The clues

Next Day...

The SI Medical Hospital and College...

" Why not try to move on and find someone decent? Look at Dr. Smith. He treats you so well. Everyone knows that he likes you. Isn't it better than waiting for a scumbag to like you?"

Hearing from her best friend, Stefanie Troy releases an exhausted sigh. Being the fiancee of Derek who has been breaking her heart, she finds it hard to keep herself calm.

She can't deny those words from her best friend. She has been loving him despite his all kinds of wildness and wrongdoings. Love is blind and she is turning herself into a blind person. Not because of love. He is her habit. So, moving on is hard for her.

" Let's not talk about him now. Shall we have dinner together tonight? I don't have night shift!"

Her fingers trace the worn edges of the apron pocket, eyes searching for the right moment to broach the question with her lifelong confidante, Dr. Eleanor, renowned for her expertise as a gynecologist at the esteemed SI Medical Hospital.

" Are you sure? Don't dare to ghost me out after saying that you have to attend an emergency surgery." Eleanor rolls her eyes, quite doubtful whether her best friend will stay on her words.

" No. I will. I promise!"

A heavy sigh escapes her lips, accompanied by a guilt-ridden expression. She knows her best friend's lack of trust isn't unwarranted, considering she had been ghosting her after promising a dinner together.

But today, she confirmed that no surgery will be held tonight.

" OK. Then. Let's meet at the entrance gate at 7 p.m. Don't be late. I have to go to my parents' house. We have a family gathering tomorrow."

Saying, Eleanor waves her hand and walks away. She has practically grown up with Stefanie and knows everything about her. Although Stefanie's family isn't that close to Eleanor's family, they share a deep friendship that is unbreakable.

And, Eleanor has a deep concern for Stefanie who has been chasing her Fiancé. In front of her eyes, Stefanie is spending her golden age for some scumbag who has no idea how to lead a proper life.

In the meantime...

Stefanie's attention goes on the phone when it chimes. The caller ID on the screen makes her smile bitterly. She feels sad and heartbroken for the person.

" Yes, Aunt Steel," she answers the call, her voice tinged with resignation. As the voice on the other end speaks, she nods in silent agreement, a second wave of hopeless smiles crossing her face. Those words seem to become the reason for her being in deep thought.

" I will talk to him as soon as possible. Please don't worry about it!"

Frustration and worry gnaw at her as she hangs up the call, unable to find the answers she seeks. She knows she needs to reach Derek, who hadn't returned home last night.

Her exhausted fingers tenderly touch the number of her fiancé who usually ignores her calls. Usually, she has to dial two to five times to get his attention.

" Yes!?" A sleepy voice responds from the opposite right after her first call.

" Where are you?" She questions coldly but is kinda surprised that Derek has responded to her call right away.

" Why?" She got a dry response from him.

" Let's meet at the Cafe near our hospital."

She sighs and hangs up. Life has been always tough for her. However, she wants to get little happiness by any means. Now, His childish actions are making her feel stupid, and she wonders whether she should consider her best friend's words and find the right man who can cherish her heart instead of breaking into pieces.

Meanwhile...

Cradling a cup of coffee, Asher leans in closer to the laptop, his focus unwavering as Marco assists him in uncovering intricate details about Politician Kiley. Their initial pursuit had been solely to decipher her words, and what she kept behind those individual words but now they recognize the importance of understanding the woman behind the politician, delving into her personal life as the first step in their quest for answers.

" There is something we have been overlooking!"

Asher knew from the very beginning, that he had been thinking objectively. If she could use two different languages just to express some individual words, she wouldn't make her all information being found with some simple trick.

" I think so. Asher. Politician Kiley had a meeting with some politicians in the same Cafe where we met Ms. Laila two days before her death. Here are some photos that some reporters could capture at that moment."

Asher grabs the iPad and settles onto the couch. Her fingers are deftly zooming in and out of the photos, keenly scanning everything noticeable. His research thus far suggested that Kiley was unwavering in her pursuit to unveil Politician Troy's hidden secrets, and kept displaying unwavering determination. She was a brave and honest person. During her career as a politician, she never lowered her head and accepted any crimes.

Yet, one aspect that raises suspicions in Asher's mind is her unwavering silence about her personal life, particularly her ties to the late president who had passed away a decade ago. This conspicuous omission leaves him questioning what she might be concealing.

As his eyes take a glance at the photos, his eyebrows raise with his lips being pressed against each other.

" I think I know where I can find everything at once!"

He sets the iPad down on the table, swiftly snatches his suit, and strides purposefully toward the door.

" Hey! Wait! You can't just leave when I am directly involved in this case!"

Marco grabs his backpack and follows his best friend who has no time to wait.

***

Asher's footsteps rhythmically click on the pavement before he comes to a halt in front of the small café, the very place where he had met Laila. This was the café she had suggested for their rendezvous, and coincidentally, it was the spot where he had discreetly taken photos of the presidential candidate alongside Politician Kiley Aurora's best friend, Bradley Lin.

His observant eyes sweep the surroundings, and, as he expected, there is a mailbox. His fingers gently graze the aging mailbox that appears to have endured decades of wear and tear. The mailbox, marked by numerous signs of age, displays an ancient, weathered facade, its surface marred with worn patches and punctuated by occasional holes.

"You came here with Ms. Laila. And our first word to find is Mailbox!"

Marco follows Asher and opens the mailbox, revealing nothing but a collection of old, yellowed letters that seemed to have been abandoned long ago by their intended recipients.

" Nothing important to mention. Shall we head towards the doghouse?"

As Marco scans the area, there is no doghouse or flower vase around once again. Desperate and clueless, he turns to his best friend who is approaching some trash cans.

" What are you doing?"

" Help me!"

Rather than explaining his actions, Asher cuts to the chase and asks Marco for help. Marco, with a tinge of disgust at the sight of the trash, hastily dons a pair of gloves before prying open one of the trash can lids.

" What are we precisely searching for?" Marco inquires, seeking clarity on the unsavory task of rummaging through the trash...

" A doghouse!"

" Huh???" Marco gasps, standing up straight. " A doghouse in trash cans? Are you thinking straight?"

With disappointment, he confronts his best friend until a halt in his sentence as Asher holds a wooden doghouse, connected with a card. Seemingly a secret room key card.

" How? How did you know that this is a toy and -"

" Let's explain later. We must head in now!"

As Asher pushes open the creaky, worn door, he is met with a scene of familiarity.

The air is thick with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sweet scent of pastries wafting through the open door. This place has seen countless stories unfold within its cozy, dimly lit interior.

It surprises him. When he met Laila here with his assistant, he actually didn't notice the interior. Now, a scene in front of his eyes keeps questioning him.

Did they choose this place to hold a meeting so that Reporters wouldn't be suspected of their presence here, or did this Cafe hold the secret that Politician Kiley passed to her daughter without any explanation?

" It's an old creepy cafe. I didn't know that you liked Shabby Cafe. Are there coffee or pastries so good that the politicians were holding an important meeting here?"

Marco strolls through this small, worn window outside. However, his eyebrows raise when he witnesses the real beauty.

The polished wooden floors gleam under the soft, warm lighting, and each table is neatly set with pristine white tablecloths and gleaming silverware. The chairs, though simple in design, are meticulously arranged. He couldn't help but appreciate the attention to detail of the cleanliness that makes this small cafe perfect.

" Dude. I take it back. This is a perfect Cafe.!"

" You can order something if you want. I will be back soon!"

Asher said to Marco passing the kitchen and walking towards the storeroom.

Asher continues on his path toward the storeroom, his steps echoing softly against the cafe's floor deceiving lots of ears. However, his progress is suddenly halted as his gaze is irresistibly drawn to a painting that adorns the cafe's wall.

In the artwork, a bouquet of Tiger Lilies stood in a delicate glass vase. The vibrant orange and black speckled petals of the lilies gracefully stretch towards the heavens, their blooms seemingly capturing a moment of eternal beauty. The play of light and shadow on the petals gave them an almost ethereal quality, making them appear to shimmer and dance within the frame.

His fingers reach the top of those Tiger Lilies tenderly, captivated by the masterpiece. As if both of them were connected.

However, the doghouse that he has kept in his pocket, vibrates automatically, making him alert on the spot.

And soon, With a soft, almost imperceptible grunt, the wall before him shifts, revealing a hidden secret. In the blink of an eye, a small door materializes, like Magic.

The corner of his lips raises with a mischievous grin. Exciting his wild soul, which is super calm to see what happens next.