Bury the Love Full of Lies Forever

Ten minutes later, George showed up, a cigarette dangling from his lips, wearing that same friendly demeanor he always had.

But his arrival meant trouble. I was still crouched in front of Justin, whose feet were beginning to swell, the skin turning a ghostly white.

"Alicia, if you'd been like this sooner, you wouldn't still be single at your age," George said, shaking his head.

I straightened up and replied, "George, I wasn't raised with a mother. If only she were still here."

He cleared his throat. "Yeah... life sure has a way of throwing curveballs."

I smiled faintly. "Thanks for always looking out for me. Come on in; I'll make you a cup of coffee."

George squinted at me. "What about Marvin?"

"He just headed out."

Two minutes later, George found himself tied up next to Marvin.

"Alicia, what the hell is going on?" he exclaimed, panic creeping into his voice.

I let my fingers linger over the assortment of tools on the table, finally resting on a sharp iron needle.

George's face drained of color. "Alicia! Don't do anything rash!"

I chuckled darkly. "Rash? Oh, you have no idea how much I've done already."

I twisted the needle between my fingers and lightly traced it along the tip of George's finger, eliciting a shudder from him.

Just then, I heard a commotion outside and stepped out to close the wardrobe door.

The newcomer was Marvin's brother, the man I had left battered and broken—Logan Hartey. He sat there, a tense figure, while his wife, Diana Hartey, pushed his wheelchair, her fierce gaze locking onto me.

"Alicia! Marvin's been in your house for ages. Where is he?" she demanded, frustration evident in her voice.

I told them Marvin had left, but they didn't buy it.

They insisted on coming inside to check. I shrugged and stepped aside, letting them enter.

Suddenly, a whimpering sound came from the wardrobe.

Logan and Diana exchanged glances and moved to open the door.

Before they could, I shot out a question, "Diana, do you remember how my mother died?"

She turned to glare at me, her eyes cold as a snake's. "Hmph! Your mother, that worthless woman, fell off a cliff—God took her away. You think the villagers did it? You're just a bastard, no parents to speak of. The village raised you, and you should be grateful!"

Logan sensed the tension and tugged at his wife's sleeve, trying to calm her down.

But Diana only grew more agitated, shaking off his grip. "You little bitch! I've never liked you! Logan's leg is your fault! You deserve to be beaten to a pulp by that man outside!"

Logan couldn't help but smirk at his wife's words, but he quickly suppressed it, trying to play peacemaker. "Alicia, she didn't mean it. Don't take it to heart."

I couldn't muster a smile, and in a flash, I kicked Diana hard in the rear.

She stumbled forward, crashing into Logan and the wheelchair, and they all tumbled into the wardrobe, knocking it open.

I swiftly followed them inside and locked the door behind me.

Logan fell from his wheelchair, scrambling to get up, panic in his eyes.

He turned to see Diana's terrified expression, both of them frozen in shock as they realized they were tied to a wooden post in my dark room.

Now, I had four people trapped in my lair.

I grabbed a chair and faced them, ready to interrogate them.

Just then, I heard a noise behind me. I turned to see Justin, trembling, standing at the wardrobe door.