BOOK 1
Chapter 1
My husband's childhood sweetheart was stuck in the elevator for half an hour, and in a fit of rage, he stuffed me into a suitcase and locked it tight.
"Bear the pain that you've caused Ann twice over."
I was curled up, having difficulty breathing, crying, and apologizing, but what met me was the cold blame from my husband.
"Stay here. Only when you've learned your lesson can you behave."
He locked the suitcase with me inside in the wardrobe.
Despairing, I screamed and struggled. Blood seeped from the case, staining the floor wet.
Five days later, his heart softened momentarily and decided to end the punishment.
"As a deterrent, I'll let you off this time."
But he didn't know that my body had already decayed beyond recognition.
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My husband's childhood sweetheart was stuck in the elevator for half an hour, and in a fit of rage, he stuffed me into a suitcase and locked it tight.
"Bear the pain that you've caused Ann twice over."
I was curled up, having difficulty breathing, crying, and apologizing, but what met me was the cold blame from my husband.
"Stay here. Only when you've learned your lesson can you behave."
He locked the suitcase with me inside in the wardrobe.
Despairing, I screamed and struggled. Blood seeped from the case, staining the floor wet.
Five days later, his heart softened momentarily and decided to end the punishment.
"As a deterrent, I'll let you off this time."
But he didn't know that my body had already decayed beyond recognition.
…
"Hasn't that jealous woman caused any trouble these days? Has she learned her lesson? Does she understand the rules now?"
"She has to be punished somewhat to understand things."
His assistant suddenly froze in response.
"Mr. Bennett… She has not been let out yet."
There was a slight tremor in Adrian Bennett's gaze, which he quickly suppressed.
"Reflecting for a couple of days more wouldn't hurt."
His assistant, who had been wanting to speak several times but stopping short each time, finally managed to speak out, hesitantly.
"Mr. Bennett, her confinement room is giving off a foul smell. Should you go have a look?"
Adrian's voice quickly cooled down.
"Stink? That's normal. A woman like her would do anything to survive. To maintain physical functions, she must've started consuming her own feces and urine. How can it not smell terrible?"
The assistant wanted to say something more but was interrupted by Adrian.
He furrowed his eyebrows, looking thoroughly disgusted.
"Alright, that's enough. I'll let her out tomorrow. After a few days, she should've learned to behave. Once she comes out and apologizes to Ann properly, I'll consider this matter finished."
No sooner had his voice faded, Ann Campbell came in barefoot.
Adrian's eyes instantly softened.
"Ann, are you still having nightmares? Don't worry, I've severely punished Grace Mask, I'll make her compensate for your suffering a thousand times over."
He picked up Ann, his fingers softly touching her hair.
"Adrian, you are the best to me."
Ann nestled her head in his arms, her tone coquettish.
"Grace must've realized her mistake too. I just want an apology from her, I didn't mean for her to be punished. Grace wouldn't blame me, right?"
Watching their sweet, loving interaction, I couldn't help but laugh out loud, but it did not disturb anything for me.
I was already dead.
At the very last moment of suffocating despair, I drifted out of the small and terrifying suitcase.
From the third perspective, the surface of the suitcase had already been soaked in blood.
The wardrobe hiding the suitcase even had a large lock on it, as if it wanted to trap the person inside forever, never allowing them to escape.
Now a spirit, I was scared enough by the suffocating scene to close my eyes.
On the other hand, Adrian was gently comforting Ann.
"Did you have a nightmare again? Don't be afraid, I'll always be by your side."
He lightly grazed Ann's face.
"I'm sorry for letting you suffer, Ann."
"You know what? She had resorted to eating her excrement to survive, so precious her life was to her, yet she dared to hurt you. I will make her pay!"
I stood there stunned, unable to even shed a tear.
Adrian was right in saying that I desperately wanted to live.
The suitcase was small and in order to fit me in, Adrian forcibly broke my hand.
Enduring the intense pain in hopes of escaping and realizing its futility, I then tried hard to conserve energy, wanting to bide as much time as possible.
But he forgot, before I was stuffed in, I was already pregnant.
The long time in convoluted positions pressed on my belly, causing intolerable stabbing pain. I lost control of my emotions, but was unable to resist.
In the last moment of life, I unleashed a fierce will to survive.
I howled and struggled, desperately clawing at the zipper with my toenails, trying to grasp at a thread of survival.
But all I got was his ruthless judgment:
"You're so frightened now, wasn't Ann even more helpless then? Stay here and feel the pain properly, perhaps then you'll learn."
Helplessly, I accepted the blame for crimes that weren't mine, praying he would spare me. Even when a pool of blood flowed from my lower belly, I completely ran out of strength.
In a stupor, all I heard him say was:
"She's too noisy, still doesn't know the rules. Lock her up and let her repent in quiet."
I tried to plead silently, but couldn't do anything. I could only let the padlock fall.
Until, the last glimmer of light went out.
"Let Grace out. Have her clean up before coming over to apologize. She shouldn't dirty Ann's eyes with her filthy smell."
Adrian's tone cold, his assistant responded uncomfortably.
Ann's eyes were bright, as she stayed close to Adrian.
"Adrian, when Grace comes out, you have to comfort her well. Don't let her be angry. After all, you two are husband and wife. The fight shouldn't be so ugly."
A hint of impatience flashed in Adrian's eyes, but he gently massaged Ann's fingertips.
"Does she dare? Because of her mistake, you were stuck in the elevator shaft for a whole half-hour. I can't even begin to imagine how afraid and helpless you felt then. Ann, it's because you're always so thoughtful that it emboldens Grace."
Adrian repressed the anger in his tone, like he was afraid to scare Ann.
But when those words reached my ears, they were all tinged with irony and mockery.
A week ago, when Adrian was in a meeting, Ann came to provoke me.
"So what if you are pregnant? Adrian won't like this child. He would be as loathsome as you."
I couldn't be bothered to argue with her, all I said was a cold "scram".
Yet I did not expect she would bump into a elevator malfunction on her way down, and get trapped in the elevator shaft.
While trapped, she sent a long message to Adrian saying goodbye, implying there was a chance she might not make it, her farewell to him.
"I know Grace doesn't like me, but I hope that when I'm gone, she'll take my place, taking good care of you."
"Adrian, let's meet in next life."