An accident changed everything. My husband, his childhood friend and I were all drugged at the same time. Sam pulled me into our bedroom, quickly cured me and without a backward glance, rushed off to Celine’s room—his childhood friend—and didn’t return all night.
By dawn, Celine lay dead beside him and my stomach had flattened. I had lost our child.
In a single night, one life was gone and another destroyed.
Those who knew the truth whispered that I must have played a hand in it, that Sam had failed to save Celine because of me and that losing my child was my karmic punishment.
Everyone expected Sam to divorce me.
Yet he bought me a lavish seaside villa. People assumed he had forgiven me, that I had somehow escaped disaster.
But I could no longer endure the charade. At Sam’s birthday banquet, in front of everyone, I demanded a divorce.
“She got a seaside villa and he didn’t blame her for losing the baby, but she still wants a divorce? Has Tania lost her mind?”
“Mr. Freight dotes on her, so why is she acting out now?”
Sam gazed at me with tender eyes. “Honey, you’re the only one I love. Why do you still want a divorce? Is the seaside villa I bought not expensive enough?”
I sneered at the silver key hanging around his neck. “But I don’t love you. We must divorce.”
“Sam, I want a divorce. Let’s finalize the property division in seven days. We’ll meet at the City Hall after that.”
I stood up and publicly announced my divorce at Sam’s birthday banquet.
After announcing it, I tried to leave, but Sam hurriedly grabbed my arm.
“Tania, it’s my birthday today. Can you not say things like this? I’ve already lost Celine—I can’t lose you too.”
My mother was the first to rush over, panting with anger as she held me back. “Tania, look how good Sam is to you. The three of you were drugged at the same time. Even though you interfered, he never once blamed you.”
My mother-in-law’s face was full of reproach. “Tania, how can you be so heartless? Losing the baby isn’t his fault—you didn’t protect it yourself.”
For a moment, all the eyes around me were filled with contempt.
In their minds, it was my recklessness that caused Sam’s childhood friend’s death and my own loss of the child was simply karmic retribution.
“Tania, don’t you think the seaside villa I bought isn’t enough?” Sam pleaded with genuine sincerity.
I narrowed my eyes, my gaze locking on the silver key around Sam’s neck and thought of that seaside villa.
After Celine’s death, Sam would often disappear into the basement for an entire day. But one day, something changed. In the master bedroom of the villa, a massive portrait of a beauty—tall as a person—was hung on the wall.
Upon closer inspection, the features of the woman in the painting bore a striking resemblance to Celine.
From that moment on, Sam would stare at the painting with an almost obsessive fascination. He ate in the master bedroom, worked in the master bedroom, slept in the master bedroom—and even when he held me, his eyes would involuntarily drift toward that portrait.
The portrait and the silver key seemed to be Sam’s lifeline, yet they kept me awake at night, leaving my body weaker by the day.
But for the sake of the child in my womb, I had to stay strong. I had to see the divorce through and claim everything that was rightfully mine and my baby’s.
I looked at Sam coldly. “We must divorce.”
Suddenly, Sam scooped me up in his arms. My weakened body made my head spin, but he carried me straight to the master bedroom of the seaside villa.
He pressed me gently against the edge of the bed, then dropped to one knee before me, cupping my face in his hands. His eyes were full of pain and longing.
“Tania, I love you. Tell me… why? Why do you insist on divorcing me?”
I jerked my head to the side, avoiding his touch and sneered. “Love me? Sam… then give me that silver key you always carry with you. Give it to me now.”
The silver key never left his side. If my guess was correct, it was connected to the secret behind the portrait in the master bedroom.
Sam’s body froze instantly. “What do you want that for? It’s just an old keepsake.”
“Afraid to give it?” I scoffed. “Is this what you call loving me? You can’t even part with an old key? Sam, your love is cheap and fake!”
The tender, pleading look on his face vanished completely, replaced by something dark and twisted. He suddenly stood up. “Fine. Do you want it? I’ll give you the key—but I hope you don’t regret it!”
He yanked the delicate chain from around his neck almost violently and handed it to me. Without hesitation, I took the key and moved toward the eerie portrait on the wall.
Beneath the painting was an extremely discreet keyhole. The silver key fit perfectly.
Click.
The entire portrait, along with the thick wooden panel behind it, silently slid inward, revealing a narrow gap—a hidden passageway.
What made my blood run cold was what I saw at the entrance of the hidden passage: a delicate, fragile figure in a white nightgown, standing there timidly.
And that face… it was exactly the same as the deceased Celine’s!
