My father had a severe gambling problem, amassing a massive debt that lingered even after he disappeared. To settle it, I became entangled with a local billionaire, Jack, agreeing to a deal of five million a year. But secrets have a way of surfacing. One day, a member of Jack’s family arrived at my door, offering me twice the money and stripping away my dignity. It was Jack’s son, his handsome face expressionless as he handed me a substantial check and asked, “Is this enough?” As I exited the private room, I heard him say, “You could have been Mrs. Jack openly. Do you regret it, Judy?” I didn’t turn back after hearing those words. My eyes filled with tears, but I held them back, not wanting to cry in front of him. I wanted to apologize, but my throat was too dry to speak. Jessica’s voice came again, asking, “Knowing I’m Jack’s son, do you regret it, Judy?” I couldn’t bear to listen any longer and quickly left. Standing at the shop entrance, the relentless snow outside was biting cold. It was December in North City, and the chill cut to the bone. A message from my mom appeared on my phone, asking why I hadn’t returned yet since Mr. Jack was waiting for me. My eyes dimmed as I clutched the check in my bag. Just then, my phone rang—it was Jack. I stared at the screen for a moment before answering. His voice came through, slightly distorted, as he got straight to the point: “Did Jessica come to see you?” I shivered, unsure if it was due to the cold or him. “Yes.” Hearing my response, he clicked his tongue and said, “I’ll send you abroad. Come back in two or three years. After all, Jessica is my only son.” He was suggesting I leave for a few years and return as though nothing had happened. I wanted to object, but I heard my mom’s voice on the phone. “We’ll do as you say. Judy doesn’t have much of an opinion.” Jack grunted in agreement and added, “Keep the money Jessica gave you. But don’t even think about running away.” He chuckled softly and said, “You can try if you want, right, darling?”
The call ended, leaving me standing in the snow, feeling frozen and unable to move. I heard the shop door open behind me, followed by footsteps crunching on the snow that stopped right behind me. Turning with difficulty, I saw it was Jessica. He was wearing a black coat, but his scarf was gone. “Let’s go, I’ll give you a ride,” Jessica offered. I looked at him in surprise. His tone was casual, as if nothing had happened. Sitting in his car, I was still processing the situation. The warmth inside and the familiar teddy bear cushion on the passenger seat provided a comforting environment. “We had planned to see a movie next weekend,” Jessica suddenly said. “What were you thinking then, Judy?” In the rearview mirror, I saw his mocking gaze. It felt like he wanted to torment me. “I’m sorry,” I managed to say. “Ha…” Jessica laughed coldly. Unable to face him, I looked down. Jessica asked, “Why didn’t you come to me if your family needed money? I told you before, I could support you no matter what.” Tears filled my eyes, but I couldn’t find the words to defend myself. “I… I don’t know…” I stammered. “You didn’t know Jack is my father,” Jessica said. “You didn’t know I am his son, did you?” After saying that, he exhaled, paused, and added, “Judy, you’re really something.” My gaze fell blankly on the expansive snow outside the car window.
I quietly bore Jessica’s harsh words, but he couldn’t handle my silence. The road was icy and difficult to traverse, but he continued to speed up. I felt the car losing control and turned to look at him. Jessica looked back at me, smiled, and said, “Judy, you’re not afraid to die, are you?” I heard the tires skidding on the icy surface and the startled cries of pedestrians. My gaze must have been full of sorrow—I didn’t want to die. I still had so much to do. He seemed to sense my thoughts and turned away from me. The car kept picking up speed until we slid off the road and into a snowbank. The windows were coated in snow, leaving the inside of the car dark. He didn’t turn on the lights, and I found myself gasping for air, relieved to be alive. Jessica, however, remained very calm. He said, “Last night, I found out my father was having an affair, and it was with you. Judy, can you guess what I wanted to do most at that moment?” The air felt thick and my breathing quickened. Then, Jessica leaned closer and gripped my neck tightly, slowly squeezing. I shook my head, trying to escape the suffocation, but he bit my lip mercilessly, and I tasted blood. “I want to kill you,” he said, “Judy.” The suffocation left my mind blank. He wiped my lips and then turned on the car’s light. Jessica’s face appeared before me, his lips also stained with blood. He leaned in and bit my earlobe hard. “Judy, I won’t let you go.” My heart ached, nearly breaking. The fear of dying and the pain of suffocation were unbearable. In the rearview mirror, I saw his fingerprints on my neck. Just now, Jessica truly wanted me dead.
The car was lifted, and we were rescued. Someone checked on me and looked at Jessica with reproach. I just shook my head and said it was nothing. Jessica’s eyes fell on my neck and lips, his gaze dark and silent. I eventually caught a taxi home. The reflection in the car window showed me looking disheveled. The driver joked, “Had a fight with your boyfriend?” “A big one,” he added. I forced a smile and didn’t reply. He pointed to the rearview mirror, “Your boyfriend’s still there.” I turned to look back. Jessica stood there, his black coat covered in snow. Back home, Jack wasn’t there. I sighed and sat on the bed. My mom, however, came in without knocking. I frowned and said, “Mom, please remember to knock.” She dismissed it, saying, “Mr. Jack isn’t here.” Hearing this, I felt a slight sting in my heart, but that was all. “How much did Mr. Jack’s son give you?” she asked, glancing at my bag. I lowered my eyes and said, “I’ll pay off the remaining five million debt.” My mom wasn’t satisfied with my answer and wanted to ask more, but I said wearily, “I want to take a bath and rest first, Mom.” She finally stopped talking and left. Watching her leave, I took the check out of my pocket and hid it where she wouldn’t find it. After bathing, I looked at the slightly messy table and sighed deeply. With a gambler in the family, it’s not just Dad.
Mr. Jack has been out of touch for several days. My mother is anxious, but I feel oddly at ease. The heavy snowfall has closed schools and businesses, bringing the city to a standstill. Yet, the morning news continues to air punctually. [A prominent businessman in the city, Jack, and his wife, Yan Shu, were discovered dead in their home around 10 PM last night…] I froze, feeling as if the blood in my veins turned to ice. My mother rushed out from the kitchen, her face a picture of shock. “Mr. Jack! How could Mr. Jack be dead?” she cried out. “What do we do now?” I sat on the sofa, paralyzed. Her cries echoed around me, but I could barely hear them. How could this have happened? How could his mother…? The doorbell rang, snapping me back to reality. My mother wiped her tears, ignoring the bell. I dragged myself to the door, my feet heavy. Opening it, a gust of cold wind hit me. The person at the door was wrapped in the bitter chill of snow and wind. Dressed in a black suit, with dark circles under his eyes and light stubble on his chin, it was Jessica. I stared at him, taking in his weary face. My heart ached with a bittersweet pang. Jessica was supposed to be proud, dazzling, full of life—not like this, defeated and drained. “Jessica…” I whispered. He looked at me, his eyes empty, and said, “Come home with me.” My mother protested loudly behind us, unaware of who Jessica was. I grabbed a coat and followed him, leaving behind my mother’s curses. “What are you doing with that boy? Such a worthless thing…” Jessica paused, and I nearly bumped into him. I heard his rough voice say, “Like mother, like daughter.” In the icy cold, his words felt like a splash of freezing water. I stood frozen. Jessica opened the car door and looked back at me. “You owe me, Judy,” he said.
He didn’t drive; we sat together in the backseat. Jessica didn’t say a word to me the whole way. When we arrived at Jack’s house, I was taken aback. Everything seemed perfectly normal. Jessica turned to look at me, as if he knew what I was thinking. He smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Judy.” Jessica was unusually gentle with Judy. Holding my hand, he led me into a study, where he moved some devices, revealing an underground passage. My heart sank. I resisted, standing at the entrance, unwilling to enter. Jessica’s demeanor changed; his expression turned dark. He tightened his grip on my wrist. “You need to know, Judy,” Jessica said. He pulled me into the passage. Dim lights lined the way, seemingly placed there on purpose. My body trembled; I resisted more and more. “Please, Jessica. I’m begging you,” I cried. But Jessica merely paused, then pulled me along faster. My heart felt dead. We reached a room with chains on the door but no lock. He gently pushed the door open, and the dim lights inside illuminated our faces. There was a red bed and countless objects and recording equipment. The screen in the middle of the room displayed my face. I collapsed at his feet, all strength gone. Jessica crouched down to meet my gaze. His eyes were too clear. I could see only hatred. “Father wasn’t home yesterday. Mother found this place,” Jessica said calmly. “She’s really stupid. She actually believed Father loved her.” My body couldn’t stop shaking, but he gently lifted my chin. “You think so too, don’t you, Judy?” Jessica said. He pushed me forward, making me face the big screen showing my image. “You killed them, Judy. You destroyed Jack’s family and me,” he said. I trembled, trying to speak, but he clamped his hand around my throat. The suffocation was more intense than yesterday, overwhelming my entire body. My limbs flailed helplessly as Jessica’s face began to blur. When I woke up again, I was lying on that despised red bed. I got up, only to find the door locked from the outside. There was no water, no food. I hugged my knees, sitting on the bed. My gaze began to drift into emptiness. I thought, perhaps dying here wouldn’t be so bad.
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