“Are you scared?" She tilted her head, concern evident.

He nodded, secretly hoping she'd wrap an arm around him.

But Lilah, ever the logical one, began a movie critique instead. "See the protagonist? Alone in that eerie house? Sure, it's creepy, but remember, there's an entire crew right off camera. And if you look closely, you can spot a camera reflection in her eyes."

Gerard was left, once again, lost for words.

After the movie Lilah suggested, "Maybe we can pick a better horror film next time.

Gerard murmured a quiet, "Sure."

With a straight face, he promptly blocked the ever-chatty Effie on his phone.

After lunch, they strolled through the mall, enjoying the serenity brought by the sparse crowd. Gerard's phone broke the silence. He glanced at the caller ID, and then pressed decline.

"Why not take the call?" Lilah inquired.

"I just wanted today to be about us," Gerard confessed, looking into her eyes.

A slight blush tinted Lilah's cheeks. The phone rang again, insistent.

"Maybe you should get that. Sounds important. I'll check out this store over here."

Hesitating briefly, Gerard nodded, “Alright.”

Calvin was on the other end when he picked up. Gerard's tone was icy.

“This better be important, Calvin."

Rushing, Calvin relayed, “Sir, we've found the killer, but he took his own life."

A frown settled on Gerard's face. "He did what now?"

"He had poison in his mouth, sir. The moment he felt cornered, he bit down, ensuring he wouldn't lead us to his employer." Calvin's voice was grave.

While they had lost a direct lead, Gerard realized this detail itself was a significant pointer. Only a select few in their country would engage such a dedicated hitman.

“Figure out who could've hired him," Gerard instructed.

"Understood."

Lilah's attention shifted to a striking pair of shoes on display.

As she bent down for a closer inspection, an all too familiar voice rang out beside her. “Honey, thanks for carrying my things."

The soft, unmistakable tone belonged to Adaline. To Lilah's surprise, accompanying her was Iker. Hadn't they supposedly ended things?