Colpo d’amore restaurant, 9:00 pm.

Nadine sat at their favorite table, patiently waiting. One of Camellia’s best friends owns the restaurant. Nadine designed it as her first project after graduating. Designed in a bohemian Italian and Moroccan style to represent her friend’s ethnicity.

As Nadine took a deep breath, she noticed Camellia running toward her from the restaurant door. On her way to Nadine, she called one of the waiters by name and told him to get her usual coffee as soon as possible before sprinting to Nadine. “Finally!” she exclaimed, looking at Camellia, who was panting heavily.

“Something strange happened to me!” Camellia said, taking a seat across from her. “I’m not sure; I don’t remember anything! I’m terrified.” Camellia was nervously shaking her legs.

“What do you mean?” Nadine moved her chair closer to the table so she could hold Camellia’s shaking hand. Camellia informed Nadine of what had occurred after she had left the office. “Are you kidding me?” Nadine laughed as she let go of Camellia’s hand.

“I swear! I’m not!” — Camellia slammed the table hard. Some people around them stopped talking and stared at her, but when Nadine glared at them, they turned away — “I don’t know what happened. The strange thing is that the maid said I never came home until 7:00 p.m.”

The waiter served camellia’s coffee. “You were in the hospital. You requested that I meet you here.” Nadine gave her a curious look. “Do you use drugs? You do... when you called, you sounded different.” Nadine stared into Camellia’s eyes without blinking.

“Nadine… It’s not a fucking joke.” Camellia sipped her coffee and turned away.

“It is a joke! Did you not hear what you just said?!”

“I told you I have no idea what happened. It was as if my mind went blank,” Camellia explained as she placed the cup on the table. “I have no recall of having that tattoo.” She indicated her left arm.

“Are you getting another tattoo?”

“I don’t have any tattoos! That symbol is written on the papyruses. Look!” Camellia took the papyruses and examined each one. “It was right there! It was, I swear.”

“I won’t blame you for forgetting about that hideous tattoo. I mean, I like Egyptian tattoos, but the blue head cobra and that golden snake circle, not so much.”

“I didn’t forget about it! I never got it to begin with! something is wrong with me!”

“Cami, you left my office on your way to the hospital and called me at 6:30 p.m. to tell me—”

“No! I did not go to the hospital, nor did I call you. I did none of that... Oh my God, I’m going insane.” Camellia stated emphatically. Nadine was trying not to laugh, she noticed. “Shut up!”

“I said nothing,” Nadine smirked. Camellia removed the necklace and examined it closely. “What’s the story?” Nadine inquired.

“I’m not sure. It has an odd vibe... What happened to me was somehow related to this necklace.” Nadine took it from her grasp and examined it. Her relaxed expression changed into a stern one as if she remembered something.

“I remember seeing this necklace before.”

“Really?!” Camellia stated, shockingly.

“It looks familiar... I saw an actress with something similar, but I—” Camellia snatched the necklace from her grasp. “I swear I’ve seen it before!” Nadine sounded like she was joking, but she had seen the necklace before. She looked at Camellia, but her gaze fixed on the necklace.

“I don’t forget anything... I never—”

“You don’t recall any childhood memories together,” Nadine remarked dryly.

“— I’m sure someone from Seoul sent them to me,” Camellia said, ignoring Nadine’s sarcasm.

“Maybe Liam,” Her hope rises slightly, “Call him and ask,” Nadine said, placing her phone next to Camellia’s hand. She picked up the phone and dialed Liam’s number, despite her suspicions that it had nothing to do with him.

“Liam, this is Camellia,” she said after he answered the phone. “hey… did you send me a package from Seoul?” Camellia said, returning her gaze to the necklace.

“What?” he asked, surprised.

“I received a box in the mail this morning from Seoul, but there was no information about the sender.”

“I haven’t been in Seoul for like four months, and I’m certain I didn’t send you anything,” Liam replied.

Camellia took a deep breath and became even more confused. Even though she knew Liam had nothing to do with the box, her mind wished he could answer all her questions.

They talked for a bit and then said their goodbyes after exchanging phone numbers. “So, it’s not him?” Nadine stated after Camellia returned her phone.

“No… something isn’t quite right,” Camellia observed. “Why would this person send me a bunch of papyruses and a gemstone necklace?” she asked, taking a deep breath.

“Perhaps it has significance,” Nadine speculated. Camellia couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing; she was convinced that her mind was preventing her from recalling a memory. “I’m starving. I’ll order some food. Do you want anything?” Camellia remained silent; her gaze fixed on the necklace. “All right, I’ll order for you.”

Nadine called up the waiter and watched him from the far end of the restaurant until he noticed her. He nodded and walked over to her. Something shiny drew her attention as she put on a polite smile. It wasn’t clear, but she thought she saw a pair of eyes floating in the air, peering deeply into her soul.

She was about to say something when the waiter appeared in front of her eyes, forcing her to blink quickly. She smiled at him again and ordered two carbonara dishes and a chicken Caesar salad. “So... what went down in Dubai?” Camellia said, attempting to stop her mind from overthinking.

“Nothing happened,” Nadine smiled.