Veiled Intentions

The night had descended, and a tender moonlight filtered into Catherine's room. Through the open balcony door, it cast a soft, silvery embrace over everything it touched. Catherine, typically a night owl, had inexplicably fallen into a deep slumber early tonight.

Within the walls of her ex-boyfriend's home, Catherine's only defense against vulnerability was a locked bedroom door. Even so, this was Luis's territory, and he held the keys to unlock any door in this house. But what Catherine couldn't foresaw was that Luis would intentionally disregard her careful precautions.

A subtle creak announced the intrusion of her bedroom's tranquility as the door cracked open. Within moments, a shadowy figure slipped into the room. Darkness clung to every corner, but this bold intruder navigated with a fluid grace, their fingers seeking out the familiar light switch.

With the room now softly lit, Luis's icy blue eyes fixated on Catherine's slumbering form. His countenance betrayed no emotion as he approached her bedside, his steps deliberate and silent. There, he observed her, his gaze tracing the gentle rhythm of her breathing.

Unbeknownst to Catherine, her evening meal had been surreptitiously spiked with sleeping pills, a calculated move by this enigmatic man. Her hunger had led her to savor each bite of the meal. Had Catherine ever found out his true motives sooner, she would have been less grateful for that delicious meal.

As Luis observed her, his fingers couldn't resist a subconscious urge to reach out and brush away a few stray strands of hair that tickled Catherine's soft cheeks.

In the light of day, she would never allow such familiarity, but in her vulnerable slumber, she lay defenseless against his unspoken curiosity. Luis's calloused fingers found her cheeks remarkably soft, and a subtle smile cracked his otherwise stoic demeanor as her cheeks yielded to his gentle touch.

Just then, the door creaked open slightly, allowing two shadowy figures to peer inside. A man and a woman, close to Luis's age, appeared in the doorway. Antonio, in hushed tones, broke the silence.

"Detective, can we enter now? Has your dose of sleeping pills done its work?"

Luis finally snapped out of his trance. And realizing the importance of their mission, he reluctantly withdrew his fingers from Catherine's cheeks, which now bore a rosy hue from his lingering touch.

"Yes," he whispered, "You guys can proceed," his tone indicating a shift in priority.

Antonio and the red-haired woman finally came in, bringing along with them what it seemed like a medical box. The unspoken gravity of their actions hung in the air like a heavy veil.

"Let's keep this quiet and swift. I have a feeling we're treading on thin ice here," Gabriela Moreno, the red-haired woman, murmured anxiously.

Antonio, attempting to lighten the mood, responded with a joke.

"Relax, Gabriela. If we get caught, we'll be cellmates. Wouldn't that be an adventure?"

Gabriela, whose anxiety not alleviated by Antonio's jest, responded, "Oh, shut up Antonio. Your jokes only make me more nervous."

In the dim room, Luis stood watchful but unobtrusive, letting them carry out their covert operation.

Antonio, with the precision of a trained professional, readied his equipment for drawing venous blood. Gloves, syringe, needle, alcohol swabs, adhesive bandages, and a tourniquet were meticulously laid out. His target: the median cubital vein.

Meanwhile, Luis, seeking a more inconspicuous role, turned his attention to the simplest of tasks that required no medical expertise: collecting a sample of Catherine's hair. He gently plucked a few of her hair strands, securing them in a sealable plastic bag.

As he worked, his fingers brushed tenderly across Catherine's forehead. Luis watched her sleep, his gaze captivated by the gentle rise and fall of her breath. In this moment, Catherine appeared incredibly innocent and vulnerable to him. She had once been manipulated by him already but here she was again, sleeping peacefully in his house, unaware of the two doctor and scientist who had come to perform a biopsy on her for unknown reasons.

"Why do you have to be so naive, sweetie?" Luis whispered softly, though Catherine couldn't hear. "And of all people, you have to meet a manipulative man like me."

Though Luis maintained his stoic and composed demeanor, guilt continued to gnaw at him. His thoughts were consumed not only by the ethical dilemma of their actions but also by the looming possibility of Catherine discovering the alterations made to her body while she slept.

With Antonio and Luis having completed their respective tasks, it was now Gabriela's turn to play her part.

"Alright, you two, clear the room," Gabriella announced with a sly grin, her voice carrying a tone of amusement. "I'm about to perform a punch skin biopsy on her thigh, and I don't want your perverted eyes ogling."

Antonio, feigning offense, exaggeratedly pouted, his dignity seemingly wounded.

"Hey now, I'm a doctor too. Do you really think I'd treat my female patients with such disrespect?"

With a playful smirk, Gabriela retorted,

"Oh, absolutely not. I'm just kidding, just like how you find it hilarious to joke about us ending up in jail, losing our medical licenses and all."

After their brief squabble, Antonio eventually exited the room, leaving Gabriela to carry out her task.

Gabriela, however, noticed that Detective Luis had chosen to remain in the room. She hesitated to address him, feeling somewhat intimidated. Eventually, she mustered the courage to ask, "Detective, aren't you leaving?"

Luis responded with an air of indifference, his gaze still fixed on Catherine's peaceful form. "There isn't a part of her body I haven't seen. Just do what you need to do."

Gabriela, confused by his response, nodded hesitantly. She couldn't help but recall the rumors she had heard about Detective Luis having once dated the young daughter of a gangster. Considering his nonchalant admission of familiarity with every part of this young woman's body, she couldn't help but wonder if those rumors held some truth.

Internally, Gabriela's mind started to churn with a mixture of shock and judgment. She couldn't help but reflect on the situation before her.

"Wow... isn't she like only 20 now?" she mused to herself, her thoughts painting a vivid picture of Detective Luis's actions.

"Detective Luis had dated a girl who's younger than him by exactly a decade? Oh my... the renowned Detective Luis is not so innocent after all."

A pang of sympathy for the young Catherine welled up within Gabriela as she realized that beneath the surface of this mission lay a myriad of secrets and intricacies, and the detective himself was far from what his reputation portrayed.