Karen hesitated, her grip on the knife tightening, then loosening. After a tense moment, she nodded slightly. "Fine. But no tricks."
I nodded, leading the way towards the back door, my heart pounding. As we stepped outside, I prayed for a resolution that wouldn't end in violence. The cool night air hit my face, and I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves.
Once we were outside, I turned to face Karen, who was standing with the knife still clenched in her hand. Her eyes were wild, a mixture of anger and desperation.
"Karen," I began, "let's talk about this. I don't know what you think happened, but we can sort this out."
She laughed bitterly. "Sort this out? There's nothing to sort out, Jiyeon. You took everything from me. Everything!" She pointed the knife at me, her hand trembling. "Do you have any idea what it's like to lose everything? To be left with nothing but scraps?"
I frowned, confused. "Karen, I don't understand. What did I take from you?"
"You!" she screamed. "You and your perfect life with Yura! She was mine! She should have been mine!" Her voice broke, and she took a step forward, the knife glinting menacingly. "You stole her from me. I loved her, and you took her away."
I felt a pang of sympathy, but I couldn't let my guard down. "Karen, I had no idea. But this isn't the way to handle it. Hurting me won't change anything."
Karen's face twisted in rage. "Oh, won't it? You have no idea what it's like to be rejected, to be humiliated. I tried to move on, but I can't. And now, thanks to you, I'm reduced to this." She gestured wildly with the knife. "You left me no choice."
Before I could react, she lunged at me, the knife aimed straight for my chest. I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade. "Karen, stop!" I shouted. "This won't solve anything!"
Ignoring me, Karen spun around, her eyes blazing with fury. "You think you're so perfect, don't you, Jiyeon? Always the center of attention, always getting what you want. Well, not this time!"
She released a cloud of pheromones, a sickly sweet scent of roses and musk that filled the air. I braced myself, expecting the overwhelming effect that Alpha pheromones typically had. But to my surprise, I felt nothing. No dizziness, no paralysis—nothing.
Karen's eyes widened in shock. "Why isn't it working?" she hissed.
I didn't have time to ponder why her pheromones had no effect on me. I took advantage of her momentary confusion to knock the knife out of her hand. It clattered to the ground, and I quickly kicked it out of reach.
"Karen, please," I said, trying to catch my breath. "This isn't you. You don't have to do this."
She stumbled back, her eyes wild with confusion and despair. "Why? Why doesn't it work on you?" she muttered, more to herself than to me.
I didn't have an answer. I could only watch as she sank to her knees, her strength seemingly drained from her. "I loved her," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I loved her so much, and you took her from me."
"Thank goodness you're safe," she whispered, her voice shaky with emotion.
Karen's eyes widened when she saw Yura. "Yura!" she cried out, her voice a mix of longing and despair. "You have to understand, I did this for us! For you!"
Yura turned to face Karen, her expression hardening. "Karen, this isn't the way to handle things. You've hurt so many people tonight. You need to stop this."
Karen shook her head frantically, tears streaming down her face. "No! You don't understand! She took you from me! She ruined everything!"
Two police officers cautiously approached Karen, trying to calm her down. "Ma'am, please, put your hands where we can see them. We're here to help."
But Karen wasn't listening. Her eyes were wild with madness, and she seemed to be in her own world. "No one can help me," she muttered. "No one understands."
One of the officers moved closer, speaking softly but firmly. "Karen, we need you to cooperate. We don't want anyone to get hurt."
Suddenly, Karen let out a guttural scream and charged at me again, her hands outstretched as if to strangle me. The officers acted quickly, restraining her before she could reach me. She struggled violently, kicking and screaming, her face twisted with rage and pain.
"Let me go!" she shrieked. "She has to pay! She has to pay for everything!"
Yura stepped forward, her voice calm and authoritative. "Karen, listen to me. This has to stop. You need help. Please, let them help you."
Karen's struggles weakened, but she continued to sob uncontrollably. The officers gently but firmly guided her towards one of the police cars. "We're taking you to a place where you can get the help you need," one of them said softly.
As Karen was led away, she turned her tear-streaked face towards me one last time. "This isn't over, Jiyeon," she whispered. "I'll find a way. I promise you that."
I watched as the police car drove off, my heart heavy with a mix of relief and sadness. Yura stood beside me, her hand gripping mine tightly. "Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes filled with concern.
I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just...shaken."
Yura pulled me into another embrace, and I leaned into her, grateful for her warmth and support. "I'm so sorry this happened," she murmured. "I never wanted any of this for you."
"It's not your fault," I replied softly. "Karen's been hurting for a long time. I just hope she can find the help she needs."
We stood there for a moment, holding each other, as the chaos around us began to settle. The police officers took statements from my staff, and the crowd that had gathered started to disperse. The night was finally quiet again, but the weight of what had happened lingered in the air.
As we made our way back into the restaurant, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from over. Karen's parting words echoed in my mind, a chilling reminder of the lengths she was willing to go to.