She tilted her head slightly, narrowing her eyes. "That's a hard question… hmm… let's just say I bought this place back in 2062. It used to be an electronics factory, back when the Desert War was raging. The whole country was in chaos for a while, and the owner ended up selling the business."
"You picked it up and turned it into this… pretty impressive," the man said with a nod of admiration.
"Sure did. But you flatter me," Adeline replied, guiding Brian through the factory floor. She pointed out the procedures he needed to follow when arriving and leaving the site.
"We've got a 24-hour rotation of guards. Yomi here handles the alert system. The smelting furnaces will shut off automatically after 6 PM, just in case someone forgets to do it before heading home. Oh, and we offer a bonus to the cleaning crew of the month—keeps things tidy. Now, when's your birthday?" She twirled the umbrella playfully and pointed it at him.
"Monday, I think—I mean, I was born..." Brian trailed off, trying to recall.
"No need, no need—congrats, you're Monday's shift," Adeline cut in with a smile.
Just then, they heard the sound of the lift returning to retrieve the next group.
"Ohhh, looks like the others are arriving. I trust you understand how things work now. Any questions?"
Brian rubbed his chin.
"Yeah… what about lunch?"
"We've got it covered. We use the Furio Food app. Orders get delivered directly into the factory through the supply chute. My secretary manages the timing. You'll get your meal right to your side of the assembly line," she answered with a genuine, satisfied grin.
"Thank you, really," Brian said, reaching out. Adeline took his hand and shook it warmly.
"Don't mention it," she said.
Workers began filing off the arriving lift. They greeted her with cheerful nods—none of the stiff formality you might expect. Adeline responded just as naturally. Brian cracked his knuckles and slipped into his uniform to blend in. Meanwhile, she stepped back into the lift and rose to the upper floor. A few minutes later, standing once more in her office, the afternoon light filtered through the tall windows behind her.
Her shadow stretched long across the floor as she approached her desk. Behind it hung a haunting painting: a faceless woman with dark brown hair, caught forever in silence. Adeline set her purse down and pulled out an old cassette tape. She held it gently, almost wistfully, then flipped it over to read the faded handwriting on the back.
Happy Haunting Day, little sis!
She opened the desk drawer and retrieved a small tape player, clicked the cassette inside, and pressed play.
The office grew silent. Then, after a long minute of static, a bright, familiar voice emerged—her own, from many years ago.
"Hellooo~ It's October 31st today—you know what that means! My little sister's fast asleep right now. I'm gonna scare her with this mask, hehe. Let's wake her up." A rustle, footsteps, and then—
"Ready? Three, two, one—BOO!!"
A childish scream burst out.
"Waaahh!! Annie, stop it! I'm telling mom!"
"Ahaha~ Come here, you little ghost! Oogaboogaaa~!"
"Noooo! Mom—she's scaring me! Waaah!!"
"Alright, that's tape one. Bye-bye~—Mom! I didn't mean to—"
The recording cut off, leaving only a soft mechanical whir.
Adeline's face remained stoic. Only the flicker of her eyelashes betrayed her thoughts. She stared up at the painted wall.
All this money… and yet you still can't buy back what you've lost, she thought.
The sunlight was fading. She closed the curtains and turned on the lamp overhead. In silence, she reached for her easel, setting up a blank canvas. Like she'd done the night before, she picked up her brush and began to paint—not for the world, not for the company, but for herself.