Chapter 4

I'd habitually locked the door, so my mom couldn't open it.

Unable to find the key, she angrily turned to get a hammer.

Suddenly, someone came home.

It was my dad!

He rushed in excitedly, both hands full of gifts.

"To celebrate my daughter getting into Harvard, I specially took time off to come home!"

"Are you happy?"

I circled around my dad, clapping excitedly.

"Happy! So happy! I'm always happiest when Dad comes home!"

Dad's work kept him very busy—he could only spend a few days at home each year.

Sometimes he wouldn't come home even once a year.

But every time Dad came home, he'd bring me wonderful things.

And Mom would restrain herself, giving me a few rare days of peace.

When Dad showed no reaction, I instantly deflated.

I'd almost forgotten he couldn't see me.

After the initial excitement, I remembered my situation and suddenly panicked.

I didn't want Dad to see my gruesome death.

Not seeing me, Dad asked Mom in confusion.

"Where's Alice? And why are you holding a hammer?"

Mom rolled her eyes irritably.

"We had a few words, and she locked herself in the bathroom."

"I can't even use the toilet. I must have owed you two in my past life."

Dad immediately became serious.

"You didn't force Alice to do something she didn't want to do again, did you?"

Mom looked slightly guilty.

I'd told on her once before, and after Dad left that year, Mom punished me severely.

So I never dared complain again, and Dad assumed Mom had changed.

Mom blustered.

"That was so long ago, and you keep bringing it up. What's the point?"

"She threw a tantrum for no reason, and somehow that's my fault!"

Dad couldn't say much more. He walked to the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"Alice, I'm home. I brought you chocolate and a pretty dress."

"Come out, okay?"

After speaking, Dad sat on the sofa with his gifts.

He sat up straight with a smile on his face, occasionally glancing back toward the bathroom.

Ready to give me my presents at the first opportunity.

I knelt helplessly before Dad, bowing repeatedly.

"Dad, I was wrong. I was really wrong."

"Please, just leave, okay?"

"I really don't want you to see me at my ugliest."

"I don't want to scare you!"

But Dad couldn't see me.

His attention shifted to the phone on the coffee table. A message popped up in the building's group chat.

[Who in Building 4, Unit 3 is murdering someone in their bathroom? There's such a strong smell of blood leaking through my floor!]