In my last life, I helped my neighbor chase away her abusive ex-boyfriend. But I never expected her to be so hopelessly love-blind. Not only did she quickly move in with him, but she also told him I was trying to break them up. In the end, I was dragged into her apartment by her ex and brutally murdered. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I first witnessed her ex harassing her. Hearing her cries for help, I simply offered my "thoughts and prayers." After all, she loves him so much. 1 "Bitch! Who told you to call the cops? Ray loves me, why would he hurt me? You're just jealous of us!" In the cramped living room, I lay on the floor, gagged with a dirty rag, covered in blood. My neighbor, Chloe, stood over me, her face twisted in rage, occasionally kicking my ribs. My consciousness was fading from blood loss, but I could still hear the couple discussing how to dispose of my body. Then, Ray raised a baseball bat and brought it down hard on my head. Pain exploded, and my world went black. "Ray, please let me go." "Put the knife down, we can talk about this." I don't know how much time passed before I jerked awake to the sound of violent pounding and shouting. The phantom pain throbbed in my memory, soaking me in cold sweat. I frantically checked my body. No blood. No broken bones. I wasn't dead? Hearing the familiar commotion in the hallway, I instinctively checked the calendar on my phone. It was the third day after I moved into this apartment. I was reborn? I crept out of bed and pressed my eye to the peephole. I saw the man who killed me, Ray, wielding a kitchen knife and hammering on Chloe's door. Seeing this familiar scene confirmed it. I was back. Memories of my previous life flooded back, and I held my breath, retreating silently to my bedroom. Last time, because I called the police, Chloe and Ray held a grudge that ended in my murder. This time, I wouldn't interfere. Respect. Bless. Goodbye. The pounding and shouting continued. I was afraid to go out, afraid of getting entangled. But Ray was unemployed; he could stay there all day. I couldn't. I had just started a new job a week ago. If I was late, I might fail my probation. Looking at the three-digit balance in my bank account, I wanted to cry. As the time I usually left for work approached, an idea struck me. The moment I opened my apartment door, Ray whipped his head around. His eyes were fierce, the look of a desperate thug. The fear of being beaten to death by him almost made me look away, but I forced myself to hold it. I raised my hand, tentatively touching the peeling wall, and shuffled out slowly, my eyes unfocused. "Is that the new neighbor? Please, can you call 911 for me?" Chloe heard my door open and cried out, clinging to me like a lifeline. Just like last time. She begged for help, but later blamed me for helping. This time, absolutely not. I kept my gaze vacant and turned towards the sound. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" "My ex is trying to kill me! Please help me call the police!" I shook my head blankly. "I'm sorry, I have bad vision. I can't see anything clearly." "Is there a misunderstanding? Couples fight all the time. Don't do anything rash." As I spoke, I saw Ray slowly lower the knife, a menacing grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, just a misunderstanding. She's just throwing a tantrum. Don't worry about it." I shuffled down the stairs carefully, forcing a smile. "It's normal for couples to bicker. You should treat her better, man." Amidst Ray's dismissive agreement and Chloe's shrieks for help, I made my way down step by step. Once outside the building, my legs turned to jelly. I didn't dare linger and hurried toward the subway station. 2 Squeezed into the corner of a crowded subway car, I clutched my bag and thought about my next move. I wanted to move immediately, but remembering my bank balance and the lease-breaking fee, the idea crumbled. Go back to my parents? Escaping that house took everything I had. Going back wasn't an option. I didn't have the plot armor or windfalls of a novel protagonist. I couldn't just quit my job or switch apartments on a whim. Since I couldn't run, I had to attack. During my lunch break, I checked the building's group chat. People were discussing the morning's police incident. After scrolling through the history, I learned that after I left, Chloe asked the lady upstairs, Mrs. Gable, for help. When the police arrived, Ray tried to run but was eventually caught at the gate. Just like last time. Only the person who called the cops was different. I stared at the screen and saw Mrs. Gable send a long voice message. I transcribed it to text. [Oh my god, I just got back from the station. The girl forgave the guy! They left together, happy as clams!] [Can you believe it? That man was banging on the door with a cleaver! I went through all that trouble with the police, and she just forgave him. What a waste of time!] Other neighbors chimed in with their shock. I stared at the screen without smiling. Thankfully, Mrs. Gable had a son who was a gym trainer. She should be safe. After work, I didn't go straight home. I navigated to a shop. Based on the timeline, Ray hadn't moved in with Chloe yet. I still had time. I bought a smart doorbell with a camera. Then I went to a print shop that specialized in funeral portraits and ordered a large framed photo. When I sent the file, the clerk turned pale. "It's my twin sister," I explained. The clerk visibly relaxed. Carrying my purchases home, I didn't see Chloe or Ray. The gossiping neighbors said Ray took Chloe out for street tacos. Of course. Their reconciliation speed was faster than a rocket. Chloe was a terminal case of love-blindness. But this time, no matter what drama she stirred up, she wouldn't drag me down. I installed the doorbell and placed the black-and-white funeral portrait in a spot visible as soon as the door opened. Only then did I exhale and collapse onto my bed. The next few days were peaceful. No noise from across the hall. I knew Ray's lease elsewhere had about two weeks left. Last time, after I helped Chloe, we became somewhat close. We'd chat, shop, and eat together. That’s why when she invited me over, I went without suspicion, only to be met with Ray's baseball bat. On the weekend, I was woken up by noise upstairs. "What do you mean? You want revenge because I called the cops?" "Ow! My heart! You... you... pay up!" Following the sound of Mrs. Gable falling, a deep male voice roared in anger. "What's your problem? Did you just hit my mom?" "Bullying an old lady? Do you think her son is dead?" "Bro, bro, misunderstanding! I didn't, I wasn't..." Ray's voice sounded cowardly. Imagining Ray charging upstairs only to be met by a muscle-bound gym trainer made me laugh. Bully the weak, fear the strong. Typical scum. After they went to the hospital to sort it out, I drifted back to sleep. ... "Bitch! Why didn't you tell me an old lady lived with a hulk? You cost me so much in medical bills!" "I'm gonna beat you to death!" Ray's roaring and Chloe's crying woke me up again. Checking my phone, it was 1 PM. Listening to Chloe cry, I felt zero sympathy. Chloe had told me countless times that Ray beat her, cheated on her, and solicited prostitutes. Yet she always forgave him. Love-brain is terrifying. When the noise finally died down, I heard... other noises. Moaning. Huh? Is this makeup sex? They disrupt everyone's lives and then go back to domestic bliss? I laughed in disbelief. 3 I thought that without interacting with Chloe, I'd be safe. But the day after their "reconciliation," I got a friend request. [Hi, I'm your neighbor. Let's get to know each other. Neighbors should help each other out~] Afraid that refusing would make them suspicious, I accepted. [Hi, I'm Chloe from across the hall.] [I noticed you just moved in. Can we be friends?] Thinking of the ugliness hidden under her friendly facade, I pursed my lips and typed back. [Sure.] For the first few days, Chloe was reserved. We chatted only via text. Whenever she asked to meet up, I used work as an excuse. Gradually, she started pushing boundaries. [Sarah, can I borrow some cooking oil?] She started borrowing things frequently, from cheap spices to my jewelry and clothes. I agreed to almost everything, except meeting in person. Blindly avoiding them might provoke retaliation, so I decided to be "generous." A plan formed in my mind. She likes taking advantage of people? Let her. But borrowing from a "dead person" isn't so simple. Ray's lease was up. He would be moving in with Chloe soon. I wasn't ready to deal with them yet. "The company has a project that requires travel. Who wants to go?" On Monday, the manager asked during a meeting. My colleagues looked at each other. No one volunteered. The destination was remote, deep in the mountains. The bonus didn't match the hardship. As the manager's face darkened, I raised my hand. "I'll go." Everyone stared at me in confusion. Even the manager was surprised. Usually, he had to force someone to go. I was the first volunteer. The manager beamed and praised me. The project was urgent, so I was booked on a flight that night. To reward my initiative, the manager added a $200 bonus. While I was reading the project plan, my phone started vibrating like crazy. [Sarah, are you home? Emergency.] [Can you come back if you aren't?] I frowned and turned off my phone. After dinner, sitting in the company car to the airport, I turned it back on. Chloe's message bombardment almost froze my screen. After reading dozens of messages, I realized that when I didn't reply, she started calling. When the calls failed, she sent voice messages crying that Ray was beating her again and begging me to come save her. Save her with what? My life? My manager was downstairs waiting while I packed. As I reached the third floor, I saw Chloe pounding on my door. "Sarah, you're finally back!" She lunged at me, showing off her bruises. "Look! It's all because you didn't come back in time. Ray beat me like this. You have to pay for my medical bills!" 4 She tried to grab me. I dodged and smiled. "I can't. I'm busy." To stop her pestering, I added, "I have a business trip. My boss is driving me to the airport right now." Chloe's face fell instantly. Her disappointment was palpable. I ignored her and unlocked my door. Leaving with my suitcase, I saw the opposite door wide open. Ray and Chloe stood there, staring. It felt like they had been watching my door since I arrived. "You aren't blind?" Seeing my clear eyes and sure movements, Ray looked angry, like he'd been played. "Blind?" I acted surprised. "What blind person? Do you know me? We've never met." "Are you messing with me?" Ray looked murderous. "Why would I lie? I don't know you." I paused, then slapped my forehead in realization. "Oh! My twin sister is blind. But... she died years ago..." Ray and Chloe's faces went white. They slammed their door shut. As the plane took off, I suppressed a smile and focused on my plan. Ray didn't dare retaliate against Mrs. Gable because of her muscular son. He was a coward. He might bully a single woman like me, but if that single woman's apartment was haunted... The props I prepared for self-defense were about to become offensive weapons. I arrived at my hotel at 2 AM. Perfect time for ghost stories. I remotely activated the smart speaker in my apartment and played the audio file I prepared. On the surveillance feed, my empty apartment filled with the sounds of footsteps, toilets flushing, TikTok scrolling, and water being poured. Eerie enough to keep some people awake. Sure enough, the next morning, I got a call from Chloe. Her voice was full of exhaustion and fear. "Sarah, isn't your apartment empty?" "Yes, why?" I asked, suppressing a laugh. "There were... noises coming from your place last night!" Hearing her on the verge of tears, I smiled and offered fake comfort. "It's fine. Maybe my sister came back to visit me. Oh, gotta run, bye." I hung up and washed my face happily. ... During my days in the mountains, Chloe called repeatedly. I rejected them all, citing bad signal. Through my efforts, rumors of my haunted apartment spread through the complex. The most terrified were my neighbors, Ray and Chloe. Guilty consciences fear ghosts knocking at the door. While I was gone, they complained to management multiple times but were dismissed as superstitious. The elderly residents agreed they were making a fuss over nothing. Combined with Ray's previous failed intimidation attempt, the couple became pariahs in the complex. When I returned, they both looked haggard. Dark circles, puffy eyes. Seeing me, Chloe grabbed my hand like a lifeline. "Sarah, you're finally back! Your apartment is haunted! Do something!" I pushed her away gently and smiled. "I can't help that. I've never had issues living there. As long as you don't do anything guilty, ghosts won't hurt you." As I unpacked, I got a message. [Sarah dear, that girl across from you has a bad heart. While you were gone, I heard her boyfriend say he wants to break into your place to check for ghosts.] [Guilty conscience, I tell you. Be careful. If you need, I can give you my son's number. He's a trainer, he can protect you.] [He's single, by the way.] I thanked Mrs. Gable profusely but hesitated before adding her son. Before my trip, I had told Mrs. Gable my plan. She held a grudge too, so we partnered up. I created the "haunting," and she spread the rumors. Never underestimate the power of neighborhood gossip.
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