Chapter 4
Over the next few days, Caleb blew up my phone with calls and texts.
He thought I was still throwing a tantrum. At first, he tore into me for not appreciating everything he’d done.
[You’re such a spoiled princess. I made you live on your own for TWO YEARS and you throw a fit? Try to kill yourself? Trash the house?]
[Sophia, do you think the whole damn world revolves around you?]
[You think these five years were easy for ME? I suffered every single day waiting for you to come back!]
[You didn’t just let ME down–you let Mom and Dad down too!]
When I didn’t respond, he switched tactics. Tried sweet–talking me into coming home.
[It’s been long enough. Can’t you see reason? Sophia, we’re FAMILY. Blood. I’ll send Liv abroad if you come back. Deal?]
[Stop being stubborn. I’ll apologize, okay? I’m sorry. Let’s just move on.]
But no matter what he said, every message disappeared into the void.
Finally, he lost it.
[So you won’t budge either way? I spoiled you way too much.]
[I felt guilty. Wanted to make things right. Guess that was stupid of me.]
[Sophia, starting today, I’m DONE with you. Let me show you what real punishment looks like!]
[Without me, you’re NOTHING!]
Turns out, he was right.
The second he cut me off, everything got worse.
Olivia threw money around, and more people joined the harassment campaign.
My new phone number leaked.
The moment I turned it on, vile messages flooded in.
Every morning, dead rats appeared at my door. Too many to clean up.
Across the wall, someone spray–painted a giant “DIE” in blood–red paint. Impossible to miss.
—~? The Comady Chow from My Ghost Perch Is Savage!
12.8%
Chapter 4
A woman’s sobbing echoed through my apartment at night, coming from every direction at once.
Anonymous packages showed up filled with rotting animals or creepy dolls.
Even my neighbors started banging on my door, begging me to leave.
And Caleb? He had no idea.
He took Olivia on another overseas trip, occasionally sending me messages.
[Why’d you turn off the camera?]
[Running out of money yet? Still not coming home?]
[The mansion code’s the same. You can move back in. I’ll smooth things over with Liv. Just apologize.]
[Fine. I know you’re stubborn. Let’s see how long you can keep this up!]
But none of it mattered anymore–not the harassment, not his messages.
Because I’d already decided to end this nightmare for good.
I turned off the camera, but still didn’t feel safe.
So I went into the bathroom and locked the door tight.
The blade sliced across my wrist. This time I knew what I was doing. Fast. Deep.
Blood trickled down as memories of Caleb flickered through my mind like a movie reel.
When I was just a year old, my first word wasn’t “mama” or “dada.”
It was “Caleb.”
His eyes lit up while our parents watched in awe. He grabbed my tiny outstretched finger.
From that moment on, he spoiled me rotten.
In school, I refused to do homework. Didn’t listen to anyone. Teachers constantly called home.
Mom would lose it and try to hit me. Caleb always stepped in front.
“Mom, leave her to me. I’ll tutor Sophia.”
I wouldn’t listen to teachers or tutors–only him.
After just six months of his tutoring, my grades skyrocketed.
The day I got into the best high school, he ruffled my hair with pride.
Camadu Choy from My Chost Derch Is Savage!
13.1
Chapter 4
“Sophia, you’re amazing. What do you want as a reward?”
In middle school, some kids bullied me. I fought back and broke my arm.
When he found out, his face went dark. He scolded me for fighting.
But the next morning, he showed up at my school gates with a baseball bat.
“Who the hell touched my sister?! Get out here!”
Strange.
I thought I’d remember the five years of suffering. The breakdowns. The despair.
But as consciousness slipped away, all I could think about was how good he’d been to me.
I let out a bitter, helpless laugh.
Then I picked up my phone.
With blood–stained fingers, I dialed Caleb’s number.
It was the middle of the night in Miami, but he answered almost immediately.
His voice came through, stubborn as ever.
“Finally ready to apologize? Figured out you were wrong?”
Hearing his raspy voice, I forced words out through my throat, weak and fading.
“I’m giving you my life. Can the punishment end now?”
“What do you mean-”
Panic crept into his voice.
But whatever he said next, I couldn’t hear it anymore.
The phone slipped from my hand and hit the floor with a dull thud.
I closed my eyes slowly.
Caleb… this time, you won’t get the chance to save me.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
