Mahmoud Sayed

The Disappearance of the Crimson Countess

London, 1898. The glittering facade of the Grand Opera House throbbed with anticipation. Tonight, the legendary soprano, known only as the Crimson Countess, was to perform her final aria, a farewell whispered upon the wings of a dying swan. But amidst the velvet and champagne, a different tragedy unfolded. As the last curtain fell, the Countess' dressing room was found empty, not a trace of the renowned diva or her most prized possession - the Crimson Heart, a ruby necklace as fiery as her stage persona.