Late into the night, the doorbell rang, jolting me out of sleep. On the video screen was April, her face bruised and her voice raw from crying.

"Winona, please help me. Kyro hit me again."

I was about to open the door when a series of messages appeared before me.

[Don't let her in, or you'll be caught up in their mess!]

Suddenly, a chill swept over me, chasing away any lingering drowsiness.

[Her husband resents you for taking her in each time and plans to marry you off to his vile brother. April agreed to this to appease him!]

[If you open the door, they'll force their way in, attack you, and drag you to a remote village!]

[You'll end up like those women in old folktales, trapped and isolated, with no hope for rescue, forced to bear children!]

Warnings flashed before my eyes, making me pull my hand back from the doorknob.

April and Kyro had been together for three years, and within our group, Kyro was seen as the ideal boyfriend. But just a week into their marriage, April showed up, tearful, confessing that Kyro had hit her.

Only then did I learn that Kyro's kind and attentive behavior during their relationship was just a façade; underneath, he was volatile. Any disagreement from April led to a beating. Every time, she would escape to my place in tears, and within three days, Kyro would come, apologizing and take her back.

I begged April to leave him, warning her that the abuse would only continue. But she clung to their three-year history, and Kyro's repeated apologies always softened her resolve.

Could it be that my advice sparked Kyro's resentment against me? Yet, looking at April's sorrowful face on the screen, I hesitated.

Should I really abandon my friend of ten years because of these uncanny messages?

As I deliberated, my phone rang. I quickly silenced it and stepped into the back room to answer.

"Winona, you must have been deep asleep; why didn’t you answer when I knocked?"

"I’ve been hit again, and I have nowhere to go. Please let me in; it’s so cold outside."

[Don’t open the door—she’s deceiving you!]

Better safe than sorry...

I decided to feign a trip out of town to test April's response.

"I'm not home right now; I'm in San Francisco for work."

"Why don't you find a hotel for the night? I can wire you some money if you need it."

April clearly wasn't buying it. "A trip? You always tell me when you're traveling and ask if I want something brought back. Why didn't you this time?"

"It was a last-minute thing; my boss called me at five this evening. I had no time."

"Is there anything you want me to bring back?"

"Never mind, it’s okay."

April hung up, obviously displeased.

I quickly checked the surveillance footage from the new camera outside my door; April wasn't aware of it. If those messages were true, I should see her husband and brother-in-law.

Sure enough, after hanging up, April moved toward the emergency stairs and called out:

"Come out, she’s not home."

Kyro and his brother Everett appeared, cursing.

"What are the odds? Just as we're set, she takes off?"

Kyro eyed April suspiciously and slapped her head: "Did you tip her off? Pretend to agree with my plan while secretly helping her?"

April's face showed a mix of dread and compliance: "No, I didn't tell her."

Everett spat angrily: "I swear I heard something inside when sis-in-law was on the phone."

Kyro contemplated briefly: "Maybe she's onto us and trying to trick us."

I watched as April's expression shifted, and she offered eagerly: "I can track her location!"

I suddenly remembered that April and I had always been linked through the "Find My iPhone" feature. Originally intended as a safeguard against losing our phones, it had now become a weapon against me. Turning off the location service now would only raise suspicion.

As expected, April sent a screenshot of my location, confronting me: "You're clearly at home, why won't you admit it? Don't you want to help me anymore? We've been best friends for ten years..."

I quickly crafted a lie and replied: "My phone died just as I was leaving, so I switched to a backup. This phone is just sitting at home."

On the surveillance feed, I saw Kyro's eyes lock onto my keypad. "Let's go in then. If she's lying, we'll handle it right away. If she really is out, we'll just wait for her inside. It’ll be like setting a trap."

A wave of dread swept over me. April didn't know my password, but she could probably guess it, given how well she knew me.

If the wrong password is entered three times, the lock won't accept more attempts for thirty minutes. But if she guesses it within three tries...

I didn't have time to overanalyze. I frantically called the police: "There are suspicious people at my door trying to unlock it. I suspect they want to kidnap me!"

At the same time, I heard the sound of the keypad beeping. I hid inside the closet, my heart pounding in my chest. Finally, I heard the electronic lock announce, "Three consecutive incorrect attempts. Please try again in thirty minutes."

I collapsed inside the closet, trembling uncontrollably.

On the surveillance, I saw the three of them react to the sound of approaching sirens. Kyro and Everett quickly disappeared from view.

Two officers, Johan and his partner, arrived and noticed April, her face bruised and battered. Their expressions changed from caution to concern. "What happened? Have you been assaulted?"

April quickly dismissed it. "No, it's nothing. Just a mishap during a corporate retreat."

"Do you live here? Were you the one who called?" Johan asked.

"Ah, yes, I called," April replied.

Johan frowned, "You mentioned suspicious people at your door. Are you sure these injuries weren't from an attack?"

April shook her head. "I heard noises outside, so I called. But when I opened the door, it was just a couple of stray dogs. I scared them off."

I wanted to burst out of the closet and scream for help, but cautionary thoughts held me back. "Don't! Kyro and Everett have drugs and knives. If you open the door, they'll use extreme measures, overpower the police, and take you away. They've already disabled the building's security cameras. If they take you, no one will know where you went."

Just then, a neighbor, hearing the commotion, opened their door.

April quickly said, "Ma'am, you've seen me before, right? I live here, don't I?"

The neighbor nodded. "Yes, I often see you with the girl next door."

April quickly added, "That's my best friend. We live together. She's on a business trip today."

Johan nodded and said to April, "Since everything seems fine, you should head back inside and make sure to lock the door when you're alone."

April nodded eagerly. "I was just about to go downstairs to grab a late-night snack. I'll head down with you."

Feigning composure, April joined the officers in the elevator.