Chapter 2

I watched coldly as Ean led Helen to the guest room. Just as she was about to enter, a flash of lightning lit up the sky.

A loud crack of thunder followed, and she shrieked, throwing herself into Ean's arms.

Ean stiffened, but Helen clung to him. "Ean, I'm so scared. Can you stay with me tonight?"

His hand lingered on her back before he gave a reassuring pat. "Alright."

At that moment, I felt like a fool, because I, too, was terrified of thunder.

I remembered that stormy night I spent alone. Thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and then the power went out. I was so scared that I nearly cried. Desperate for comfort, I called Ean.

"Ean, the power is out and the thunder… I'm really scared," I had said, my voice shaking.

"Madeline, you need to learn to handle these things on your own. Seriously? You're still scared of thunder at your age?" Ean's voice was cold as it cut through the phone. "Stop using this to get my attention. Grow up. You're an adult now. Deal with it."

The call ended abruptly. That night, I cocooned myself in my blanket, the phone's flashlight my only comfort. Sleep was elusive, and dawn brought no relief.

It had been years now. When I looked back at that memory, I felt only bitterness. Ean never cared. There was always an unbreachable wall between us.

I let out a hollow laugh. Even in death, thunder still terrified me. Hugging myself, I watched Ean console Helen. She nestled into his arms, her eyes glinting with triumph.

To Ean, Helen was always the special one. What was I to him? I shook my head and stared out the window. Even now, the rumble of thunder made me shiver.

Thankfully, the storm passed quickly. An hour later, the thunder ceased, and Ean left the room. Helen's gaze followed him, her smile smug. "Ean, you'll always be mine. No one can take you away from me."

Her words stunned me. She was still hung up on him. Why did she leave in the first place? And Ean—if he couldn't get over her, why did he marry me?

When Ean returned to his room, he did something uncharacteristic. He looked at my photo on his phone and muttered, "Madeline, I hope you've learned your lesson. Apologize, and maybe I'll let you out."

I could not help but laugh. Apologize? For what? I wasn't the one who locked Helen in the office.

However, Ean would never have believed me. Helen, with her innocent act, said she did not blame me, so Ean was convinced it was all my fault.

He locked me in an abandoned freezer, and now, he expected me to admit to something I did not do? It was absurd.

Ean was sharp—he did not become the president of a company by being an idiot. However, when it came to Helen, he was blind.

The next morning, the guard at the cold storage felt uneasy and nervously approached Ean. "Mr. Smith, should we let Mrs. Smith out? There's no noise from inside, and that bowl of water won't last five days."

…

Ean hesitated before replying coldly, "A bowl of water can last a person ten days. If she's so stubborn, let's see how long she can hold out."

"But... there's no sound from inside at all. We're really worried about Mrs. Smith..."

"Don't worry, Madeline's just pretending."