Through the eyes of the Dream Doll, Gabriel could see Thomas Lin's every move in real time.
But to uncover the secrets buried deep within Lin's subconscious, the target had to be asleep. Only then could the doll tap into the hidden layers of his mind.
Gabriel wasn't in a rush. He never had been. Patience was part of his craft, slow work makes for careful work, a principle he lived by.
That evening happened to be the birthday of one of Thomas Lin's rumored celebrity girlfriends.
Gabriel was certain Lin would flaunt the handcrafted doll like a prized trophy.
And just as he expected, after nightfall, it happened.
Thomas Lin dismissed his bodyguards, carried the Dream Doll himself to his underground garage, and drove out to a luxurious mansion on the outskirts of Gravemont City.
It was the home of tonight's birthday girl.
When he arrived, the door swung open to reveal a woman in a revealing dress with curves she wasn't shy about showing off. She threw her arms around Lin without hesitation.
After a heated kiss, the woman purred playfully.
"Thomas, it's my birthday, and I didn't invite anyone else. Just you."
"Hah, that's how I like it, you seductive little fox."
He smacked her playfully on the backside and laughed.
"Well then," she teased, "what did you bring me? No gifts, no dinner."
Instead of getting upset, she giggled, her voice dripping with flirtation.
Thomas grinned and reached into his bag, pulling out a small, elegant box.
"How about a diamond necklace worth nearly two million dollars? That good enough to earn a meal?"
He opened the box to reveal a dazzling gemstone necklace, and the woman's eyes immediately sparkled with delight.
"God, yes! I knew you loved me the most," she cooed.
Thomas chuckled, leaning in. "You little minx… I'd rather have you for dinner."
"Oh, stop it!" she laughed, giving his chest a playful slap.
Her attention then drifted to the nearly meter-long wooden box Thomas had been carrying.
"Wait... what's this?" she asked, curiosity flaring.
Thomas smiled slyly, his tone low and mysterious.
"This... this is something special. No idea which company sent it, but it's a real gem. Take a look."
He carefully opened the wooden box, revealing the Dream Doll nestled inside.
The woman gasped, covering her mouth with wide eyes.
"Oh my God… it looks so real! Where on earth did you get this?"
It was true few women, no matter their age, could resist something so exquisitely crafted.
From the moment she laid eyes on it, she was completely enchanted.
"Thomas, can I have her? Please?" she asked sweetly, turning to him with a pleading pout after a few minutes of admiring the doll.
But Thomas shook his head firmly.
"The necklace? Sure. But this?" He tapped the edge of the box. "This is one-of-a-kind. I'm not giving her up."
---
"Oh."
The woman's voice dipped slightly with disappointment, but she didn't push further.
Anyone who had been involved with Thomas Lin for more than a night knew better than to cross his boundaries.
He didn't blink at giving away diamond necklaces worth millions but a unique, handcrafted work of art? That was sacred.
Still, he leaned in close, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, "But... if you treat me right tonight, maybe I'll think about it."
Her eyes sparkled with playful ambition.
"Really, Thomas? You'd better not be teasing."
"That depends entirely on you," he said, grinning.
What neither of them realized was that someone or rather, something was watching.
From a distance, a pair of invisible eyes observed their every move with unwavering attention.
Through the unblinking gaze of the Dream Doll, Gabriel saw everything.
As midnight approached, the lavish bedroom grew quiet.
Thomas Lin had fallen asleep, the woman curled in his arms, lost in slumber.
The Dream Doll now sat propped on the cabinet directly facing the bed, bathed in moonlight filtering through the silk curtains.
The steady rhythm of snoring. The soft murmur of dreams.
The only other sound: the slow, ticking beat of the clock.
Then, in the stillness, something stirred.
The doll's starry eyes blinked.
A shadow shifted.
And slowly, a small figure rose from its seated position... the Dream Doll, moving with an eerie, lifelike grace.
It stepped backward toward the mirror on the cabinet, its silhouette casting a small, doll-sized shadow across the snowy-white bedsheets.
As it reached the mirror, the doll's body seamlessly dissolved into the glass, like mist swallowed by water.
The mirror rippled, then stilled.
The Dream Doll had crossed into the Mirror World, a hidden dimension layered beneath the surface of reality.
There, every object and structure mirrored its real-world counterpart. But no one in the real world could see what happened within the reflection.
It was a one-way window. Gabriel, watching from afar, remained completely hidden.
Nothing he did within the Mirror World would echo in reality. But everything in reality was projected clearly into that phantom space.
Gabriel guided the doll silently across the mirrored bedroom, bringing her to the reflected image of the sleeping Thomas Lin.
With mechanical precision, the Dream Doll reached out her delicate hand and placed it gently on Lin's forehead.
In that moment, Gabriel saw it.
The rot beneath the mask.
Dark truths buried beneath charm, wealth, and public persona.
As Thomas Lin's innermost thoughts and memories surfaced, Gabriel's expression turned grim, a wave of fury rising in his chest.
His jaw tightened.
"Thomas Lin… you're beyond redemption."