Drama

Sunlight poured in from outside, chasing away the darkness inside.

I came closer to my body lying within.

Since the cellar was sealed and the temperature just right, it seemed like ten days had passed instead of three.

My corpse had begun to decay. Countless insects had hatched, wriggling and crawling within.

My face was dark and bluish from the lack of oxygen. After so many days of decay, my face was unrecognizable.

Seeing that, I panicked for no reason. I didn't want my three brothers to witness my ugly corpse and instinctively moved to block their view, clinging to what little dignity I had left.

Alas, my efforts were obviously in vain.

Aaron's face paled instantly. Amidst the silence, he took a small step back nervously. His lips were trembling as he whispered, "W-What is that?"

The overpowering stench and the horrifying sight were enough to make Aaron recoil in disgust. "Get

My three brothers led Lucy back to the living room swiftly.

Before Lucy could put on another show of false concern, Aaron had already pulled out his phone to make a call.

"Freeze every card in Victoria's name. Get me all her transaction records, and check every property our parents own. I want to know exactly where she's been these past three days, and what she's spent money on."

After giving the order coldly, he ended the call.

Once the records were pulled, he was certain he would see exactly where I had been over those three days. Then, he could teach me a proper lesson.

I snorted out loud. Perhaps Aaron had forgotten, but back when one of his business decisions went disastrously wrong, the company had nearly collapsed. Shareholders had pulled out one after another.

When Aaron was cornered and out of options, it was me who poured every last cent I had into the company to save it.

I couldn't help but drift behind my three brothers, my heart gradually sinking deeper.

Driven by their anger, my brothers soon arrived at the cellar door.

"Victoria Caldwell, do you really think you can dodge punishment by staying quiet inside?"

Yet, no sound came from within the cellar.

Bruce's expression turned grim. "Victoria, drop the act. Get out now! You have to kneel and apologize to Luce today! Hiding in there and cutting off contact won't change the fact that you hurt her."

Clark was just as furious, his eyes blazing as he snapped, "Victoria, you've really outdone yourself. You're deliberately giving us the silent treatment to spite us because you're upset we treat Luce well, right? Do you think hiding in the cellar stubbornly will make us back down?"

Yet, the cellar remained silent.

Aaron glanced at the trembling maid and asked coldly, "Why are you trembling? Did the brat bribe you to let her escape?"

Bruce let out a cold snort. "With her nasty temper, she probably couldn't stand the cellar's environment once we left and had the maid let her out."

Disappointment flashed across Clark's eyes. "You nearly got Lucy killed and still refuse to own up to it. Are you even the Vicky I knew? You're not our only sister, you know."

Right then, the maid replied fearfully, "Mr. Aaron, without your order, we wouldn't dare release her! Ms. Caldwell has been in the cellar for three whole days."

As Clark stared at the calm cellar, a flicker of unease appeared in his gaze. He strode forward and pulled the door a few times, but it didn't budge.

"Victoria, that's enough. I've already unlocked the door. Are you gripping the door, refusing to come out?"

I glanced at the cellar door twisted from within and flashed a bitter smile.

Back then, as I was suffocating and desperate to survive, I kept hurling myself against the door, driven by nothing but the instinct to live.

Alas, the cellar door was strangely solid. It wouldn't budge at all. In the end, I was left to die there, suffocating to my death.

Could they show me some love after seeing my body and bury me next to my parents? I really hoped they would.

Aaron grew increasingly irritated and began kicking the door. Because of that, the warped cellar door cracked open, and a foul, rotten stench immediately drifted out.

The maid was shaking. "It smells like… a dead body!"
 
Bruce and Clark stormed forward angrily.

"What dead body? She must've gotten out ages ago and just threw a dead rat in to trick us!"

"Victoria, do you think we're that easily fooled?"

The three of them grew more and more frustrated, kicking on the door together until the cellar entrance started to tremble.

Finally, the door opened with a bang. The stench grew stronger as the dark, cramped cellar was revealed to everyone.

Sunlight poured in from outside, chasing away the darkness inside.

I came closer to my body lying within.

Since the cellar was sealed and the temperature just right, it seemed like ten days had passed instead of three.

My corpse had begun to decay. Countless insects had hatched, wriggling and crawling within.

My face was dark and bluish from the lack of oxygen. After so many days of decay, my face was unrecognizable.

Seeing that, I panicked for no reason. I didn't want my three brothers to witness my ugly corpse and instinctively moved to block their view, clinging to what little dignity I had left.

Alas, my efforts were obviously in vain.

Aaron's face paled instantly. Amidst the silence, he took a small step back nervously. His lips were trembling as he whispered, "W-What is that?"

The overpowering stench and the horrifying sight were enough to make Aaron recoil in disgust. "Get that out. It's revolting!"

Beside him, the maid blurted out in fear, "Mr. Aaron, that's Ms. Caldwe

Chapter 4