I died, but the voice on my phone kept going.
Caleb’s panic was escalating. Sounded like he’d bolted upright in bed.
“Sophia, what the FUCK do you mean?!”
“I said I’d forgive you if you apologized! Don’t play these stupid death games with me!”
“SAY SOMETHING… what are you doing?!”
Gradually, his voice started shaking.
C2
“Is this some sick prank? Even if you don’t wanna apologize, you don’t have to scare me with this shit!”
“If you don’t answer, I’m hanging up!”
He said that. But he didn’t hang up.
Instead, his voice got more frantic.
“Why the hell did you turn off the camera?! Turn it back ON!”
“Sophia, I’m telling you for the LAST TIME-”
“Caleb, who’s calling?”
Olivia cut him off.
Like he’d grabbed a lifeline, he rushed out:
“Liv, Sophia just called and said something about giving me her life, then went silent.”
“You think she might’ve-”
“Caleb, you’re overthinking it!”
Olivia laughed. “She just doesn’t wanna apologize. This is all an act. She’s still throwing a tantrum.”
But Caleb wasn’t buying it.
Something–maybe blood connection, maybe instinct–made him spiral harder.
“No. Something’s wrong. My chest… it hurts. Last time I felt like this was the day Sophia tried to kill herself…”
Olivia went quiet for a second. Then forced calm into her voice.
C-~-1 Tha Comady Show from My Ghost Perch Is Savage!
13.5%
Chapter 5
“Caleb, you’re being paranoid. Remember when she trashed the house?”
“Sophia just can’t STAND seeing you treat me well. She’s doing this to make you worry!”
The call went dead.
Caleb hung up.
I let out a bitter, mocking laugh..
Thought he’d believed Olivia’s bullshit. But the next day, he showed up at my door.
He’d come back so suddenly that he saw everything–the dead rats I hadn’t cleaned up yet, the giant blood–red “DIE” spray–painted on the wall.
Even Caleb flinched.
His face darkened as he turned to Olivia. “What the hell is this? You said this shit wouldn’t happen anymore!”
Olivia stiffened. “Last time you said you wanted to teach Sophia a lesson, so I thought-”
“I was PISSED OFF when I said that!”
Caleb’s voice went ice–cold.
“Lin Ziwei, you’re smart enough. How can you not tell the difference between what I mean and what I say when I’m angry?!”
“I said that to scare Sophia into coming home! Who told you to keep terrorizing her?!”
Olivia had never been on the receiving end of his anger like this.
Her face went pale. She curled her fingers into fists, then finally whispered:
“Caleb… I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”
a
She backed down immediately. Caleb couldn’t keep tearing into her.
He looked away, irritated, and pulled out his keys. Unlocked my apartment door.
Inside was quiet. One bedroom, one living room–you could see everything from the entrance.
He glanced at the camera first, then slowly frowned.
“She’s not here?”
“See? I TOLD you she was faking it. You didn’t believe me.”
Olivia pouted, all wounded and sulky. “We flew back from Miami in the middle of the night, and now the trip to the estate you promised me is canceled…”
- 1. Causual
13.7%
Chapter 5
Caleb sighed. Disappointment crept into his eyes.
“Maybe I really did overthink it. Sophia was just messing with me.”
He turned to leave.
But before he’d taken more than a few steps, he froze in front of the bathroom door.
The door was shut tight. His brow furrowed. He reached out and pushed.
Locked from the inside. Wouldn’t budge.
Then he saw it.
A thin line of deep, eerie red seeping slowly through the crack under the door…
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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.
