Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"What about that rebellious girl? Has she begged for mercy yet?" My father's questions echoed like thunder in the large villa. The butler, Alfred Donald, replied in a trembling voice, "Sir, Ms. Xavier hasn't come out yet." In between my father's fingers was a cigar, and he paused in his action momentarily. "I've spoiled her. That's why she's so unruly. How dare she lock Rosie in the car? We should let her suffer a bit." Alfred could not bear it and said, "But it's over 104 degrees outside. It's so hot in the car. Won't Ms. Xavier…""Ha, hot? I want her to feel the heat. Let's see if she'll treat Rosie like that again. Only when she feels the heat in the car will she stop doing things like that." My father's voice was indifferent as if he had entirely forgotten that I had been locked in the trunk for seven days. Alfred tried to say something more, but my father interrupted impatiently, "Enough. Do you think no one's been secretly sending her food? She's fine. She won't die." Hearing that, I could not help but laugh, but no one could hear me. It was because I was already dead. I died four days ago. Since then, my soul had been following my father. "Mr. Xavier, don't be mad anymore. Let Blake out. It's so hot outside. She must be suffering," Rosie Sutherland said from upstairs as she emerged from what used to be my room in a pure white nightgown. My father's expression softened instantly, exuding a tenderness I had never seen before. Rosie came downstairs and sat next to him, looking innocent and elegant. "Ignore her. You're just too kind. She locked you in the car and caused you to faint from heatstroke. She deserves some punishment." My father's eyes were icy as if he were talking about an enemy when he mentioned me. But why? Was I not his daughter? Alfred went into the villa's kitchen while muttering quietly to himself, "Instead of caring for his own daughter, he dotes on someone else's.""Mr. Xavier, you're so kind. If only you were my real father." Rosie sobbed slightly as she leaned on my father's shoulder. My father replied, "Silly girl, I'll be your father if you're willing.""Rosie, you're a grown-up. Why are you still acting like a spoiled child?" a woman said as she appeared. It was Queenie Sutherland—the love of my father's life. Before she showed up, I thought that my mother was the woman my father loved most. However, everything changed after my mother left. To this day, I felt somewhat grateful that my mother passed away due to illness and did not get to see the heartless side of the man she spent her whole life loving. I figured I would see her soon. Even if I got another chance at life, I would never want to be my father's daughter again. "Richard, a small punishment is enough. Blake is still your daughter." Queenie said. The mother and daughter echoed each other, doing everything to appear kind. However, they would not have watched me get locked in that trunk for seven whole days and nights if they were truly kind. What was even more ironic was that the car was a birthday gift from my father. Now, it had become my final resting place.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Twenty years ago, Queenie broke up with my father and immediately married a wealthy and powerful man per her family's arrangement. Times changed, and the wealthy man lost his fortune. Meanwhile, my father, who had been poor, married my mom and managed to turn his life around—becoming wealthy. It was a dramatic turn of events. My mom eventually passed away, and Queenie got divorced. These two were good news to my father. Just like that, Queenie and my father got back together. She and her daughter moved in and stole everything that was mine—my clothes, my room, and eventually, my father. Seven days ago, Rosie came home happily, saying she had gotten her driver's license and could now drive. My father said he would buy her a car, but she hesitated for a moment and shyly said, "I think the pink car in the garage is pretty nice." I replied coldly, "That car is a gift from Dad to me. If you want one, ask your dad to buy it. Don't you have your own dad?" That pink car was a birthday gift from my father when I got my license, and I rarely drove it. I thought Dad understood, but what he said next shattered my hopes. "It's just a car. If Rosie likes it, give it to her. Blake Xavier, you have so many cars. Why fight with Rosie over this one? Just let her have it." Hearing that, I suddenly realized that my father was not the loving father he once was. I did not want to let Rosie have the car, so I threw away the car keys. Furious, my father had someone change the locks and gave the car to her. However, Rosie somehow managed to lock herself inside and could not get out when she tried to park the car. I had no idea how it happened. However, it was the height of summer, when the temperature reached 104 degrees. Without air conditioning, the car quickly turned into an oven. Before she passed out, Rosie took out her phone and chose to call my father first. "Mr. Xavier, I'm so scared. It's so hot in here. My only regret is not being able to be your legal daughter." The other end of the line soon went silent. My father rushed out of his office like he had lost his mind. He used the car's GPS to find Rosie and rescue her. Fortunately, she only suffered a heatstroke and was all right. However, when Rosie woke up, her first words were, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have stolen Blake's car. Mr. Xavier, please don't blame her." Just like that, my father assumed that I had locked Rosie in the car and lost his temper without conducting an investigation. I had no idea what was going on at the time. My father just suddenly kicked down my door and barged in. After slapping me twice and leaving me in a daze, he dragged me to the garage. "It seems that I've spoiled you! You're even capable of murder now!" He shoved me to the ground, pressing my face against the floor as I looked confused. "If Rosie had stayed in there a bit longer, her life would've been in danger. You're a grown-up. How can you do something this foolish?" He called over two strong bodyguards who tied me up. Ignoring my desperate crying and shouting, he locked me in the trunk. "Reflect on yourself. You can come out when you kneel and apologize!" I desperately screamed for help from inside the trunk, but that only annoyed my father. "Stuff her mouth with something and lock her up for a few days to wear down her attitude!" The temperature in the trunk was at least 104 degrees, and I could not take it after just an hour. Now, seven days had passed. It had been four days since I took my last breath. With this temperature, my corpse had probably started to decay. That was exactly what happened. Fluids from my decomposing corpse seeped through the trunk's gaps and slowly dripped onto the ground. The driver noticed a strange smell when passing through the garage, but he said nothing.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

When everyone in the villa was asleep at night, Alfred entered the garage. An awful stench hit him before he got close to the car. The closer he got to the car, the stronger the smell. The unknown liquid on the ground had started to breed maggots. He had a bad feeling. I stood in front of him, saying, "Hurry back. Don't look. It's awfully disgusting. Really, you'll lose your appetite for life after seeing it." Alfred was a kind man who had begged for mercy for me before. However, his influence was insignificant, and he could not risk his decent-paying job to help much. Perhaps my advice worked. He took several steps back and left without a glance. The next morning, my father was in a great mood. After breakfast, he took a beautifully wrapped gift box from the cabinet and placed it in front of Rosie when she was not paying attention. "Rosie, happy birthday. Open your gift." Rosie's face lit up with surprise. "Thank you, Mr. Xavier!" She eagerly opened it, revealing a key fob inside. It was for a car model that was even more expensive and better than mine. My father said, "Blake's car is too old. Besides, how can you drive a secondhand car? I picked this car especially for you. Hurry and see if you like it." Rosie took the keys and nodded continuously. "I like this gift very much!" Alfred stepped forward, though he seemed hesitant. He finally said the words, "Sir, isn't it time to let Ms. Xavier out?" My father frowned in dissatisfaction. "Alfred, you have a lot to say today.""Sir, today is already the eighth day. It's so hot in the car. No one can possibly withstand it that long." Alfred had already figured out the truth from the smell yesterday. He had to be struggling inside, knowing that there was a rotting corpse just a few hundred yards away. Just thinking about it was nauseating. "Yeah, Mr. Xavier. Blake must have reflected on her mistakes by now. Let her out." Hearing Rosie's words, my father's gaze softened again. "Alright, I'll spare her. When she's out, I'll terminate her credit card and make her get a job to earn her own living. I won't allow my daughter to be so vicious." Ridiculous. It was ridiculous! Everything he owned now was given by my mother. Excluding his identity as my father, he was nothing more than a fickle social climber. Now, he had another identity—a murderer. Alfred immediately led people into the garage after getting the order. After a few nights of decomposition, the stench of my corpse grew stronger, making the entire garage unbearably putrid. Everyone covered their noses, and some even threw up. "What is that smell? It's unbearable. Oh my god.""Who shat in here?" My father, Queenie, and Rosie were walking at the back. They also frowned at the stench. However, seeing the household helpers lose their composure in front of my father triggered his dignity. "What's with all this commotion? Look at yourselves! It must be the smell coming off Blake. She didn't bathe for seven or eight days in such hot weather, and she's been relieving herself in the trunk too. Of course, it'll stink! "Get someone to dispose of this car for me. The sight of it annoys me. Hurry and open the trunk to get her out. Otherwise, I'll fire you!" my father yelled. The household helpers could only hold back their revulsion as they stepped forward to open the trunk. In the dimly lit underground garage, a horrifying corpse lay in the trunk of the dreamy berry pink car.