After parting ways with Josephine, I sat alone in the park for a while longer, allowing the alcohol to wear off. The crisp evening air was a welcome relief, and I found myself reflecting on how suffocating it would be to return home, to that place where anger and tension simmered just beneath the surface. The sun set slowly, casting long shadows across the park. What had once been filled with the laughter and chatter of children had now fallen silent. Even the usual noise of playful kids had died down as their parents called them home. The autumn breeze carried a chill, and I could feel the last remnants of my anger dissipating with it. I flicked the dust off my jacket and decided it was time to head home. But as I stepped through the door, the house was plunged into darkness. There were no lights on. I stopped for a moment, puzzled. Was the power out? "Honey?" "Finn?"There was no response. The silence was thick and oppressive. Finn was nowhere to be found either. Fro
I stared at her, transfixed, as she approached. Her hands were stained with fresh blood. My body felt frozen, and the sound in my throat was trapped, useless. She drew closer, and the darkness in my vision closed in on me. The next thing I knew, I was blinking awake, the harsh light of day spilling through the window, yet it brought no warmth. "Ahhh! Stay away from me!"A scream split the air, sharp and high-pitched, and I jerked upright in bed, my heart hammering in my chest. The bedroom. Was it just a dream? "Darling? Are you awake? Come get up and have some breakfast. Why are you lying down like that last night?" It was Lily's voice, but it wasn't the soothing tone I was used to. There was an eerie quality to it, one that sent a chill crawling down my spine. It was as though the words were dripping with something dark and cold, something from the depths of hell."Finn? Where's Finn?" My voice was hoarse, laced with fear I couldn't suppress. "Oh, he had something to t
Why weren't there any signs of what had happened in the storage room? It was as though yesterday had been nothing but a nightmare—a hallucination of my own making. Just then, my phone buzzed with a message from Lily. She said Finn was back, and he had brought his girlfriend. She told me to hurry home. The joy in her words was unmistakable. After all, the siblings had grown up without a mother. Finn was alive? My heart, which had been clenched in fear, suddenly loosened. I knew it—I knew Lily couldn't have done such a thing. She had always been gentle and obedient. It was all a product of my stress, my mind playing tricks on me. Just a figment of my imagination, nothing more. I hurried home. The doorbell rang, and Finn opened it. The moment he saw me, his expression soured. He rolled his eyes and muttered, "You decided to come back? Well, if you have the guts, don't come back at all." I couldn't help but feel that something in him had changed, like there was something di
That evening, I received a friend request on Telegram from Sandra. Sandra: [Ross, I think I might've misunderstood. I hope you and Lily don't hold any misunderstandings about me.] How pretentious. I accepted her request with a hint of feigned politeness. Ross: [I don't blame you. Lily and I had discussed giving you and Finn a house. It's just that Finn is still too immature.] Just as I sent the message, an unfamiliar number flashed on my phone screen. "Ross, my husband hasn't been home for days. Do you think something's happened to him?" It was Josephine on the other end, her voice trembling with panic, her words spilling out in a frantic blur. "It's fine, I'll come right over. Don't worry," I assured her."Okay, hurry." I scrambled to find a cigarette. Just as I was about to step out, the door suddenly opened, and Lily appeared. "It's late. Where are you going?" Her face was as pale as it had been that night—emotionless, as though her features were frozen in pla
It turned out that Lily's brother was Josephine's husband. Josephine told me that her husband had an older sister named Lily, who had always been very protective of him—anything she had, she was willing to give to him. But a few days ago, something strange happened. Late one night, just as they were about to go to bed, his sister called him. He had been acting mysteriously, claiming they were about to come into some money. He rushed out in a hurry and hadn't been back since. Josephine hadn't been able to get ahold of him—his phone was off, and he had completely disappeared. As she spoke, a chill ran down my spine. So what I saw that day had been real. But then… how could I explain the fact that he was with me the very next day, having dinner?I looked at her. "You need to stay calm. Your husband… he might already be dead." I explained everything I had witnessed that day, making sure she understood it all clearly. She froze, her expression blank, as if she were trying t
Her body leaned closer, the unique scent of her youth igniting a fire in my veins. Her porcelain skin was tinged with a delicate pink hue, and the fullness of her lips was both tempting and dangerous. As I inhaled deeply, the air around us thickened with a bewitching fragrance that clouded my senses, making my head spin. My gaze lingered, and the last thing I saw was the soft curve of her smile resting at the corner of her mouth. The next morning, a sharp scream pierced through my slumber, jolting me awake. Disoriented, I blinked into the dim light and glanced over to see Sandra curled tightly in the blanket beside me. The events of the previous night rushed back to me, and frustration surged through my chest as I rubbed my head. "Shit. I don't know what happened last night, I really don't. I swear I went into my own room," I stammered."Ross, I don't blame you. Just go. It'll be bad if Lily finds out." I nodded quickly, pulling on my pants and rushing out of the room.
The next day was Saturday, and I told Lily that I was going on a business trip for the weekend, that I wouldn't be home for the next couple of days. The truth was, I didn't want to tell her anything more. The trust between us had long since crumbled. My hometown was in a small county, and once I arrived, I still had to take a two-hour bus ride to reach it. By the time I got there, it was already afternoon. My old house was silent and empty. I headed straight to the matchmaker's house. Just as I arrived, I saw the matchmaker and her family sitting down to eat. They greeted me with wide smiles and called me over to join them. I smiled, agreeing, and took my place at the table. It was a small, square table where everyone sat together.The matchmaker looked at me, her face instantly flushed with guilt. "Ross, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault, really," she said, her voice filled with regret. I was confused, unsure of what she was referring to."What do you mean? I'm doing fin
I stood frozen in place, the words hitting me like a bolt of lightning, paralyzing me. He seemed pleased with my reaction. A twisted satisfaction flickered in his eyes as he slowly removed his hand from Josephine's waist. Lily, tears welling in her eyes, said, "Ross, we're getting a divorce." A cold laugh rose from deep within me, but I masked it, allowing a facade of guilt to settle on my face. Divorce now, and half of my house would be taken from me. Half of it would go to this lying woman, this schemer who had no idea what she was up against. I couldn't let her win, not like this. I had to play her game. "Honey, I'm sorry," I said, my voice low, begging. "Please, don't leave me. I love you, truly." Her voice cracked with doubt. "I want to believe you, but you need to show me, to prove it." She was hinting at more. More than just empty words. She wanted something else."Alright," I replied, my jaw tight with determination. "If I fail you again, this house will be yours
The police instructed me to keep quiet and go through with the property transfer as planned. They reminded me to stay calm, to keep my composure, and not to alert anyone. I had to avoid raising suspicion at all costs. I didn't let my emotions show, maintaining an impassive expression as I went through the motions. I kept my mind focused, my thoughts shielded, until the moment arrived when I saw them—Finn and Lily, both in silver handcuffs. They were furious. The insults they threw at me were relentless, each word more venomous than the last. Sandra walked toward me slowly, her steps deliberate, measured. It was only then that Finn and Lily seemed to realize they had been deceived. The realization hit them like a punch to the gut, but by then, it was far too late. "An inmate on death row actually thought he could escape with a new identity? You must be dreaming." The look on Finn's face confirmed everything I had suspected. The real Finn and Lily were indeed siblings, b
I stood frozen in place, the words hitting me like a bolt of lightning, paralyzing me. He seemed pleased with my reaction. A twisted satisfaction flickered in his eyes as he slowly removed his hand from Josephine's waist. Lily, tears welling in her eyes, said, "Ross, we're getting a divorce." A cold laugh rose from deep within me, but I masked it, allowing a facade of guilt to settle on my face. Divorce now, and half of my house would be taken from me. Half of it would go to this lying woman, this schemer who had no idea what she was up against. I couldn't let her win, not like this. I had to play her game. "Honey, I'm sorry," I said, my voice low, begging. "Please, don't leave me. I love you, truly." Her voice cracked with doubt. "I want to believe you, but you need to show me, to prove it." She was hinting at more. More than just empty words. She wanted something else."Alright," I replied, my jaw tight with determination. "If I fail you again, this house will be yours
The next day was Saturday, and I told Lily that I was going on a business trip for the weekend, that I wouldn't be home for the next couple of days. The truth was, I didn't want to tell her anything more. The trust between us had long since crumbled. My hometown was in a small county, and once I arrived, I still had to take a two-hour bus ride to reach it. By the time I got there, it was already afternoon. My old house was silent and empty. I headed straight to the matchmaker's house. Just as I arrived, I saw the matchmaker and her family sitting down to eat. They greeted me with wide smiles and called me over to join them. I smiled, agreeing, and took my place at the table. It was a small, square table where everyone sat together.The matchmaker looked at me, her face instantly flushed with guilt. "Ross, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault, really," she said, her voice filled with regret. I was confused, unsure of what she was referring to."What do you mean? I'm doing fin
Her body leaned closer, the unique scent of her youth igniting a fire in my veins. Her porcelain skin was tinged with a delicate pink hue, and the fullness of her lips was both tempting and dangerous. As I inhaled deeply, the air around us thickened with a bewitching fragrance that clouded my senses, making my head spin. My gaze lingered, and the last thing I saw was the soft curve of her smile resting at the corner of her mouth. The next morning, a sharp scream pierced through my slumber, jolting me awake. Disoriented, I blinked into the dim light and glanced over to see Sandra curled tightly in the blanket beside me. The events of the previous night rushed back to me, and frustration surged through my chest as I rubbed my head. "Shit. I don't know what happened last night, I really don't. I swear I went into my own room," I stammered."Ross, I don't blame you. Just go. It'll be bad if Lily finds out." I nodded quickly, pulling on my pants and rushing out of the room.
It turned out that Lily's brother was Josephine's husband. Josephine told me that her husband had an older sister named Lily, who had always been very protective of him—anything she had, she was willing to give to him. But a few days ago, something strange happened. Late one night, just as they were about to go to bed, his sister called him. He had been acting mysteriously, claiming they were about to come into some money. He rushed out in a hurry and hadn't been back since. Josephine hadn't been able to get ahold of him—his phone was off, and he had completely disappeared. As she spoke, a chill ran down my spine. So what I saw that day had been real. But then… how could I explain the fact that he was with me the very next day, having dinner?I looked at her. "You need to stay calm. Your husband… he might already be dead." I explained everything I had witnessed that day, making sure she understood it all clearly. She froze, her expression blank, as if she were trying t
That evening, I received a friend request on Telegram from Sandra. Sandra: [Ross, I think I might've misunderstood. I hope you and Lily don't hold any misunderstandings about me.] How pretentious. I accepted her request with a hint of feigned politeness. Ross: [I don't blame you. Lily and I had discussed giving you and Finn a house. It's just that Finn is still too immature.] Just as I sent the message, an unfamiliar number flashed on my phone screen. "Ross, my husband hasn't been home for days. Do you think something's happened to him?" It was Josephine on the other end, her voice trembling with panic, her words spilling out in a frantic blur. "It's fine, I'll come right over. Don't worry," I assured her."Okay, hurry." I scrambled to find a cigarette. Just as I was about to step out, the door suddenly opened, and Lily appeared. "It's late. Where are you going?" Her face was as pale as it had been that night—emotionless, as though her features were frozen in pla
Why weren't there any signs of what had happened in the storage room? It was as though yesterday had been nothing but a nightmare—a hallucination of my own making. Just then, my phone buzzed with a message from Lily. She said Finn was back, and he had brought his girlfriend. She told me to hurry home. The joy in her words was unmistakable. After all, the siblings had grown up without a mother. Finn was alive? My heart, which had been clenched in fear, suddenly loosened. I knew it—I knew Lily couldn't have done such a thing. She had always been gentle and obedient. It was all a product of my stress, my mind playing tricks on me. Just a figment of my imagination, nothing more. I hurried home. The doorbell rang, and Finn opened it. The moment he saw me, his expression soured. He rolled his eyes and muttered, "You decided to come back? Well, if you have the guts, don't come back at all." I couldn't help but feel that something in him had changed, like there was something di
I stared at her, transfixed, as she approached. Her hands were stained with fresh blood. My body felt frozen, and the sound in my throat was trapped, useless. She drew closer, and the darkness in my vision closed in on me. The next thing I knew, I was blinking awake, the harsh light of day spilling through the window, yet it brought no warmth. "Ahhh! Stay away from me!"A scream split the air, sharp and high-pitched, and I jerked upright in bed, my heart hammering in my chest. The bedroom. Was it just a dream? "Darling? Are you awake? Come get up and have some breakfast. Why are you lying down like that last night?" It was Lily's voice, but it wasn't the soothing tone I was used to. There was an eerie quality to it, one that sent a chill crawling down my spine. It was as though the words were dripping with something dark and cold, something from the depths of hell."Finn? Where's Finn?" My voice was hoarse, laced with fear I couldn't suppress. "Oh, he had something to t
After parting ways with Josephine, I sat alone in the park for a while longer, allowing the alcohol to wear off. The crisp evening air was a welcome relief, and I found myself reflecting on how suffocating it would be to return home, to that place where anger and tension simmered just beneath the surface. The sun set slowly, casting long shadows across the park. What had once been filled with the laughter and chatter of children had now fallen silent. Even the usual noise of playful kids had died down as their parents called them home. The autumn breeze carried a chill, and I could feel the last remnants of my anger dissipating with it. I flicked the dust off my jacket and decided it was time to head home. But as I stepped through the door, the house was plunged into darkness. There were no lights on. I stopped for a moment, puzzled. Was the power out? "Honey?" "Finn?"There was no response. The silence was thick and oppressive. Finn was nowhere to be found either. Fro