She waited until she saw Malla enter the store and then quickly walked into the perfumery herself, practically drenching herself with samples of the strongest, most overwhelming perfumes.

Rose ran out through another exit of the perfumery and took the escalator straight down to the street.

Her fear of being caught was overwhelming, and her sneakers were practically flying as she dashed for the exit.

Three meters, two, one—she made it to the street where cars zoomed by. But instead of waiting for a taxi, she kept walking briskly along the sidewalk, constantly looking back, as if paranoid.

She spotted a taxi approaching and frantically waved it down.

"Please stop, please stop!" she prayed desperately. As if her pleas were heard, the car stopped, and she practically threw herself into the back seat.

"Take me to the nearest bus station, please," she said.

Half an hour later, Rose stood in front of a large bus station bustling with shops, markets, and cafés. Most importantly, it had a term