Two Villains

Ch. 5- Is Someone Stalking?

"Madam, your cake," the waiter announced, setting a plate before me. The plate had a one-pound cake, flavored with blueberry and white chocolate, adorned with lemon verbena-infused mascarpone cream cheese buttercream.

I thanked him, and he left me to savor my cake. Maybe he wondered how someone as petite as me could consume this entire dessert, but if he knew me better, he'd understand that I had the appetite of a voracious eater. I took a moment to admire the cake, which bore the words "Happy Birthday, Kay" in purple against the backdrop of the white cream.

No one ever called me Kay; sometimes, I called myself that.

Glancing around, I confirmed that no one was watching. Quietly, I retrieved a candle from my purse and placed it on the cake. Then, I attempted to light it with a lighter, but the gentle breeze kept blowing off the flame.

I tried my best a few times. It did not work. I laughed at myself. It was so embarrassing. Thank God nobody was watching me.

Just as the wind threatened to blow out the candle once more, I took a deep breath and extinguished it before the wind could do anything.

I closed my eyes for a moment and made a wish.

My wish was simple: I wanted to experience love, the kind of love I had always offered to myself and others. But now, I yearned to be loved in return. After all, I had spent 30 years alone. It was time to change that.

Before cutting the cake, I decided to take some pictures of it. When I finally reached for the knife, I realized I had intended to devour the entire cake, just as I typically did when I purchased one from a shop and consumed it alone on my bed, often without even bothering with utensils.

However, today was different. I opted for a fork instead to cut it, and the fork went through the cake like softened butter. I took my first bite, and a symphony of flavors enveloped my senses as I almost moaned at the flavor. The robust white chocolate and the perfectly balanced aroma of blueberries tantalized my taste buds. The flavors in question were enhanced by a delicate touch of lemon verbena. The baker at the hotel had wisely incorporated my suggestion, adding a touch of vanilla to the moist sponge cake to temper the scent of the eggs.

This was undoubtedly the most exquisite thing I had ever tasted in my life. At first, I had planned on devouring the entire cake alone, driven by my insatiable appetite. However, I decided to save half of it for my unconventional yet cherished circle of new friends—Luca, Julia, and Dante.

I checked my phone, not a single wish on my birthday from anyone I knew, and it was almost 11 p.m.

Being one of the loneliest humans on earth, my heart ached with pain. Perhaps my grave will be adorned with roses from friends, or maybe even from my estranged family.....

But, I wanted roses now. Bright red blooming roses.Only for myself.

I brushed aside my self-deprecating thoughts and called the waiter over again. I asked him to carefully pack the remaining cake for me to take back to my room. I intended to store it in the fridge for later. After settling the bill with him, I made my way to the nearby jetty, which had piqued my interest a couple of hours ago.

I have celebrated my 30th birthday. What now?

__________________________________________

Sitting on the stony railings at the corner of the jetty, I felt an overwhelming urge to jump into the water—an inexplicable desire for self-destruction, to kill myself!

Not because I wanted to end my life, but because I wanted to know who would mourn for me.

As I looked into the water, I suddenly heard laughter, which startled me. An elderly couple approached the jetty, and the woman noticed my expression and my dangerous position. She gasped and walked closer to me, leaving her companion at the edge. She gently took hold of my hand.