Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"Kelly's been quiet these past few days. Has she realized her mistakes?" Cody Rummish asked as he held Luna Briche in his arms, gently tugging on a loose strand of hair before kissing her deeply. "If I had known she would've become this obedient, I would've thrown her inside the first time she caused trouble for you. Then you wouldn't have had to suffer so many grievances." Luna's face flushed pink as she snuggled deeper into Cody's arms and smiled at him sweetly. Cody's secretary, Trent Pencer, on the other hand, looked hesitant. "Mrs. Rummish hasn't eaten or drunk anything in five days. Will she be—" Trent hadn't finished speaking before Cody grabbed a mug and smashed it hard against his head. "How many times do I have to tell you? You're not allowed to call her 'Mrs. Rummish'! That vile woman doesn't deserve the title! Luna is my wife now!" Cody wasn't wrong. He was legally married to Luna. "Babe, they're just names on a marriage certificate. They don't mean anything. I married her just so I could save the company my brother left behind. His will states that only a legal spouse can inherit his shares," he had said to me. "My brother's dead, so I need to handle all of this. If I don't marry her, Luna's family members who are on the board will swallow up everything my family has built over three generations. "I swear that this marriage will end in a year. Then, the only person I'll marry is you." He had even been holding me in his arms when he had said those words. At first, he had used his elders to pressure me. He had told me that if he didn't do it, then it'd ruin his family's reputation and bring shame upon his elders. He couldn't let his family down. As unwilling as I had been, I had decided to endure it. However, that choice had only made Cody worse. "Babe, it's just a child. I don't have any feelings for her. The moment she gets pregnant, I'll divorce her and marry you! "Stop crying. Do you think I want this? If the flight you'd arranged for my brother hadn't crashed, would I even need to atone for your sins on your behalf?" No matter how much I had cried or thrown a tantrum, he would always have a reason to shut me down. "Mr. Rummish! There's a strong smell coming from the bedroom. A life is at stake here, so I think it's best if you go check on… Kelly." Cody was getting annoyed with Trent. He walked up to his secretary and gave him a swift kick before warning him to never speak of my name again. "So what if it smells? That's exactly where she needs to be so she can reflect properly! Don't comment on my decisions again! I know what I'm doing. Now, get lost!" Cody's level of annoyance was abnormally high. Even he wasn't sure why he was feeling so frustrated. "Don't worry, Luna. I'll make things right for you. I swear I won't let my brother's soul roam around in agony." Luna walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You're the best. I'm sure your brother would find peace if he knew how well you take care of me. "But will Kelly be scared? Should we just let it go?" Cody scoffed, completely unbothered. As I listened to their brazen reasons for cheating, I couldn't help but laugh through my tears. The truth was… I had already died. I had even felt peace the moment my soul left me and drifted out of that dark, cramped, and suffocating wardrobe. My blood had pooled around me, and the corpse had started to stink. There were multiple chains hanging on the closet door, appearing as if they were intending to lock me inside for eternity. "You don't know how hilarious it was when she was on her knees begging me when I first locked her in. "She may be desperate to live now, but did she ever think about how hopeless my brother must've felt when he'd died at her hands? Or how terrified you must've felt when you were trapped in the elevator while pregnant, almost dying? "Kelly believed she could do anything just because I loved her, including going after my family. I won't let her off the hook so easily!" What Cody didn't know was that I hadn't been desperate to stay alive just for myself. I had been pregnant. I had been begging him on behalf of our child. My mouth had been taped shut, so I couldn't yell out. Instead, I had banged on the closet doors so desperately that my arms had become mangled, with blood pouring out uncontrollably. "Stay inside, and think about what you've done!" Blood had gushed out from my lower half, and I realized that I had lost the child. Ignoring the lack of oxygen, I had used my last bit of strength to slam my head into the closet doors, hoping Cody would understand how helpless I had felt. "Looks like you're actually scared, huh? Can you finally understand the terror Luna felt when she was trapped?" In the end, I had suffocated to death. Before I had closed my eyes for the final time, I had heard him say coldly, "Chain this closet up! I'm sick and tired of all this commotion! Let me know when she's finally quiet and behaving." The giant padlock had pierced through my heart and shackled my soul. And with it, all my love and hopes for Cody had dissipated, and my world had crumbled into nothingness.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

"Since Kelly's behaving now, you can undo one lock. Do it loudly too, so she knows that as long as she behaves, I'll spare her life." He thought he was being generous with me, but to me, it was all meaningless. No matter how many locks he unlocked, it still wouldn't bring me or my child back to life. Luna sashayed her hips as her hand traced across Cody's chest. "Cody, don't let things turn ugly because of me. You'll still marry her eventually and spend the rest of your life with her," she said as tears suddenly fell from her eyes. "Unlike poor old me. Your brother's dead because of her, and I can only spend the rest of my life alone.""Don't worry, Luna. I won't forsake you or the child, regardless of who I marry. "Both of you are precious to me. No one is allowed to touch you, not even Kelly. If she does, then she'll have to pay a hefty price. She owes you that much!" Luna looked at him with gratitude dripping from her eyes, and Cody probably believed himself to be some selfless hero. How ironic. Cody would probably never know that the plane ticket I had given his brother, Devon Rummish, had been purchased by Luna herself. I was merely the middleman, and yet I had to shoulder all the blame, accusations, and punishment for Devon's death. In the end, it even cost me and my child's lives. I clearly remember Luna telling me that she had personally chosen that flight for Devon, and that I had to pass the tickets along to him. Even clearer than that memory were the words Luna had said before she got into the elevator. … "Kelly, I left my necklace in the bedroom. Can you help me grab it?" Luna said to me affectionately. I naively ran back to the bedroom, only to discover that the necklace was actually one that Cody had given me as a symbol of his commitment. Why was it with her? How could Cody give that necklace to another woman? Suddenly, I heard a commotion outside, so I ran out and found a stoney-faced Cody. Before I could ask anything, a firm slap landed across my cheeks, and the taste of iron immediately filled my mouth. "You venomous woman! How could you set Luna up and have her take a faulty elevator?" "Don't blame her. I know that she's been worried I'll steal you away now that I'm pregnant. I can empathize. Don't be angry, Cody. I'm not worth it." "An 'out-of-order' notice was displayed here ages ago, so technically, no one should have been using it. Should we check the surveillance cameras instead?" the elevator technician asked. "It's a fact that she set Luna up! Why is there even a need to check the surveillance? Lock her up in the closet, and she's not allowed any food or water! I want her to pay for this a thousand times over!" … The memory of that fateful day flashed across my eyes until Trent's scream suddenly dragged me back to my senses. Trent came running out, his eyes wide with horror. "Mrs. Rummish… No, I mean Kelly… Kelly's dead! It's horrible! She died so horribly!"

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Luna looked startled when she heard this, and she quickly spun to look at Cody. Cody, however, merely sneered and asked, "How much money did she pay you to lie to me?""I'm not lying! Go and take a look if you don't believe me, sir! The corpse is already decomposing!""Get out!" Cody roared, his expression vicious. "Don't think I don't know she's playing some foolish trick! She just wants to lure me over and then beg me to let her go! She can keep dreaming!" Luna's nervous expression eased when she saw Cody's reaction. She then leaned her head on his shoulder and comforted him. "It has been a while now. Kelly's afraid of the dark, so she must be terrified. Why don't you let her off the hook? I'm sure she's realized her mistake by now.""Ha! She just bribed my secretary to lie to me, so she clearly hasn't realized her mistake yet! She's just provoking me! "Of course, I know she's afraid of the dark, otherwise, I wouldn't have chained the closet so tightly that not even a bit of light can seep through. I want her to know that just as I can give her the world, I can also take it all back!" Tears streamed down my face as I watched from the side. I was even finding it difficult to breathe. If I were still alive, I would probably feel an excruciating pain in my heart. I indeed had made a mistake. I made the mistake of believing in his promises too easily. I made the mistake of giving him my whole heart. I made the mistake of forgiving him again and again, and in the end, I lost my child. This was the man that I had loved for seven whole years. … Cody came from a wealthy family and was an excellent student. I, on the other hand, had studied relentlessly just so I could get out of my small village and further my studies in a big city. He fell in love with me at first sight and began to pursue me doggedly. I knew that the difference between us was too great, so I'd always refused him. The other female students at my university all felt disdain for me. They would constantly harass me just because Cody liked me. "Why's she pretending to be all innocent and reserved? I bet she's secretly thrilled!" "She's keeping that wealthy guy on the hook. How manipulative of her. We could never learn her scheming ways!" When I walked past them with my books in hand, they tripped me and then poured water all over me. I was instantly drenched. Right then, I felt a warmth on my shoulders. I turned around, and my eyes met Cody's loving gaze. His bodyguards gave those female students a beating. The surrounding students gasped when they saw this and then immediately fell silent. He put his arm around me, then declared to all those there who looked down on me, "Kelly is my woman. If anyone dares bully her, I'll make them pay a thousand times over! Those who don't believe me can try me!" Then, he gathered my shivering form into his arms and consoled me gently. "Don't worry, I'm here. Don't be scared." From then on, he would always wait for me at the campus gates before and after class. When his parents opposed our marriage, he firmly stood by my side, we fought back against them together. In that moment, it felt as if he would protect me even if the sky fell. Cody was my whole world. But he was right, too. He could give me the world, but he could also take it back and give it to another woman. After Luna had gotten out of the elevator, he had pushed me aside and dashed right over to her. He only had eyes for her. "She's pregnant with my child! If you dare bully her, I'll make you pay a thousand times over!" He had then reassured Luna and said, "Don't worry, I'm here." His tenderness that had once belonged to me was now a knife that pierced through me. My body was now littered with all the scars and wounds caused by him. … Even though Trent had been yelled at, he still gathered his courage to speak up. "There's a death in this house. You can't just ignore it, sir! Also, the other housekeepers saw it too. There's no reason for me to make up such an easily seen-through lie to trick you…" Cody was getting frustrated. He tugged on his tie and took a large gulp of water. "Wait for me here! I'll go see what trick that woman is trying to pull!" Luna grasped Cody's hand tightly and said longingly, "The baby just kicked. You have to come back, okay? The baby and I will be waiting for you." Cody planted a kiss on Luna's forehead and gave his sincere assurance. Watching them so madly in love, I couldn't help but laugh at myself mockingly. Was it a blessing or a punishment to have my soul trapped here? Cody quickly walked over to the bedroom. The stench grew stronger, and he instinctively covered his nose, feeling a little nauseated. A few of the housekeepers who had gone in all came back out screaming. Some of them had even gotten weak in the knees. Cody pushed the door open, and the foul stench hit him immediately, causing him to vomit. "You vile woman! How dare you pull such a trick on me!" he yelled as he kicked the closet door open. Cody assumed that the smell was my revenge against him. "You've achieved your goal. I'm here now! Hurry up and say whatever you want to say. You'd better be planning on apologizing to me, or I swear I won't let you out! "I'm talking to you! Are you deaf?" No sounds came from inside, and Cody's patience ran out. He glanced into the closet, preparing to yell at me some more, but what he saw made his pupils constrict. An arm that had swollen to a grotesque size flopped out from the closet, and there were even maggots writhing across the decayed flesh. It was a horrifying sight. Cody stumbled backward in disbelief. He shook his head as he mumbled in a trembling voice, "No… No, that's impossible…"

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

"You putrid woman! Are you done yet? "First, you bribe my secretary to lie to me, and now you put a dummy here to scare me! Do you really think I'd fall for your tricks?" Cody swallowed hard a few times before he could suppress the nausea creeping up his throat. He then slammed the closet door with a loud bang before walking off while holding the wall for support. "You're really getting more and more manipulative, Kelly! You'd better hope I don't find you, or I'll make sure you regret it!" When Trent saw Cody come back out with an ashen face, he hurriedly walked up to him to comfort him. "Don't be too upset, sir. I know you didn't mean for this to happen. No one wanted anything like this to happen to Mrs. Rummish." "Enough! What did that bitch give you for you to still be helping her? I went and saw the truth with my own eyes! Just how long are you and that bitch going to keep this act up?" Trent looked completely baffled. He didn't understand what Cody was talking about. "But… You've already seen it yourself, so why do you still think that I'm lying to you? Mrs. Rummish really is—" Cody's level of frustration was through the roof. He tugged at his collar and took deep breaths. Then, before Trent could say the word 'dead', he spun around and grabbed him by the collar. "I'm warning you, if you say that she's dead again, I'll bury you alongside her! Listen closely! She can't be dead! She wouldn't dare to die without my permission!" he yelled angrily, his eyes bulging with fury. Yet, I could somehow feel the unease and fear rippling beneath his angry exterior. What? Was he afraid that I was actually dead? No, that couldn't be. I immediately put a stop to that ridiculous thought. I must've been deluded to think that my death could possibly scare him. He was the one who stuffed me into the closet, after all. Even when he saw my decomposed arm, he still couldn't be bothered to take a proper look at the entire corpse. Instead, he just insisted that I was tricking him. In his eyes, I was nothing more than a hypocritical, selfish, and manipulative woman. Trent didn't dare to bring me up again. He merely asked in a trembling voice, "Then… What do you think should be done, sir?" He even fished his phone out to let Cody check through it. "I haven't been in contact with Mrs. Rummish, I mean Kelly, at all. You can check, sir. I was too scared, so I didn't look properly. I apologize for thinking she was dead." Cody felt a little better after hearing this. I stared at him coldly. What was the point of his lying to himself? Was it really that hard for him to admit that I was dead? What exactly was he scared of? Cody shoved his hands into his pockets, and then, after gradually calming down, said, "Kelly tried to scare me with a fake body, so I'm sure she's already long gone by now. I knew she wouldn't stay put in the closet obediently! "Pull out all the surveillance footage! Find out where that sly woman ran off to! Do you hear me?" Trent didn't dare look at him. He just quickly nodded and then dashed out of there. Luna was lounging on the couch and applying lotion to herself when she saw Cody walk in with a grim expression. She could tell Cody's mood was off. She quickly walked up to him and took his hand while her other hand caressed his face gently. "What's wrong, darling? Is Kelly still refusing to apologize?" Cody didn't answer, and his expression remained stony. Luna hurriedly made him a cup of coffee and had him sit down. Then she hugged him from behind as she gently comforted him. "Don't be angry. Let her be, even if she still doesn't admit her mistakes. It's been a few days. It'll be a little unreasonable if she remains locked up…""That vile woman ran off ages ago!" hissed Cody as he smashed his mug onto the ground. Yuna was so startled that she shrank into him. "Darling, you're scaring our baby…" she said, her voice trembling. Cody, who had been livid a second ago, instantly calmed down, and his expression softened. He carefully caressed Luna's belly and, in a low voice so as not to scare the baby, said, "I'm sorry, baby." He then turned to look at Luna. "Kelly didn't stay in the closet at all. She bribed Trent and the housekeepers and ran off a long time ago. Who knows where she's off enjoying herself right now. When I catch her, I'll make her beg for your mercy!" I laughed bitterly. Just where was he going to find me? I was right in front of him, but not only were his eyes blind, his heart was too. He was never going to see me again in this lifetime. Cody noticed the flirty look Luna was giving him. She then pulled her skirt to the side, wanting to seduce him. However, he merely gently pushed her to the side and went to put on his coat. "I don't trust them. I'm going to go find Kelly myself!" He then quietly reminded Yuna, "You must keep our child safe. Once he's born, my mission will be complete too." With that, he walked out the door. When Luna heard those words, her originally bright smile instantly darkened.