Hush, My Sweet Darling

Chapter 1: On One Golden Twilight

Hong Kong, several years ago.
A Friday in November, 5:50 PM.

Wasn't it curious how sometimes things that appeared ordinary were, in fact, nothing close to being ordinary at all?

Take, for example, that particular twilight.

Although bracing air and light rain engulfed the city—quite odd weather for Hong Kong around that time of the year—the congested streets with the usual rush-hour's lines manifested the fact that it was just a typical afternoon on a regular November day.

Who would have guessed that this evening was, in truth, the prelude to everything for two marked souls?

One such soul was currently looking outside the car window from the back seat of a black Maybach as the luxurious vehicle cruised through the jammed traffic in the city's central district.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The thrum of the drizzle hitting the car's roof resembled the pace of her own heartbeat. She hastily stepped out as soon as the vehicle stopped in front of the entrance of a ritzy hotel.

"Miss Violet! What about the dinner appointment!?" Albert Wong—a well-groomed middle-aged man, clad in a dark suit, complete with a hat, tie, and white gloves—called out to her from behind the wheel.

"It's okay, Uncle Wong. I have something else to take care of. Please don't wait for me," Violet said to her private chauffeur as a valet held the car door open for her.

Uncle Wong frowned in hesitation. "But your brother instructed me to bring you there. And how will you get home?"

"I'll explain it to him later. Plus, I'm a fully-functioning adult; I can get home by myself."

"But—"

"Didn't you say Auntie was giving you the cold shoulder?" Not giving Uncle Wong any chance to rebuke, Violet cut him off. "You should go home early today, Uncle Wong. Don't forget to buy Auntie some pretty flowers on your way. She'll love it!"

Then with her trademark candy-sweet smile, she added, "Don't worry about me. I'll be alright! I'll ask Brother to pick me up later."

Without waiting for Uncle Wong's response, she thanked the valet and turned around to disappear into the building.

The valet closed the car door, but Uncle Wong didn't drive away. He took out his phone and dialed a number. "Sir, Miss Violet is at Kingsley. She asked me not to wait for her."

"Why is she there?" a demanding voice said on the other side of the line.

"I'm not sure, sir. She asked me to bring her here instead of Concours."

"Okay, Uncle Wong, go home. I'll take care of it."

"Thank you, sir."

***

Violet emerged from the hotel's entrance, bringing a slight chill of the outside air to those standing in the foyer. She hurriedly made her way toward the elevators hall, unconcerned with the clacking of her boots coming in contact with the solid marble tiles, attracting attention from the surrounding crowd.

She had just reached the hotel lobby when her phone rang and frowned as soon as she saw who it was.

Uncle Wong, that traitor! She instinctively turned her head toward the ten-meter-high grand windows—which separated the hotel lobby and its entrance—and saw the black Maybach slowly driving away from the hotel's porte-cochère.