The chase For Blood

Evelyn splashed cold water on her face, staring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her red hair was tousled, her green eyes looked exhausted, and the dark circles under them told the story of her sleepless night. She sighed, wiping her face with a towel, and reached for her phone. The idea of calling Arianna crossed her mind—maybe venting about her chaotic day would help.

But before she could dial, her phone vibrated with an incoming call. Her boss.

Evelyn's heart sank. She quickly answered, fumbling with the phone. "H-hello, boss!"

"Williams!" the voice barked, making her wince. She hated hearing her ex-husband's surname, but her boss refused to address her any other way. "Did you forget about the meeting today?"

Evelyn pulled the phone an inch away from her ear, his booming voice threatening to burst her eardrum. "M-meeting?" she stammered, her mind racing.

"Do I look like your father? Do I need to babysit you and remind you of everything?"

"N-no, sir. I'm sorry. I'll be there right away," she said, trying to keep the panic out of her voice.

"You better be, Williams. If you want to keep your job." He hung up abruptly, leaving Evelyn frozen for a moment.

She slapped the counter in frustration. The meeting! She'd completely forgotten about it. It wasn't just any meeting—it was her presentation on the ongoing "Serial Killer" case. The very thought made her stomach churn.

And then there was Eric. He would be expecting her to head to the police station with him soon. She groaned, rubbing her temples. Perfect. Two impossible priorities and one exhausted Evelyn.

Straightening her posture, she made a decision. Meet first, then police station. Eric would undoubtedly be stubborn, but she'd figure out a way to outmaneuver him. For now, she had to act quickly—and slyly.

Pulling her hair into a tight ponytail, she grabbed her bag and stepped out of the bathroom, bracing herself for what was shaping up to be another chaotic day.

________

Evelyn stepped out of the bathroom, her hair pulled tightly into a sleek ponytail, not a single strand out of place despite the dampness. Eric was still leaning casually against the doorframe, those ridiculous sunglasses perched on his nose. He tilted his head slightly, flashing her a smirk. "You look… better."

"Uh, thanks?" Evelyn replied, her tone as dry as the desert.

"So, shall we go? I don't want anyone else getting the case before me," he said, his voice laced with self-assurance. Of course it's always about him, isn't it? Evelyn thought, suppressing an eye roll.

She sighed, crossing her arms. "Actually, it'll have to wait. I got a call from my boss. There's a meeting I need to attend first."

Eric straightened, his sunglasses slipping down just enough to reveal the edge of his hazelnut eyes. "A meeting? Doesn't your boss know you were almost killed yesterday?"

"I didn't tell him, and I don't plan on it," she shot back, grabbing her bag.

"You can't—"

"Why? Because your job is more important?" Evelyn cut him off, her tone biting.

"Ah, yeah! It is!" Eric snapped, stepping closer, his voice rising slightly. "You'll get another chance at this, but I won't."

Evelyn froze, glaring at him. Typical Eric. Always prioritizing himself. His hazelnut eyes softened slightly, a rare glimpse of vulnerability peeking through. She hated how distracting they were.

"They'll fire me," she said, her voice sharp with frustration.

"Pffft. They're just trying to scare you," Eric replied dismissively.

Evelyn's shoulders sagged slightly. "This is important to me," she said quietly, her eyes cast downward.

"This is important to me, too," he responded, his tone matching hers.

Evelyn sighed heavily, throwing up her hands in exaggerated defeat. "Fine."

Eric blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Evelyn never gave in this easily. What's she up to? he wondered, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Okay… let's go, then," he said, stepping aside and watching her carefully as she brushed past him. Her ponytail swayed sharply with each step, a visual reminder of the determination he'd always admired—and the stubbornness he knew all too well. Something wasn't adding up, but for now, he decided to let it slide.