"I must be mad. Why did I provoke that Crazy Bear's wrath?” Amber regretted as she tried to catch her breath. With her head down, she tried to reorganize her thoughts.
"Is it true that the man didn't get inside me?" the woman asked quietly.
While furrowing her brows, Amber moved her legs, checking if there was something odd about her lower body. After tilting her head, the woman began to nod.
“He must be impotent. Otherwise, why is he so angry?” Amber grumbled before being silent for a moment. “But, what did he mean by eating me? Is he really a psychopath?”
While contemplating, Amber's gaze began to explore the kitchen. Unknowingly, her hand moved to stroke her stomach. "I need food."
Still with the blanket wrapped around her body, the woman checked what was on the table. As soon as she found the pile of Cinnamon Rolls on the plate, Amber's eyes got widened.
"This must be delicious," the woman said happily. Without thinking, she started to devour the roll-shaped cake.
After finishing one piece, Amber continued to checking the room. "It would be perfect if there was warm milk," she muttered before opening a cupboard.
A second later, the woman was stunned. Dozens of bottles filled with red liquid lined up in front of him.
“Is it wine? Why is the color so thick?”
After blinking for a moment, Amber closed the cupboard and turned to the refrigerator. There, she found what she was looking for.
“Here it is!”
With one hand, Amber took out a bottle of milk and drank it. Even though it wasn't warm, she was happy.
"Why does it taste so good? Is it because I'm starving?” the woman muttered before returning the bottle to the refrigerator.
The next minute, Amber was busy looking for where her coat was. Unfortunately, all the doors she wanted to check were locked. The woman then rummaged through the drawers, investigating the identity of the owner of the cottage.
“Who is this person actually? Why is he so rude and cold?” Amber grumbled while searching. Unfortunately, there was no information she could get. Some drawers were empty and some contained unimportant items.
“And why are there no photos in this house? Is Mister Cold really a psychopath?” Amber opened the cupboard near the couch.
A second later, the woman's eyebrows arched high. Various forms of bones neatly arranged in front of her. “What are these?”
With a horrified look, Amber scanned every part of the cupboard. Only the top tier was not occupied by bones. Balls of crumpled paper filled that space. Curious, she grabbed one and straightened it.
"GET OUT OF HERE, EVIL CANNIBAL!"
Reading the short message, Amber furrowed her brows. "Cannibal?"
Without changing her expression, she picked up another paper.
“CANNIBAL LIKE YOU DOESN'T DESERVE TO LIVE!”
In an instant, the woman's mouth fell open. An idea just flashed through her mind. With quivering eyes, she compiled the evidence—inhuman warning board, the man’s talk about eating her, dozens of bottles filled with blood-red liquid, and collection of bones on display. When she came to a conclusion, her face immediately paled.
"That man is a cannibal?" Amber sighed with round eyes. Cold sweat started running down the nape of her neck.
Suddenly, someone opened the door. A second later, Mister Cold came in with a shovel in his hand.
"What are you doing?" the man asked in a displeased tone. His eyes darted around the frightened woman, the wide open cupboard, and the two sheets of paper on the floor.
Feeling threatened, the woman spontaneously stepped back. Unfortunately, she hit the cupboard. Several bones fell near her feet. Witnessing that carelessness, Mister Cold's eyebrows automatically arched high.
"My bones!" the man cried, rushing over to her.
Thinking "The Cannibal" would kill her, Amber's guts spontaneously disappeared. The woman realized that she would not be able to escape the burly man's grip. Closing her eyes, she dropped to her knees.
“Please don't eat me, Mister Cold! I'm too skinny for you. You won't feel full," she said in a trembling voice.
Hearing the tone of fear, the man stopped walking. With a look of astonishment, he watched the woman who avoided his gaze. "You think I'm going to eat you?" the man sighed questioningly.
"Please forgive me!" Amber cried, gripping the blanket tighter. "I didn't mean to bother you. My arrival here was just a coincidence, and I'm sorry to have scolded you. I should be grateful that you were kind enough to let me live.”
Flickering, Mister Cold digested the situation. After seeing the bones in the cupboard and the words "cannibal" on Amber's side, he smiled lopsidedly.
"Stupid woman," he cursed in his heart. A second later, the man put on expressionless face.
"You think an apology is enough to save you?" Mister Cold asked in a fierce tone.
Amber was suddenly confused. After a brief contemplation, she finally peeked out of the corner of her eye. "What should I do to make you let me go?" the woman asked timidly.
"Who knows? I haven't eaten human flesh in a long time."
The light answer made Amber hold her breath. The woman's horror was instantly multiplied. “B-but, you have bread in the kitchen. It's much tastier than … me.”
Once again, the man's eyebrows rose to the max. "You stole my food?"
In a flash, Amber shook her head. "No. I didn't steal it," she replied in a depressed voice.
"You took my food and begged me not to eat you. Is it fair?”
Amber quickly lifted her head. "I really didn't steal your food," she insisted as naturally as possible.
After leaning the shovel against the wall, Mister Cold brought his nose to Amber's face. While the kneeling woman was holding her breath, he started sniffing.
"You ate my Cinnamon Roll," the man said before squinting. "Now, should I eat you?"
Amber's whole body suddenly stiffened. The great fear had paralyzed her nerves. She just imagined how the Crazy Bear tore her flawless skin.
“P-please … don't eat me,” she whispered almost inaudibly. "I still want to live."
While smiling sarcastically, the man shook his head. "I don't care."
A second later, Mister Cold pulled Amber's left hand. Knowing the "Cannibal" was about to bite, the woman put up a fight. With all her might, she withdrew her hand.
"Don’t eat me! I'm too skinny for you!" Amber screamed while struggling.
Unfortunately, the woman was not strong enough. Her hand kept approaching the man's mouth.
“Let go! Let me go!"
With her free hand, Amber pushed Mr. Cold's face away. She didn't care if the blanket wasn't wrapped around her anymore. That woman was not ready to lose her life.
Not expecting that movement, the man spontaneously attacked more aggressively. Within seconds, he had managed to pin Amber between his body and the carpeted wooden floor.
"Don't you see? My hands are just bones covered with skin! Your teeth will fall out if you eat them!” the woman exclaimed as she could no longer think normally. Whatever came to mind just slipped out of her mouth. She was really desperate.
"That's exactly my favorite part. Human bones," Mister Cold replied, holding back a laugh. He was happy to see the stupid woman suffer. “Now, say goodbye to the world. You will soon become my delicious meal.”
"No," Amber sighed while glancing at her hand which was getting closer to the man's mouth. When Mister Cold gaped wide, she screamed at the top of her lungs. "No ...!"
Unexpectedly, the man stopped bringing Amber's hand to his mouth. The faded suicide scar on the woman's wrist had caught the eye. Why didn't he see it last night?
"Didn't you say you wanted to live?" Mister Cold muttered while stroking Amber's wrist with his thumb. Only then he was sure that the scar was real.Receiving such a question, the woman was unmoved. With furrowed brows, she surveyed the situation."I still want to live," Amber said between rumbling breaths.“Then why do you have a scar like this?” Mister Cold asked, twisting the woman's wrist. One of his eyebrows rose a little higher.Seeing the faded trace of knife on her skin, Amber gasped. She didn't expect that the first person who managed to discover her secret was a cold, completely unknown man."That's none of your business," she replied, jerking her hand.Unexpectedly, Mister Cold gripped even tighter. “Rather than dying in vain, wouldn't it be better if you surrendered yourself to me?”Gritting her teeth, Amber sharpened her gaze. "I don't want to die yet," the woman said angrily. She suddenly forgot about her fear."Why? Haven't you ever wanted to kill yourself?""That is th
"Okay! I apologize. I believe that you are not impotent. You don't need to prove it," Amber said, forcing her brain to find a solution. “Then what if I give you my determination?”"Determination?" Mr. Cold asked, narrowing his eyes.Without thinking, the woman nodded firmly. "Yes. If I'm determined, I can do anything, like take care of your house. Aren't you tired of taking care of this cottage by yourself?""So, you want to be a servant in this house?" the man inquired, doubting.Although she hesitated, Amber finally widened her smile. "Yes, of course. I can get all the dust off the furniture, wash the dishes, and …” the woman blinked for an idea, “cook some meals.”"You can cook?""Yes! Of course. I know a lot of great food recipes,” Amber nodded, hoping her lie wouldn't be detected.After a moment of contemplation, Mr. Cold moved away from the woman. “Then make me lunch. If your cooking is good, you can be a servant here. But if you don't, I'll really eat you whole."Forcing a smil
While stroking her stomach, Amber leaned back on the couch. Her pale face was no longer excited, while her dim eyes looked so desperate."It's been a few hours, but why hasn't the effect worn off yet?" the woman muttered before closing her eyes in nausea. Unfortunately, the image of the failed soup flashed even more vividly."Tsk, it just makes me dizzier," she grumbled, massaging her temples."Why are you dizzy? Is it because of your mud soup?”Hearing Mr. Cold's voice, Amber suddenly straightened up and opened her eyes. With a straight face, she replied, “Yes, but not because of the taste. The potato-tomato soup was very good. It's just, I can't eat too much."Raising an eyebrow, the man who came from the kitchen nodded his head. "Then hurry up and do the next task!"“Next task? I've tidied up your kitchen and the bone collection. I've also removed all the dust from this space. Can't you give me a break?" the woman protested as she could no longer be patient. The cottage owner's dem
With all her might, Amber threw the sweater at Mister Cold.“Here … I return yours. Sorry if I ruined a day in your life. You don't have to think about the loss I caused. I'll definitely pay for it later,” the woman explained in a firm tone, even though her vocal cords were still wrapped in annoyance."From now on, I won't disturb you anymore. Be happy with your solitude in this cottage."A second later, Amber came out and closed the door. No more sound was heard after her departure. Mister Cold also kept silence. The knife in his hand no longer moved to cut the pine needles. After one heavy breath, he looked at the sweater that was stuck on his shoulder."She decided to leave?" the man thought, blinking slowly. "Good. That way, I won't have to think how to make her miserable anymore."With an even expression, Mister Cold stepped into the bedroom. When he got there, he opened the red box and tucked the white sweater inside. Rough
As soon as he woke up, Mister Cold gasped. In a flash, the man looked at the floor near the heater. When he found Amber still lying there, only then he could breathe in relief. "Thank God," he muttered subconsciously. Without any noise, Mr. Cold came over and checked. However, when he saw a reddened face, his eyes widened again. "Amber?" he called, pulling the woman's shoulder. Unexpectedly, Amber's back fell and her head drooped helplessly. The woman's lips were pale, as sweat trickled down her forehead. Witnessing it, the man automatically touched Amber's cheek. "Good grief! Why are you burning?” After shaking the eyeballs for a moment, Mister Cold rushed into the bedroom. With furrowed brows, he looked for decent clothes among the piles of clothes. However, after a few seconds, no one had been selected. Not wanting to waste time, the man finally opened the wardrobe and took a white sweater from the red box. Finished dressing Amber, Mr. Cold moved the woman to the couch. Afte
When the car stopped, Amber immediately turned her head and glanced around to check the surroundings. However, from right to left, not a single building caught her eye. There was only the shadow of the trees under the dark blue sky. "Where is the grocery store you head for?” After pulling the handbrake, Adam turned to the right. His expression was flat. It was impossible for the woman to know what was in his heart. “It’s still a few more meters ahead. But I don't want anyone to see you get out of my car." "Okay, that means we separate now," Amber muttered while nodding. A second later, the woman put on a small, indescribable smile. “Thank you, Mister Cold. Thank you for saving me and being patient with me.” Not knowing what to say, Adam shrugged slightly. His gaze then turned to the windshield. Meanwhile, Amber started removing the earrings from her ears. “Like I said, I will definitely pay for your kindness.” Without hesitation, the woman handed him an earring. “So, accept this.
“You buy this much? Do you have a guest?” the white-haired woman behind the counter muttered as Adam put down the shopping basket. Hearing the lady's comment, the man's eyebrows arched up. He himself didn’t know the reason. But, after a moment of silence, he shook his head. "I just want to eat more." "Well, well. It’s impossible that a cannibal like you have a friend,” the store owner grumbled before starting to calculate the price. While waiting, Adam turned his head toward the glass door. Seeing Amber was busy writing in a book, his lips curled up. “What will happen if that woman finds out the truth? Will she kneel in front of me? Should I confess?” Adam thought but didn’t realize that he had addicted to playing with Amber. "If she returns to the cottage, she can be a good entertainment." Suddenly, two teenage girls pushed the door. After entering, one of them whispered, "Ella, isn't that woman Amber Lim?" In an instant, Adam glanced and sharpened his hearing. “Amber Lim? Who
With a flat expression, Adam surveyed the items lying on the floor—a bottle of milk in the grocery bag, half of a bread, and an opened book. Neither of them was clean of red stains. After pondering for a moment, the man bent his knees. Blinking slowly, he checked what was written on the first page of the book. "To anyone who finds this book, please send it to the following address." Reading it, Adam was stunned. "Did she write her will?" Furrowing his brows, he checked the next page. “Dear Mia, Julian, Gaby, and Max, something bad is happening to me. It seems, this is karma that I have to accept as a result of my crimes. But don't worry. Amber Lim never gives up. I will definitely try to keep my promise to you.” Adam furrowed his brows. While shaking his head faintly, he glanced in the direction Amber was taking. "Why did she leave messages like this to the people she hurt? Are they really close?" Mr. Cold thought before continuing to read. "But I fail to come back, please kno
Amber quietly opened the workroom door. Seeing her husband was daydreaming, she lifted the corner of her lips. "What are you doing, Jewel?" Adam spontaneously turned to the direction of the voice. Knowing the presence of his wife, his smile grew wider. "Hey .... Is Ashley sleeping?" "Yes," Amber answered while approaching. Then, casually, she sat on her husband's lap. "Why are you still here? Is your work not done yet?" As Adam rubbed the back of his neck, Amber began to investigate the table. Turned out, the computer had been off. The files were also neatly organized in the folders. What’s left there was only a cell phone displaying an image. "You really like that picture, hmm?" Amber concluded while glancing sweetly. Spotted by those warm eyes, Adam let out a smile. After kissing Amber’s shoulder, he nodded. "It's all thanks to you. I wouldn't have been able to fix my relationship with Mother if you didn't follow us." "I didn't do anything. When I got there, you guys have been
"I know you must have doubted what I said," Mrs. Smith cried, breaking the silence. "Is there something I have to do to prove my point? Your mother really wants to change, Adam." Still with furrowed brows, the man snorted. "Why only now? Is it because Ed abandoned you?" Mrs. Smith shook her head briskly. "No, don't get me wrong. The tension between us has nothing to do with Ed. I was too stupid to use him to take all yours." "Non sense ...." "Do you know that Ed scolded me? He's tired of being dragged down by my selfishness. Your brother said he didn't want to help me bully you anymore." Before Adam could object, Mrs. Smith continued. "Since then, I've started to realize. But, I still convince myself that you don't deserve to be happy. Your mother is very stupid, hmm?" Adam suddenly fell silent. From under the frown, he looked intently at his mother. “Why should I believe?” "I haven't even used a penny of your money, Adam. I feel guilty every time I see your transfer papers. Sh
After his mother slammed the door, Adam rubbed Amber's arm. Noticing his wife's disheveled look, he whispered, "Are you all right?" The woman nodded. "Yeah, you?" Adam took a deep breath. After raising an eyebrow, he curled up his lips. "Yeah. I'm glad nothing happened. I was afraid my mother would do something reckless. Sorry for letting her carry Ashley." "It's okay, Jewel. I think Ashley is happy to have met her grandmother," Amber said while stroking her daughter's head. The little baby had closed her eyes again. She seemed so peaceful. "Look, she's smiling again." "She must want to cheer you up," Adam whispered before landing a soft kiss on Ashley's forehead. "Not only me, but you too. We are lucky to have such a kind baby. This must be your good karma. You remain patient with your mother, even though she has been hurt you many times." Disagreeing, Adam shook his head. "Your sweet karma too, Precious. You are much more filial to your parents. Anyway, they are coming here, r
As the silence was hanging in the air, people in that room were exchanging glances. No one dared to speak until Ruby broke the silence. "May I carry her?" "Of course," Amber answered, patting Adam's arm. Understanding the code given, Adam took Ashley out of her tiny bed. As soon as the adorable baby arrived in Ruby's arms, all eyes started to tear up. "Hey, look at this tiny face! Why are you so cute, Ashley?" Ruby whispered in a trembling voice. The emotion almost pushed the tears out of bounds. "This pretty nose is very similar to Amber's, while these thin lips ... a hundred percent copy of her father." As that woman studied every detail of the baby, Amber asked lightly, "Would you like to take a picture with Ashley?" In an instant, Ruby's wistful eyes were tinged with shock. "Is it okay? Didn't you two agree not to publish your daughter's face?" "Take the photo as a keepsake. You can print it and store it in your wallet or diary," Amber said, glancing at Nick. Realizing the
“Hurry up! I can’t stand it anymore!" Amber shouted while squeezing her husband's clothes. Panic, Adam started to circle around the yard. Maybe he dropped the key somewhere. Meanwhile, Nick was busy groping his own body. When his hand pressed against his trouser pocket, his eyes widened perfectly. "Shall we just take my car?" the fat man suggested while showing his car keys. Still out of breath, Amber turned to the vehicle parked beside Adam's car. "You think I weigh up to a ton? People must be laughing when they see you take me in that truck!" she grumbled in a shrill voice. Nick spontaneously grimaced at it. "Sorry, Madam. It's not a truck, but a mini box van for dry cargo. I use it to deliver jewelry." "You have nothing to be ashamed of, Precious," Adam continued with a reassuring nod. "The car is used to carrying valuables." Suddenly, Amber closed her eyes again. The pain that twisted in her stomach grew crazier. "Okay! Quickly tak
"Hello, Mrs. Smith. How are you feeling?" Nick said when welcoming Amber to his house. He secretly felt proud to see his whistle hanging around the woman's neck. "Very well. We’re sorry to bother you, Nick. It's actually one week earlier than the doctor predicted. But Adam keeps insisting that we should stay at your house." Seeing Amber's guilty expression, Nick chuckled. "It’s not a problem at all. What the boss thinks is true. It's best if we are on guard. The hospital is too far from your cottage." "You're a wise man, Nick," Adam said while carrying three large bags he'd pulled from the trunk. “Seems like, I’ve put my trust in the right person.” Once again, the fat man chuckled. Taking one of the bags from Adam's hand, he waved. "Come on! Let me show you your room! I’ve asked Tina to clean it this morning." As Nick led the way, Amber leaned toward her husband. "Who's Tina?" "I don't know. Maybe, his new girlfriend," Adam replied wit
"I’m sincere," Amber nodded swiftly. "It's just I regret their attitude that never changes. I can’t tell how long they will stand to make you suffer." Smiling a little, Adam stroked her cheek. Now that he had known the reason, his love to her grew larger. "Don't worry! I'm sure they won't ask for anything more after this. I've got nothing for them to grab." "What about our house? Should we apply for a transfer of assets? I think it would be safer if the certificate was registered in my name." Stifling a laugh, Adam nodded. He knew that half of Amber's heart was actually not willing to see him sacrifice so much. "That's why, I insisted on handing over the company to you. But you kept refusing." "I don't want people to think of you as a slave to my love, Jewel. It’s not normal for a man giving all his wealth to his wife? He’ll be called a stupid man. I don't want you to be branded like that." Thinking that Amber was so adorable, Adam kissed the tip of her nose. "I have no problem
"Now it's my turn to give you a gift," Ruby said awkwardly. "A gift? When did you prepare it? You spent most of the time in bed," Amber asked wide-eyed. "Online shopping is not something difficult," Ruby said before smiling faintly. Without further ado, she handed her the box. "Take this as an apology as well as my thanks. You may open it now." After giving Adam her whistle, the pregnant woman lifted the lid of the box. As soon as she found a neatly folded red knitted cloth, she let out a faint sigh. "Is this a form of protest because we threw away the white sweater you gave Adam?" "Otherwise, I want to bury bad memories about it. I hope a new sweater could remind you of the new me." "Well then, from this moment on, Adam and I will make lots of sweet memories with this sweater," Amber said as she took out the gift from the box. However, a second later, the curve of her lips froze. Turned out, there was another sweater in the box. "You
"Hey," Amber said, reluctant to call her brother-in-law’s name, "Ruby wants to talk to you." In an instant, Ed's eyes widened. Without further ado, he entered through the gap between Amber and the door. "Has Ruby changed her mind?" Adam inquired as he rose from his seat. After closing the door, he guided his wife to sit down carefully. "No." Confused, the man's eyebrows arched perfectly. "So?" "Ruby wants to end their relationship as soon as possible. That way, she can stay at Mr. Berg's residence without any worries," Amber explained before raising an eyebrow. "How about you? Did something happen while I was inside?" Lifting the corners of his lips, Adam kissed his wife's hand. "Believe it or not, I feel nothing. Yes, I'm annoyed to see Ed. But knowing he's got what he deserves, I don't feel relieved either, like nothing's changed." "Because no matter what happens to them, our lives will still be the same?" "Yes." As h