After dinner, he said he needed to return to the office to handle a file, and thoughtfully arranged a ride for me.

Perhaps even he didn’t realize how anxious he appeared, as he kept glancing at his watch throughout the meal.

After sending me off, he immediately hopped into a taxi, and I quickly changed to another one.

Eventually, I followed him to his destination—the Grand Theater in California.

Outside, I saw a large billboard with the musical The Rose Girl, starring Hallie, whom I hadn’t seen in five years.

Hallie also loved music, and after five years of study, she had become a renowned musical theater actress.

The show...