Chapter 1

I had been hiding from Ethan for three years. Finally, he found me in a suburban funeral home morgue.

When he and Chloe showed up, I had just finished prepping today’s last body.

Seeing them again, I didn't feel as terrified as before.

Mainly because I had almost saved up enough money for my assisted suicide in Switzerland.

He saw my clumsy movements and my limp. For once, he didn't immediately scream at me.

"Looks like you've had a miserable three years. But then again, a piece of trash like you doesn't deserve a good life."

Hearing his bitter sarcasm, I only smiled quietly and said nothing.

But my smile only enraged Ethan further.

"Serena! Don't think acting innocent will wash away your sins!

I was fooled by your smile back then, and that's how you got the chance to kill my mother!"

As expected. Three years, and he still hadn't let it go.

Chloe saw the tension and quickly stepped in to play peacemaker.

"Ethan, don't blame her. You know your mother's death is Ethan's eternal pain."

Then, as if remembering something, she pulled a gold-embossed invitation from her bag and handed it to me.

"By the way! Ethan and I are getting married at the end of this month. We’d love for you to come."

Looking at the invitation, I smiled and shook my head.

"No, thank you. I'm leaving the country soon."

Hearing that I was leaving the country, Ethan's face darkened instantly.

He strode forward and grabbed my wrist.

"Leaving? You think you can just run away after killing someone?"

He squeezed so hard my bones ached.

Because of my ALS, my muscles were already stiff. When he jerked me, I stumbled forward uncontrollably.

I tried to steady myself, but my leg nerves were too slow to respond.

To him, it looked like I was resisting.

"Stop playing weak!"

Disgusted, Ethan dragged me straight out of the funeral home.

I wanted to explain that my legs didn't work properly, but my throat tightened. My tongue felt knotted, and I could only make muffled, slurred noises.

I was shoved into the back seat of his car.

Chloe sat in the passenger seat. She glanced at me through the rearview mirror, her eyes unreadable.

The car sped all the way back to that familiar villa on the hill.

"Get out," Ethan ordered coldly.

I struggled to move my legs. My movements were awkward and agonizingly slow.

Losing his patience, Ethan grabbed me by the collar and dragged me into the mansion like a dead dog.

"Go clean my mother's old room."

He pointed to the second floor.

"That is where you will pay for your sins."

Clutching the banister, I dragged myself up step by step.

My hands had no strength. Every step took everything I had.

The room was spotless. Clearly, someone cleaned it every day.

He just wanted to humiliate me.

I picked up a cloth, my hands trembling as I wiped the table.

Chloe walked in, holding a glass of red wine.

"You must be exhausted. You shouldn't be doing this kind of dirty work."

She pretended to help me but deliberately bumped into my side.

I lost my balance. The cloth flew out of my hand, knocking a picture frame off the table.

With a loud crash, the glass shattered all over the floor.

It was the only photo of Ethan’s late mother.

Hearing the noise, Ethan rushed upstairs.

Seeing the mess on the floor, fury flared in his eyes.

"Serena!"

He lunged at me, pinning me against the wall by my throat.

Suffocation hit me instantly.

Looking into his bloodshot eyes, I knew he really wanted to kill me.

"You couldn't even leave her photo alone? What is your heart made of?"

I wanted to explain that Chloe bumped into me.

But I couldn't see Chloe. She had already hidden behind Ethan, looking terrified.

"Ethan, don't blame her. It was probably an accident. Even though she always hated your mother for opposing your relationship back then..."

Chloe's words were fuel to the fire.

Ethan's grip tightened.

Just as my face was turning purple, he let go.

I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.

"Killing you would be too easy," he said, looking down at me like I was garbage.

"Kneel on the glass. Apologize to my mother."

I looked up at him, trying to find a trace of our past love.

But there was only endless hatred.

I bit my lip and slowly dragged my knees forward.

Sharp pain pierced my pants, stabbing deep into my flesh.

Blood quickly soaked through my clothes.

I didn't make a sound. I knew begging would only satisfy him more.

Arthur, the butler, sneaked in later to hand me a glass of water.

"Miss Serena, please have some water."

I was about to thank him when Ethan roared.

"Who let you in?"

Arthur's hand shook, and the glass shattered on the floor.

"Arthur, you're fired. We don't need servants who pity murderers in this house."

Arthur was fired because of me. The guilt crushed me.

Chloe walked over, her voice dripping with pity.

"That must hurt so much, Serena."

She knelt down, lowering her voice.

"Ethan still hasn't recovered from the pain of his mother dying under his lover's scalpel. Please understand."

Before I could react, she grabbed me and dragged me toward the walk-in freezer at the back of the kitchen.

She threw me inside and locked the door from the outside.

"If you want to repent, you need to show the right attitude, don't you?"

I was weaker than a child now. I couldn't fight back at all.

The freezing air wrapped around me instantly.

For an ALS patient, extreme cold is a deadly catalyst.

My hands and feet began to lose sensation. The stiffness quickly spread to my torso.

My consciousness started to slip.

Just when I thought I would freeze to death, the door cracked open.

It was Arthur. Before leaving for good, he had risked everything to come back and leave the door slightly ajar, giving me a lifeline.

I crawled out of the freezer, burning with a high fever.