Hadden's sister had merely choked on some water at the pool while she was swimming, and for that, he shoved me into the pool after tying me up. He left me with only a small hole for air that was barely an inch.

He said I would have to pay double for every grievance Julia suffered.

I never learned how to swim. There was nothing I could do but try my best to breathe as I sobbed and begged him to let me out.

Yet all I received was a lecture. "You'll never learn if I don't teach you a lesson now."

I struggled to stay afloat, but…

It took five days before Hadden's anger dissipated and he put me out of my misery, but it was already too late.

"I'll let you go this time, but you'd better not make the same mistake again!"

I had already drowned to death.

——

It was 11:00 am, and Hadden was frowning at the dishes on the table.

"It's been two days! Why hasn't that bitch come and bring me my food?! She's supposed to send it over before lunch! What the hell?! Just because she's being punished doesn't mean she can slack off!"

His assistant froze before replying courteously, "Mr. Rowse, Ms. Lowe is… still… in the swimming pool. She hasn't been let out yet."

Hadden froze, appearing shocked as if he were not the person who threw me into the pool himself. Quickly, he blinked the surprise away.

Nonchalantly, he shrugged. "Oh, that's fine. She can stay there for a few more days."

His assistant glanced at him and pursed his lips hesitantly. "But Mr. Rowse, the pool is starting to smell. I'm worried that… Perhaps you should take a look?"

Without putting his cutlery down, Hadden replied, "So? Of course, it's going to smell. It's probably filled with urine and fecal matter. Relax, she'll be fine. She'll do anything to live."

His assistant wanted to urge Hadden to take a look, but the latter frowned and interrupted him before he could begin, "Sit down and eat. Talking about all that is ruining my appetite. She should know what she did wrong after reflecting on herself in the past few days. She can come out once she apologizes to Julia."

Just then, Julia pushed open the door and walked inside.

"Hadden…" He looked at her with a gentle gaze and wrapped her in his arms.

He held her hand with a tender touch. "What are you doing here, Julia? Were you too scared to stay at home alone? Shh, it's alright now, Julia. I've already given Felicia the punishment she deserves. Smile for me, hmm?"

Julia buried her head in his chest, coquettishly saying, "You're the best, Hadden. But I just want her to apologize. I never wanted her to be punished! She won't blame me for this, right?"

Hadden patted her back comfortingly, his next words a stark contrast to the gentleness of his touch.

"As if she would dare."

I couldn't help but laugh as I watched the two 'siblings' act like a couple, but no one heard it. How could they? I was already dead.

I only made it out of the pool moments before my death.

The water had been dyed red, but a metal cover was soldered onto the top of the pool. No one could possibly get out of there. Anyone in my situation would've been doomed to be locked in the pool forever.

Despite ghosts not needing to breathe, my chest constricted at the sight as if I would be locked in that suffocating space again.

At the same time, Hadden continued to comfort Julia with an arm wrapped around her waist.

"It's going to be alright. Eat more, okay? You've gotten skinnier again. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Look how much skinner you've got. What's a few days of starvation to that fatso anyway?

"I can't believe she would dare do such a thing to you! I won't let her out until she apologizes and learns her lesson."

I watched silently, heartbroken from where I stood behind him. I wanted to cry, but there were no tears left.

The fact that I had suffocated and struggled for my life in the pool meant nothing to him, not when compared to the few gulps of pool water Julia had choked on.

I could not swim, and I could not get out.

It was ridiculous to think that I was still begging him to let me out until my dying breath, pleading with him to let me live. It was all for naught.

All he did was laugh as I pushed against the metal cover with everything I had.

"Why'd you let Julia choke on the water if you're so scared of drowning? I'm only giving you a taste of your own medicine!"

I remembered looking around the pool, terrified. I remembered admitting to anything he accused me of, hoping that would get him to let me out.

But he didn't.

Right before I lost consciousness, I heard him order someone to solder the metal cover on the pool for good so that I would 'learn the consequences of my actions'.

There was nothing I could do but stare helplessly as he locked the outside world away from me.

Then, blood began to pool from under me, and it did not stop.

Hadden made sure Julia was pleased again before he ordered his assistant to retrieve my body.

"Release Felicia and clean her up before you bring her here. I don't want to scare Julia."

If you looked at Hadden's face, you would think he was offering me a benevolent gift.

Upon receiving his orders, his assistant quickly went to gather the necessary men.

Julia did not move from her spot as she swung Hadden's arm sweetly.

"Don't scold Felicia anymore when she comes out, okay? You two are still husband and wife, after all. You're going to spend the rest of your life with her. I don't want things to be awkward between you two."

Hadden looked at her with adoration before pulling her close and kissing her softly on the forehead.

"Don't worry. She wouldn't dare. You wouldn't have choked on the water if she hadn't pushed you into the pool. I can't even imagine how scary that must've been for you.

"You're being too forgiving with her, Julia. She keeps taking advantage of your kindness because she knows you're soft."

Hadden sounded furious as if I were the one who had done something unforgivable.

All of this sounded like a cruel joke.

Julia was the one who came to me last week. She was the one who taunted me. "I heard you're pregnant now, but so what? One word from me, and I can make sure that kid never sees the light of day."

I did not want to talk to her, so I went to my room upstairs. I did not know she went to the pool downstairs, threw herself inside, and called Hadden while crying.

"Hadden! I've always known that Felicia didn't like me, but I didn't think she hated me so much that she'd push me into the pool! I was so scared. But… if my death is all it would take for both of your happiness, I think it's a small sacrifice I'm willing to make.

"Be happy, Hadden."

Hadden ended his meeting early when he received the call and rushed home.

He dashed to the pool and cradled Julia, who was still choking on pool water, in his arms.

"Julia, Julia! Stay with me! Come on! Julia, please. I need you…"

I remembered thinking how ridiculous it was as I watched the scene from above.

I was thinking to myself if it was really necessary. Julia could swim, so why was Hadden acting like she was going to die?

It was only when Hadden dragged me to the pool by my hair that I realized how much he truly cared for Julia.

"How could you be so cruel?! How could you push Julia into the water?! You almost killed her! I almost lost her because of you!

"I won't let you get away with doing whatever crap you want to do, Felicia. I'll make you suffer twice the pain and fear you put Julia through. And I won't let you out until you learn what you did wrong!"

Even now, Hadden still believed that I was the one at fault, that I should have admitted to everything he accused me of.

What a shame, then. It was too late for that now.

"Mr. Rowse, w-we can't find any signs of life in Ms. Lowe… She's… dead…"

Hadden's hand froze mid-air as he tried to coax Julia into drinking a yogurt drink.

I searched his face for any signs of regret, maybe even fear, but I found nothing. Instead, Hadden smirked as he continued to feed Julia.

"As if she would die so easily. If that were the case, I would've gotten rid of her long ago. Tell her to stop pretending, or I'll have the funeral parlor cremate her."

His assistant seemed to want to say more, but Hadden interrupted with an annoyed look, "She has half an hour to clean herself up and apologize to Julia, or she's going back into the pool."

His assistant looked frantic, but he did not know how to breach the subject.

Looking at his hesitance, Hadden grabbed the vase from the table and threw it at his assistant.

"What are you waiting for?! Go and tell her what I said!"

His assistant had no choice but to leave.

Hadden turned back to Julia and kissed away the yogurt stain at the corner of her mouth. She smiled shyly, which earned her a pleased smile and a warm hug from Hadden.

"You'd better not go easy on her later, Julia. I swear I'll have her kneel when she apologizes to you later. She'll just do it again if she doesn't learn her lesson now."

Julia looked conflicted, almost as if she felt bad. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Hadden?"

"Why not?"

I did not know how to react to that, so I started laughing maniacally.

This was the man I loved?

I wanted to leave, but it seemed like I was bound to him.

I had no choice but to watch and laugh at how stupid I had been.