I'm attacked after the murderer who took my sister's life is released from prison. He pins me to the forest floor, allowing me to scream and shout until I run out of strength. As the fireworks explode above me, blood pools around me.

Two months later, my husband becomes his next victim. I burst into manic laughter when I see the torment he has to suffer.

"It's speculated that a serial killer is responsible for several murders happening recently in and around our city's Newport Street. Victims were mostly females aged between 18 to 28.

"The crimes were committed during rainy nights. The public is advised to avoid going out at night…"

The window was suddenly flung open as it started pouring outside. Strong gusts of wind flapped the curtains as drops of rainwater sprayed into the room.

When I had just closed the window after much difficulty, the news broadcast showing on the TV came to an abrupt halt.

It went completely dark around me as there seemed to be a power outage.

The phone in my pocket vibrated just then. The high-pitched ringtone stood out against the quiet surroundings.

It happened to be a call from a lady, who used to work for our family, that I had not gotten in touch with for a long time. A voice tinged with worry came down the line.

"Liv, why didn't you pick up the phone? Have you seen the news? There has been so much news about that serial killer recently. The latest murder happened right on the street where you're staying!"

The room was briefly illuminated as there was a flash of lightning outside.

I thought my heart was about to jump out of my chest. I replied in a subdued voice, "I saw the news. I've stayed in for the past few days."

The lady lowered her voice and said cautiously, "Also, the main reason I'm calling you this time is because…"

She paused for two seconds before continuing hesitantly, "Nathan Eastwood was released from prison recently. You need to be careful."

She ended the call in a hurry after saying that. Meanwhile, I was left all by myself as the shock sank in.

"Nathan Eastwood… Has it been seven years already?" I thought.

Amid the pitter-patter of the rain, I managed to pick up the sound of hurried, approaching footsteps coming from outside the door. Those footsteps probably belonged to a man judging by how heavy they sounded.

I had a sense of foreboding…

The sound of someone pounding at the door came the next instant. It felt like the person was trying to tear down the door forcibly with how hard they were going at it.

I instinctively pressed the number 911 on my phone. However, it was too late. I did not manage to press the dial button.

The person broke in through the door and pounced at me the moment he laid his eyes on me.

"Olivia Cohen, did you think you could hide from me by staying here?"

He yanked my hair and dragged me toward him.

"You dare think of divorcing me? Do you have a death wish?"

I was glad the person who broke in was not the serial killer. At the same time, I was horrified by the fact that Arthur Langley, my ex-husband, who put me through years of physical abuse, had managed to find me.

Arthur hurled me toward one of the sharp edges of the coffee table. The pain was so intense that I even forgot to scream.

Then, he threw a few punches at my stomach. I curled up on the floor, crying in pain.

Arthur seized my wrist and said in a demanding tone, "Come home with me. I'm giving you one last warning. Don't even think about running away."

Even though I turned my head and glared at Arthur, my body was shaking uncontrollably due to fear.

Previously, Arthur's violent behavior only became worse each time I decided to give in and tolerate him. I refused to live that hellish life again.

I spat in his face and chuckled bitterly.

"As I've said, we're divorced. I won't follow you home. The only way you can make me do that is by beating me to death and bringing my corpse home with you."

The veins on Arthur's forehead bulged. His eyes blazed with fury.

"Did you think I wouldn't kill you?"

Arthur's chest heaved. He grabbed a nearby vase made of glass and raised it above his head…

I squeezed my eyes shut. However, the heavy blow I was expecting did not happen even after some time had passed.

Another person's voice came from outside the door.

"What's this? Are you trying to kill her?" A man's deep voice reverberated through the room.

I lifted my head and looked in the direction of the voice. Someone was standing at the door.

A flash of lightning outside shone some light into the room. The light fell on the stranger's face as well.

His eyes were hidden behind his long fringe. The man had a straight nose and chiseled jaw. A long scar ran down his right cheek.

The man seemed like someone one should never pick a fight with.

Arthur appeared to have noticed that too. He did not swing the vase at me. Instead, an awkward smile was plastered across his face.

"Sorry for being a nuisance, dude. I'm trying to teach my woman a lesson here. I'll be done with it very soon."

Arthur pulled me up to my feet. Yet, he did not loosen the grip over my wrist.

"Let's go. We're going home."

I had no choice but to seek help from the stranger, who was my last hope to escape Arthur.

"No! Please help me! I'm not going with him!" I shook my head violently and cried for help.

"He and I are divorced now. He hit me when we were still married. He'll beat me to death if I go with him now!"

The man seemed relaxed as he took out a cigarette and held it next to his mouth. "Oh? Is what she's saying true?"

Gray smoke curled up from his cigarette. There was an unreadable look in his eyes.

Arthur wished he could just slap his hand over my mouth. "You shouldn't listen to this woman. You can head back home now. This is between us."

Tears brimmed over and blurred my vision as I panicked.

Meanwhile, the stranger grinned and put out the cigarette by pressing the lighted end with his two fingers.

He turned his eyes to me.

"What kind of benefits can you offer me if I help you?"

Both Arthur and I were momentarily stunned.

While we were still in a daze, the man took a few big strides and threw a punch at Arthur's temple.

"What the——!" Arthur cursed aloud when he realized he had been struck. Like a rabid dog, he lunged at the man and tried to hit him.

Unfortunately, he was no match for the stranger. Arthur was soon hurled onto the floor again after taking a few hits.

He kept saying how he would not let me off for what happened here as he scurried out of the room.

With one danger removed, another danger was approaching.

The stranger and I were the only ones left in the deserted room. The man showed no signs of leaving.

I adjusted my breathing and tried to remain calm.

"Thank you. However, what did you mean just now by the benefits I could offer you?"

He looked me right in the eye. Those dark orbs partially concealed behind his hair seemed lifeless.

"What did you think I meant by that?"

There was a brief, unsettling silence as none of us spoke. Suddenly, the man burst into laughter.

"It's nothing. A 'thank you' is more than enough."

Then, the man pointed toward the door.

"You don't have power in your place because that fool cut off the wires for the electricity supply. He was probably trying to lure you out of the house.

"However, he happened to have cut off the wires for my electricity supply too. I came out to check what happened and saw that he was hitting you."

The man extended his hand toward me and said flatly, "By the way, I should ask for your name. I just moved here recently."

I shook his hand. "Hello, I'm Olivia Cohen."

The stranger's eyes lit up at that moment.

His eyes widened, and his voice shook a little.

"What did you say your name was?"

"It's Olivia Cohen," I repeated.

The smile on his face vanished. There seemed to be a hint of curiosity in his eyes as the stranger looked at me.

I quickly brought up a question myself to lessen the awkwardness between us.

"What about you? What's your name?"

The stranger seemed a little hesitant. After a while, he let out a soft sigh. "You'll find out very soon."

It was already late at night by the time the wires and my door were fixed.

I was both mentally and physically drained. My mind was a mess as I lay in bed.

I wondered if I should move somewhere else and if there were any good hiding places.

I spent half a year before succeeding in divorcing Arthur. Since then, he had been following and harassing me like an annoying leech.

I had reported Arthur to the authorities and gotten him taken into police custody for some time. Yet, Arthur only acted more brazenly after he was released. It was a nightmare.

As I closed my eyes, my phone vibrated. I reflexively sat up in bed. My heart dropped.

There was a sinister feeling as I stared at the phone, which seemed to vibrate ceaselessly.

After having repeatedly steeled myself, I slowly picked up the phone.

Although an unknown number was shown, I knew that it could only belong to a certain man. It was Arthur.

He always managed to get my latest contact details even after I had blocked his number and changed to a new number.

He sounded kind in his first few messages.

"Liv, I was wrong. Please come home with me. I can't live without you."

"The recent news about the serial killer has been making everyone feel scared and worried. I can't possibly feel at ease knowing that you're on your own out there."

"I promise that I won't do those things again if you agree to come home with me."

Yet, Arthur seemed to lose his patience as he sent more and more messages. Eventually, he did not even bother putting on an act.

"You slut, why haven't you replied to my messages?"

"Do you think someone else other than me will be willing to accept you?"

"Do you want to have a look at how slutty you are?"

After that final message, Arthur sent several photos and video screenshots. They were all photos of me.

The video screenshots were all perfectly timed to nearly show my private parts.

My hands were shaking, and my heartbeat quickened. Finally, I mustered the courage to start typing.

Yet, before I could send my reply, a new message popped up on my phone screen.

"Don't even think about calling the cops. I will make sure to upload these full, uncensored videos of you and show everyone how indecent you are before the cops manage to arrest me."

"I'll only be sentenced to a few years in prison. What about you? Your life will be completely ruined."

"I will also continue to torment you and make your life a living hell once I'm released from prison."

For a moment, I felt like I was falling into a bottomless pit. It was as though countless monstrous hands were trying to drag me down to hell.

Those videos were all taken without my knowledge. Some of the videos were even recorded after Arthur had drugged and coerced me…

"Should I call the police? How do I face others if those disgusting videos get out? That man's going to harass me even after he gets out of prison," I pondered.

Arthur's final message appeared on the screen.

"This is my final warning. I want to meet you on New Year's Eve."

I could not think of any better ways. It seemed the only plausible solution left was…

One of us must die.

…

It was mostly warm in Jerlanto since we were in a subtropical zone. Strangely, we were getting sleet showers on New Year's Eve.

The news of the serial killer was still making headlines. However, the people relaxed slightly despite the tense atmosphere in our city.

At 8:00 pm, people started lighting fireworks. I left my place at 10:00 pm.

Most people were celebrating the occasion with their family and friends during that hour. Yet, I had no one to meet or come home to.

I was left all alone in this world since I no longer had any family members around.

The icy wind cut right through my coat.

I pulled the collar tighter around my neck and clenched the handle of the dagger, hidden in my coat's pocket, firmly.