The Neighbor in the Basement Caught My Attention

My dad gave the basement for free to a lady with a mentally disabled son.

Feeling sorry for them, I often brought them food.

Unexpectedly, one day, the lady said to me, "Girl, you're so kind. Why don't you give yourself to my son too?"

I thought she was joking, but she really had her husband, who had just been released from prison, kill my parents.

Since then, they had taken over my home, and I had been permanently imprisoned.

On the day I was beaten to death, I found myself reborn on the day I first met them.

This lifetime, I would kill them.

——

"Honey, where's the key to the basement downstairs? It's just sitting there; let the poor mother and son live there."

Lying on my bed, I heard my dad's familiar voice. I knew I had returned to the beginning of the nightmare.

In my previous life, my dad saw them begging at the gate after work. He gave them 1,000 dollars and was then coerced into finding them a place to stay.

Both my dad and mom were kind-hearted. They agreed to let them stay in the empty basement, and that was the beginning of all our misfortunes.

I rushed out of my room, seeing my long-missed parents. I shouted in joy and urgency, "No, don't let them stay."

My mom, probably worried by my agitation, touched my head and asked, "Ruby, did you have a nightmare?"

My mom's warm hand touched my head, and I couldn't help but hug her. "Dad, Mom, I'm begging you; don't help that family, okay? They will kill us all."

Given my usual calm demeanor, my dad saw my unusual behavior and pulled me up to comfort me. "Ruby, I don't know what happened. But I will listen to you."

I was glad my parents respected me. I didn't tell them about my rebirth.

Instead, I made up a nightmare to replace the rebirth story. I told them that in the dream, helping this family led to our destruction, and I ended up imprisoned.

I was so emotional that I almost sobbed several times.

Seeing me like this, my parents couldn't bear it and comforted me, "Don't worry, we believe you. We'll tell them to leave and stay far away from them."

My dad was about to go downstairs when I stopped him, "Dad, I'll go with you."

"But Ruby, you..."

"It's okay, I can."

Actually, I didn't want to face those two demons who terrified me in my previous life.

But dad was too kind-hearted, and I feared he would be morally coerced by that vicious woman, Adeline Murphy, like last time.

So, even though I was scared, I had to stand up and protect my family.

Sure enough, as soon as we went downstairs, I saw those two faces that terrified me.

Adeline still had a pitiful look.

But who could have imagined that when she imprisoned me in a dark room, she would beat, abuse, and insult me?

And that mentally disabled son, Aaron Reed, perfectly inherited his father's criminal genes. His stupidity was filled with evil. He seemed simple and weak, but from the first time he saw me, he started planning various brutal tortures against me.

"Sorry, our basement might still be useful. Please find another place."

Dad, as always, was polite.

But with people like this, being polite was the worst thing. Adeline didn't change her expression and continued to act pitiful. "Look. We are helpless and have nowhere to go. Please help us find a place."

"Hmm..."

Dad looked at me in confusion, and of course, I didn't indulge her.

"Auntie, you can't be too greedy. My dad already gave you 1000 dollars; how can you still morally coerce him into finding you a house?"

Hearing me, she slightly changed her expression. "Little girl, you can't say that. You see my situation. My child is not as beautiful and smart as you. Shouldn't you rich people help us?"

What a good argument.

Despite my fear, I retorted, "You have good hands and feet. You can find a job to support your child instead of begging for money. No one owes you anything. Helping you is kind, not helping is normal. If you keep pestering us, give back the 1,000 dollars."

Hearing me, Adeline reluctantly said, "Rich people are always so petty."

Then she tried to pull Aaron away.

But Aaron stood still.

Until the moment I turned to go upstairs, I heard him say, "Mom, I want her. Find a way to get her for me."