evening reflection appear remarkably clear.
"His name is Nicholas."
Hendra frowned.
The name sounded unfamiliar to him.
"Is he a friend of yours?"
Tania slowly shook her head.
"I don't really know him yet, either."
Hendra looked even more confused.
"Then..."
Tania gently cut him off.
"My car was in an accident last night."
Hendra nodded.
He had already heard about it from the family driver.
"At the time..." Tania continued softly, "...he just appeared."
She began remembering what had happened the night before.
Those blue eyes.
His calm voice.
The way Nicholas had helped her out of the car.
It had all felt so real.
"He saved me," Tania whispered.
Hendra listened carefully.
"Then after I regained consciousness..." Tania smiled bitterly. "...he disappeared."
Silence once again covered the garden.
Hendra drew a quiet breath.
"Maybe..." he said cautiously, "...he's simply someone who doesn't want to be known."
Tania shook her head.
"If he had only left quietly, I could understand that."
She stared at the empty space near the frangipani tree.
"But how could someone just disappear within a matter of seconds?"
Hendra couldn't answer.
The question sounded impossible even to him.
The wind blew softly again.
Several dry leaves spun across the path before finally landing near their feet.
The garden suddenly felt far quieter.
Tania closed her eyes for a few moments.
Slowly, doubt began to creep into her mind.
"What if Mr. Hendra is right?"
"What if I've been alone this whole time?"
But just as quickly, she shook her head.
No.
She still remembered every conversation they'd had.
The way Nicholas smiled.
The way the man had examined the wound on her left temple.
Even his voice still echoed in her mind with perfect clarity.
None of it could have been a figment of her imagination.
Right?
"Miss..." Hendra called softly.
Tania opened her eyes.
"You should get some rest." Hendra's voice was full of concern. "The doctor said you've just suffered a blow to the head. Sometimes people can still go into shock after an accident."
Tania gave him a small smile.
She knew he meant well.
But the more she listened to his explanation, the stronger her desire became to prove that Nicholas really existed.
She looked toward the mansion behind her.
Then a thought suddenly occurred to her.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"CCTV..." she whispered, barely audibly.
Hendra tilted his head.
"I'm sorry, Miss?"
Tania turned toward him at once.
The confusion that had filled her eyes slowly gave way to certainty.
"There are security cameras in this garden, right?" she asked quickly.
Hendra nodded.
"Yes, Miss. Some areas even have high-resolution cameras installed."
Tania's heart began pounding again.
The hope that had nearly gone out flickered back to life.
If Nicholas had really been in the garden earlier...
Then the cameras must have recorded him.
There was no way every camera could be wrong.
There was no way every recording could show something different.
She drew a long breath.
Then she looked at Hendra with determination.
"Sir..." she said firmly.
"I want to see the CCTV footage from this afternoon."
Hendra was slightly startled by the change in Tania's expression.
But in the end, he nodded.
"All right, Miss."
Tania turned her eyes back to the garden, now beginning to glow with the orange light of dusk.
There was only one hope in her heart.
Hopefully...
The footage would prove that Nicholas had really stood beside her.
Because if it didn't...
Then she would have to face a possibility far more frightening than last night's accident.
She might be talking to someone... whom only she could see.
The evening breeze drifted past, swaying the branches of the frangipani tree until several white blossoms fell to the ground.
But Tania's attention was not on the beautiful sight at all.
Her gaze continued sweeping across every corner of the garden, her breathing growing increasingly uneven.
Her heart pounded faster and faster.
Just seconds ago...
Nicholas had been standing right beside her.
They had talked.
They had looked into each other's eyes.
She could still clearly remember the faint smile of the blue-eyed man.
But now...
There was no one.
As if he had never been there.
"Nicholas..." Tania called once more. Her voice was softer now, but filled with hope.
She hurried toward the frangipani tree where Nicholas had last stood.
Her hand touched the trunk, and her eyes searched behind the rose bushes.
Empty.
She hurried to the edge of the small pool.
The pool's surface reflected only the fading evening sunlight.
There was no shadow of a black coat.
No tall, blue-eyed figure.
All she could hear was the murmur of water and the rustle of the wind.
Hendra watched everything with a deeply puzzled expression.
The middle-aged man scratched the back of his head before finally walking a few steps closer to Tania.
"Miss Tania..." he said cautiously. "Was there really someone here?"
Tania quickly turned toward him.
Her eyes were filled with certainty.
"Yes, sir," she answered firmly. "He was standing right there." She pointed toward the frangipani tree. "We were talking for quite a while."
Hendra followed the direction of her finger.
He stared at the spot for several seconds.
Then he slowly shook his head again.
His expression grew even more confused.
"I'm sorry, Miss," he said politely. "Ever since I came from the security post, I've only seen you standing here alone."
The words made Tania's heart beat faster again.
She shook her head repeatedly.
"No way..." she whispered.
Hendra tried to recall what he had seen a few minutes earlier.
"As I was walking toward the garden," he explained, pointing to the path he had just come down, "you did look like you were talking."
Tania immediately lifted her face.
A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes.
"See? That means you saw him too!"
But Hendra slowly shook his head.
His expression became even more awkward.
"What I saw..." he said carefully, "...was that you were talking."
He paused, as if choosing his words so he wouldn't hurt his employer's feelings.
Then he continued softly.
"...but you were talking to yourself."
The words struck Tania mercilessly.
She fell silent.
Her gaze went blank.
Her clenched hands slowly relaxed.
"By myself...?" she repeated faintly.
Hendra nodded slowly.
"I even thought you were on a call with wireless earbuds." He smiled faintly, trying to lighten the mood. "But after I came closer, there was no one there."
Tania immediately shook her head hard.
"No..." she said, her breathing growing ragged. "I wasn't on the phone."
She stared straight at Hendra.
Her voice now sounded more serious.
"I really was talking to someone."
Hendra fell silent.
After working in the Kusumawardhani family home for years, he knew Tania as a calm, polite girl who never made things up.
That was why he felt so confused.
On one hand, he trusted Tania's honesty.
On the other...
His own eyes hadn't seen anyone.
"May I ask you something, Miss?" Hendra said carefully.
Tania nodded slowly.
"Go ahead."
"That man..." Hendra paused for a moment. "Who was he, really?"
Tania let out a long sigh.
Her gaze returned to the pool.
The still water made the evening reflection appear remarkably clear.
"His name is Nicholas."
Hendra frowned.
The name sounded unfamiliar to him.
"Is he a friend of yours?"
Tania slowly shook her head.
"I don't really know him yet, either."
Hendra looked even more confused.
"Then..."
Tania gently cut him off.
"My car was in an accident last night."
Hendra nodded.
He had already heard about it from the family driver.
"At the time..." Tania continued softly, "...he just appeared."
She began remembering what had happened the night before.
Those blue eyes.
His calm voice.
The way Nicholas had helped her out of the car.
It had all felt so real.
"He saved me," Tania whispered.
Hendra listened carefully.
"Then after I regained consciousness..." Tania smiled bitterly. "...he disappeared."
Silence once again covered the garden.
Hendra drew a quiet breath.
"Maybe..." he said cautiously, "...he's simply someone who doesn't want to be known."
Tania shook her head.
"If he had only left quietly, I could understand that."
She stared at the empty space near the frangipani tree.
"But how could someone just disappear within a matter of seconds?"
Hendra couldn't answer.
The question sounded impossible even to him.
The wind blew softly again.
Several dry leaves spun across the path before finally landing near their feet.
The garden suddenly felt far quieter.
Tania closed her eyes for a few moments.
Slowly, doubt began to creep into her mind.
"What if Mr. Hendra is right?"
"What if I've been alone this whole time?"
But just as quickly, she shook her head.
No.
She still remembered every conversation they'd had.
The way Nicholas smiled.
The way the man had examined the wound on her left temple.
Even his voice still echoed in her mind with perfect clarity.
None of it could have been a figment of her imagination.
Right?
"Miss..." Hendra called softly.
Tania opened her eyes.
"You should get some rest." Hendra's voice was full of concern. "The doctor said you've just suffered a blow to the head. Sometimes people can still go into shock after an accident."
Tania gave him a small smile.
She knew he meant well.
But the more she listened to his explanation, the stronger her desire became to prove that Nicholas really existed.
She looked toward the mansion behind her.
Then a thought suddenly occurred to her.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"CCTV..." she whispered, barely audibly.
Hendra tilted his head.
"I'm sorry, Miss?"
Tania turned toward him at once.
The confusion that had filled her eyes slowly gave way to certainty.
"There are security cameras in this garden, right?" she asked quickly.
Hendra nodded.
"Yes, Miss. Some areas even have high-resolution cameras installed."
Tania's heart began pounding again.
The hope that had nearly gone out flickered back to life.
If Nicholas had really been in the garden earlier...
Then the cameras must have recorded him.
There was no way every camera could be wrong.
There was no way every recording could show something different.
She drew a long breath.
Then she looked at Hendra with determination.
"Sir..." she said firmly.
"I want to see the CCTV footage from this afternoon."
Hendra was slightly startled by the change in Tania's expression.
But in the end, he nodded.
"All right, Miss."
Tania turned her eyes back to the garden, now beginning to glow with the orange light of dusk.
There was only one hope in her heart.
Hopefully...
The footage would prove that Nicholas had really stood beside her.
Because if it didn't...
Then she would have to face a possibility far more frightening than last night's accident.
She might be talking to someone... whom only she could see.
The garden lights began turning on one by one, casting a soft yellow glow along the path. From far away came the overlapping chirps of crickets, while the night breeze stirred the leaves, creating a faint rustling sound.
Yet in the midst of that peaceful night...
Tania's thoughts grew even more chaotic.
She stood before her bedroom window, gazing at the backyard garden where she had met Nicholas a few hours earlier.
Her gaze stopped at the white frangipani tree.
The place where the blue-eyed man had stood for the last time.
Without realizing it, Tania touched the left temple still covered by a thin bandage.
"I couldn't have been wrong..." she thought.
"I saw him."
"I heard his voice."
"We talked for quite a while."
She closed her eyes, trying to remember every detail of their conversation.
Nicholas's faint smile.
The gentle look in his eyes.
His calm tone.
Even the way the man had looked at the wound on her left temple remained so clear in her memory.
It had all felt real.
Very real.
Tania slowly opened her eyes.
Her gaze grew more resolute.
"I have to prove it," she whispered.
Without wasting any more time, she grabbed the light jacket hanging on a chair and walked out of the room.
The hallway was deserted.
The crystal chandelier cast a warm glow that reflected off the polished marble floor.
Tania's footsteps echoed softly along the corridor.
Now and then, she passed house staff tidying up the rooms.
They bowed their heads respectfully.
"Good evening, Miss Tania."
Tania returned their greeting with a small smile.
"Evening."
But her thoughts remained fixed on a single destination.
The security room.
That was where all the house's security cameras were connected.
If Nicholas had really been in the garden that afternoon...
Then the cameras must have recorded him.
That hope quickened her pace.
A few minutes later, Tania arrived in front of the security room at the back of the house.
The room was not very large, but it was filled with monitor screens showing various angles of the house.
Dozens of moving images appeared at once.
The main gate.
The garage.
The corridors.
The living room.
The front garden.
And...
The backyard garden.
A security officer on duty immediately stood when he saw Tania enter.
"Good evening, Miss," he greeted her politely.
Tania nodded slowly.
Although her face appeared calm, the unease in her eyes was difficult to hide.
"Good evening."
The security officer noticed the small bandage on Tania's left temple before asking with concern,
"Are you feeling better, Miss?"
Tania gave him a faint smile.
"Much better. Thank you."
She took a slow breath before continuing.
"Sir, may I see the CCTV footage of the backyard garden from this afternoon?"
The security officer looked slightly surprised, but he still nodded respectfully.
"Of course, Miss."
He immediately sat down in front of the main computer.
His fingers moved nimbly across the keyboard.
Several footage windows appeared on the screen.
The date.
The time.
The camera location.
After selecting the requested time, the officer turned to Tania.
"The footage is ready."
Tania's heart began beating faster.
She stepped closer to the monitor.
Without realizing it, she clasped her hands tightly together.
The footage began to play.
The screen showed the backyard garden illuminated by the afternoon sunlight.
A short while later...
Tania emerged from the glass door.
Exactly as she remembered.
She walked slowly along the path.
Stopped near the fountain pool.
Drew a long breath.
Then closed her eyes.
Everything was the same.
Tania stared at the screen without blinking.
A few seconds later...
The Tania on-screen opened her eyes.
Then turned toward the frangipani tree.
Her expression changed.
She smiled.
Her lips moved.
As if she were greeting someone.
Tania's heart pounded.
"There..." she whispered. "Any second now..."
She waited.
Each passing second felt unbearably slow.
In her memory...
That was when Nicholas appeared.
But...
The monitor continued to show only Tania standing alone.
Tania frowned.
"No..." she murmured.
The footage continued playing.
The Tania on-screen appeared to be talking.
Smiling.
Letting out a soft chuckle.
Nodding now and then.
Then tilting her head as if listening to someone's reply.
But...
In front of her...
There was no one.
There was no man in a black coat.
No blue-eyed figure.
No shadow of another person.
There was only empty space.
Tania's body slowly tensed.
Her face went pale.
"Impossible..." she whispered, barely making a sound.
The security officer watched the screen too, his brow furrowing.
"Miss..." he began cautiously.
But Tania did not hear him.
Her eyes remained fixed on the monitor.
The footage continued.
The Tania on-screen gave a soft laugh.
Then nodded again.
A moment later...
Hendra appeared on the right side of the screen.
The Tania in the footage turned toward him.
Her lips moved rapidly.
Then she suddenly spun to the side.
Exactly as it had happened that afternoon.
A few seconds later...
She appeared to panic.
Searching in every direction.
Walking quickly around the garden.
But...
She was still alone.
The footage ended.
The room suddenly fell silent.
No one spoke.
The only sounds were the computer's soft hum and the air conditioner's low whir.
The security officer slowly turned toward Tania.
His face was filled with confusion.
"Miss..." he said softly. "From the very beginning of the footage... you were the only one there."
Tania remained silent.
Her eyes were still fixed on the screen, now frozen on an image of the empty garden.
Her chest felt tight.
Her breaths grew shorter.
She slowly shook her head.
"No..." she whispered.
"This has to be wrong."
The security officer looked confused.
"Would you like me to replay any part of the footage?"
Tania immediately nodded.
"Play it again."
The officer replayed the footage a second time.
Then a third.
Then a fourth.
The result remained the same.
Nicholas...
Never appeared.
Tania began studying the screen more carefully.
Every corner.
Every shadow.
Every reflection in the fountain pool.
Every movement of the leaves.
Not a single image showed Nicholas's presence.
As if the man...
Had never existed.
Tania's body suddenly felt weak.
She took a step back.
Her hands trembled.
Her mind filled with clashing possibilities.
"Was I really hallucinating?"
"Did the impact from the accident make me see something that wasn't real?"
"Or..."
"Could Nicholas really not be captured on camera?"
That last question sent a chill down her spine.
She immediately shook her head hard.
No.
That was impossible.
There was no human being invisible to cameras.
Right?
The security officer watched Tania's face grow paler.
With concern in his voice, he said,
"You should get some rest, Miss. If necessary, we can have a technician inspect all the cameras tomorrow."
Tania did not answer right away.
She only nodded slowly.
But deep in her heart...
She knew.
The problem wasn't with the cameras.
She thanked him in a faint voice, then walked out of the security room.
The hallway felt quieter than usual.
Her footsteps were soft, but her thoughts were deafening.
When she reached the large window overlooking the backyard garden, she stopped again.
Her gaze fell on the white frangipani tree.
The same tree.
The place where Nicholas had stood that afternoon.
Tania closed her eyes.
A question slowly filled her mind.
"If Nicholas had never really existed..."
"Then... who saved me from last night's accident?"
While she was still lost in thought...
Suddenly...
In the reflection of the window glass...
A man in a black coat stood motionless several yards behind her.
Those blue eyes stared straight at her.
Tania's eyes flew wide.
Her heart seemed to stop beating.
She spun around instinctively.
But...
The hallway behind her was empty.
There was no one there.
Only the lamplight stretching across the marble floor.
Tania's breath caught.
Slowly, she turned back toward the reflection in the glass.
The figure...
Had vanished too.
Tania stood frozen.
Meanwhile, somewhere far away...
Someone continued watching her in silence.