MARINA?

Pang! Suddenly, a loud noise reverberated through the room, causing Dr Adam to pause in his work. The unexpected sound jolted him, prompting him to swiftly retrieve a gun from his desk drawer. With cautious steps, he made his way towards the office door, his senses heightened. The atmosphere remained unchanged - shrouded in darkness. Yet, the distinct sound of footsteps echoed in the distance, growing louder with each passing moment. His heart raced, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He tightened his grip on the gun, ready to defend himself. As the figure drew nearer, illuminated by the faint glow of a nearby street lamp, Dr. Adam's mind raced, trying to recall the face of the missed caller. And there, in the dim light, he recognized the face that had stirred unease within him - his own daughter, Marina. The door to his office swung open wide, revealing a startling sight.

"Marina?" Dr Adam exclaimed, his tone filled with surprise.

"Hey, Dad!" Marina greeted, looking relaxed and casual. A cheerful smile adorned her face.

"What are you doing here?" Dr Adam asked, clearly taken aback.

"Oh, just paying you a visit," Marina replied nonchalantly.

"Visiting me at this hour? You scared me."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. Um... I accidentally bumped into an iron door earlier," Marina explained, pulling out a chair and settling in the middle of the spacious room.

"Shouldn't you be at Seranas right now?" Dr Adam questioned, taking his place in front of the computer.

"I'm not doing so well. There are many problems," Marina replied simply. "How about the exhibition?" Marina changed the subject.

"Oh, everything is going well. It's almost eighty percent complete. I just need more ideas to make the exhibition more captivating," Dr Adam explained, surprised to learn about Marina's interest in the upcoming exhibition. There were many peculiar things about his daughter today.

"Do you want to showcase the project you've been diligently working on all this time?" Marina asked. Her question momentarily rendered Dr Adam speechless, but he maintained a composed demeanour as he gazed into Marina's eyes.

"What do you mean? When did you develop an interest in such matters?" Dr Adam sensed an unexpected change in his daughter. Marina appeared completely transformed.

"It's not about interest, but rather a childlike curiosity to understand everything, don't you think?" Marina replied with a smile.

"You know, Marina, some things are better left unsaid," Dr Adam responded.

"Indeed. I wholeheartedly agree, Dad," Marina retorted, casting an unusual glance at Dr Adam Raufal. Dr Adam was taken aback by his daughter's behaviour. Marina seemed so different, both in his mannerisms and conversation.

"Marina... would you like something to drink? Coffee? Tea?" Dr Adam offered, heading towards the shelf where the beverages were kept.

"No, thank you," Marina declined politely.

"Are you sure?" Dr Adam inquired once more.

"Yes, I'm sure," Marina affirmed.

Dr Adam proceeded to brew a cup of tea for himself. Tea had always been his preferred choice.

"Can we talk about Kentofes?" Marina asked again after a few moments of silence between them. The question caught Dr Adam off guard. He was truly surprised. How did Marina know about Kentofes? This was supposed to be a secret. Not many people knew about Kentofes. His involvement in Kentofes was also a secret until this day.

"Kentofes? How did you find out about Kentofes?" He asked.

"That's not important, but what is certain is that Marina knows that her father knows a little about Kentofes," Marina replied, raising her eyebrows.

"I don't understand what you're saying," Dr Adam tried to avoid answering Marina's question. He was clearly uncomfortable with the question she had asked. Suddenly, Marina closed her eyes. She pressed her lips together as if she was holding back pain.

"Marina, are you alright?" asked Dr Adam, concern evident in his voice. The woman's sudden change in behaviour caught him off guard. She appeared lost, and without warning, she rose from her chair and forcefully pushed Dr Adam to the floor.

"Why are you doing this, Marina?" Dr Adam panicked, still on the ground.

"You know exactly what I mean!" Her eyes bore into Dr Adam's, who remained sprawled on the floor.

"Marina! Why are you behaving like this?"

"Don't talk too much!" She snapped. "Tell me about your creation. This time, the woman's aggression escalated as she yanked the telephone wire from the desk and grabbed Dr Adam by the neck.

"Now, are you going to talk about Kentofes and the project or not?"

"O..okay...it's true, I..... but it's not time yet," Dr Adam's voice faltered amidst the chaos.

"Now!" The woman insisted, pulling out a gun concealed within her shirt.

"Marina!"

"Now!" Her voice turned hoarse, and her eyes glowed with an eerie red hue.

"You...you're not Marina! You... You are..."

Bang! Dr Adam didn't have a chance to finish his sentence. A gunshot rang out, and the woman swiftly fled from Dr. Adam's office.

Writhing in pain, Dr Adam clutched his stomach as blood continued to flow. He desperately tried to call for help, but the bullet had rendered him helpless. Gasping for his final breath, he succumbed to his wounds, alone and abandoned.