MIDNIGHT FLOWER

CHAPTER 2 : NEARLY ENCOUNTER

Corporate Office Building, Late Morning

The office buzzed with nervous energy as everyone prepared for the arrival of the chairman's son. Jenny, feeling the tension mounting, decided it was the perfect time to take her 15-minute coffee break.

"I'm stepping out for my favorite coffee," Jenny called to Kier, who was too engrossed in his work to respond.

Jenny grabbed her purse and headed down to the café across the street, the prospect of a quiet moment with a warm cup of her favorite coffee offering a brief respite from the office buzz.

The café was relatively empty, and Jenny quickly ordered her usual-a latte with an extra shot of espresso. As she waited, she scrolled through her phone absentmindedly, still unaware of how close she was to a life-altering moment.

The barista handed Jenny her coffee, and she offered a polite smile in return. She stepped out of the café, holding the cup in one hand and pushing the door open with the other, ready to head back to the office. But as she reached the sidewalk, something caught her eye-a sleek, black luxury car driving past, just a few feet away.

Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the driver. Shau. The man who had ghosted her-the one she couldn't stop thinking about-was right there, just meters away. The same Shau who had suddenly disappeared from her life without a word.

Without a second thought, Jenny broke into a run, her mind racing as she tried to catch up to him. "Shau!" she called out, but her voice was lost in the noise of the city. The car continued down the street, showing no signs of stopping. "Shau!" she called out again, hoping desperately that he would hear her. But the distance between them only grew, the car edging closer to the intersection.

Jenny, now running full speed, ignored the blaring horns and the rush of city traffic around her. Her focus was solely on catching up to Shau, to confront him, to get answers.

Driven by a mix of desperation and disbelief, Jenny sprinted across the road, dodging pedestrians and weaving through traffic. But in her single-minded pursuit, she didn't notice the car speeding towards her from the opposite direction.

The loud screech of tires on asphalt was the only warning she had before everything went black.

The Street, Moments Later

The coffee cup lay on the pavement, its contents spilled, mixing with the scattered papers from Jenny's purse. A small crowd began to gather around her, concerned voices buzzing like static in the background. The driver of the car that hit her jumped out, panic and guilt etched on his face. He immediately called for an ambulance, his hands shaking as he tried to explain the situation to the emergency operator.

Meanwhile, Shau's car continued down the street. He hadn't seen Jenny running after him, nor did he hear her calls. Although he notice the commotion behind, to him, it was just another stupid driving through the city. His thoughts were occupied with work and the business meeting he was headed to.

As the ambulance arrived and Jenny was carefully loaded onto a stretcher, Shau was long gone, lost in the blur of city traffic. He had no idea that the woman he had once shared a connection with had been hurt, all because she had been trying to reach him.

The Hospital, Later that Day

Jenny slowly regained consciousness, the sterile scent of antiseptic and the distant beeping of machines filling her senses. She blinked, trying to focus, her body aching from the impact. As her vision cleared, she realized she was in a hospital bed, hooked up to various monitors. The events of earlier came rushing back-chasing Shau, the car, the accident.