Semua Bab WHISPERS OF A HIDDEN HEART: Bab 1 - Bab 10

In a small, old coffee shop, Sandra Mariano sat quietly, her chin resting on her hand. Her gaze wandered idly as she waited for her order, a stack of pancakes and a cup of coffee. She was the only customer there.It was easy to see why the place rarely drew a crowd anymore. It's worn-out charm had long been overshadowed by the sleek and modern restaurants that surrounded it. Inside, there were only three tables, plus a long counter along each wall lined with four wooden stools. The wooden walls had lost most of their varnish. The surface was dulled and weathered with time.A small chalkboard hung on one side, a colorful quote scrawled across it in different shades of chalk and beside it was a faded imitation of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.The shop was run by only two people, an elderly man, well into his sixties, who sat at the cash register, and a plump, cheerful waitress in a pink uniform, who Sandra guessed to be around forty-five to fifty.A few moments later, the waitress approached w

A six-year-old Sandra ran frantically through a dark tunnel, screaming and crying as a mysterious man chased after her. Her small legs ached with exhaustion, but she couldn’t stop... not now. She couldn’t let the man catch her.Up ahead, a glimmer of light broke through the darkness. Instead of giving in to her fatigue, she pushed herself to run faster.She burst out of the narrow, suffocating tunnel…only to freeze in shock at the sight before her. Lying on the grass were the bloodied bodies of her parents… and the man who had been chasing her.She shook her parents’ bodies. “Mom, Dad… wake up.”Her cries broke into a wail and then, once again, the world went dark. She was back inside the tunnel.She tried to stand and run, but her feet wouldn’t move. Terror crept over her face as a bloodied teenage boy emerged from the shadows, slowly moving toward her, calling her name.Paralyzed, she could do nothing but let out a scream so loud it carried every ounce of fear in her body."AAAAAAHH

"Ouch! What’s your problem?" Sandra complained as her friend’s grip tightened on her arm."Problem? You’re my problem!"Jessica pulled her phone from her handbag. " What’s this text supposed to mean? You don’t want to stay here anymore. You want to move out. Just like that? Do you have any idea how exhausting it is, dealing with your constant change of mind?""That was last night. If you were really that worried, why are you only coming now?" Sandra teased, laughing at her friend’s exaggerated reaction."I’m a busy woman, Sandra! Even checking my phone is on a schedule. Do you have any idea I canceled an interview after reading your text just so I could come here?!""I’m sorry… I just panicked last night," Sandra replied softly, a hint of guilt in her voice. "I had another bad dream again."Jessica fell silent. She stepped closer to her downcast friend, took hold of both her arms and gently turned her to face her."Are you okay? Did you get hurt? You should have called me! Oh, right,

Sandra was annoyed with herself as she walked through the lobby of their apartment building, replaying in her mind the reaction of the two men watching her laugh alone."Why do those two giants always have to be hanging around?" she muttered, giving herself a light smack on the head.She trudged toward the elevator, not in the mood for anything. She noticed people in the lobby glancing in her direction so she lowered her head and kept her eyes fixed on the floor as she walked.Silently, she stepped into the elevator only for her heart to nearly drop when the two tall men stepped in right after her. Though startled by their sudden appearance, she tried to have a poker face.She pressed the button for the 30th floor and felt a jolt of unease when the two men didn’t press for any floor at all. Her mind flashed back to what had happened in the gym. Had they recognized her? Maybe they were about to confront her about her intrusion.She averted her gaze, swallowing hard as she slowly steppe

Jerome returned home from their road games in high spirits. They had won every single match, and the controversy over his poor performance in that one game had been completely overshadowed by the praise he received after once again showcasing his skill and dominance on the court.He hurried toward his unit, eagerness pushing at his every step. After five days away, the thought of finally sinking back into the comfort of his own space felt like a reward he had long been denied. Waiting for him were the new video games he had bought, untouched and promising hours of escape. Playing alone had never bothered him. The victory on the screen was enough to electrify his spirit. Their team wins always fueled his energy for gaming but on days they lost, he would head straight to the rooftop basketball court instead.The doorbell rang.He ignored the door. He was deep into his game and close to leveling up.Ding Dong. Ding Dong. Ding Dong. Ding Dong.With no choice, he paused the game and went t