Chapter 1

I was participating in a live escape room show with my movie star husband when he suddenly disappeared.

As I searched anxiously with my pregnant belly, I heard a voice from the baby inside:

[Mommy, don't worry! That bastard dad is hiding in the prop coffin kissing Sophia Reed!]

I froze. The baby in my belly could actually talk?

[They want to trick you into the haunted house to scare you into a miscarriage, so Sophia can take your place!]

[But Sophia has claustrophobia---she won't last long in there!]

I let out a cold laugh and immediately called everyone over:

"Everyone, come to this room! There's a clue here!"

My husband didn't know yet that he was born under an unlucky star, and all these years his bad luck had only been suppressed by my good fortune.

Since he wanted to harm me, I'd let him go back to being the unlucky bastard he was meant to be.

"Vivian, what clue did you find?"

The show's guests immediately crowded into the room when they heard there was a clue.

I pointed at the coffin in front of me and analyzed: "There are nine rooms total, and they're all basically the same. Only this room has an extra coffin."

"Maybe the key to the plot is in this coffin."

Just then, the little one's voice rang out again:

[Ahhhhh Mommy! What's in the coffin is so disgusting!]

[Bastard dad and that homewrecker Sophia aren't wearing any clothes!]

[Really, nothing at all! And they're kissing again!]

[Sophia's even saying how exciting it is---Mommy, does that sound right to you?!]

I raised my hand and rubbed my belly.

How did this three-month-old thing know so much?

This escape room variety show was the platform's major project of the year.

They'd even installed large screens in every room to display live comments in real-time.

There were six guests this episode.

My husband Adrian and I, young actress Sophia Reed, boy band members Marcus Flame and Lucas North, plus veteran actor Samuel Waters.

The storyline was about a bride who mysteriously disappeared during the Civil War era.

Samuel came over for a look: "Does this mean the bride is already dead?"

I nodded. "That's what I think too. Plus this room has a vanity table."

"Look over there---flowers, a veil. This might be her bridal chamber."

Comments scrolled across the big screen:

[Vivian is so smart, analyzing everything even with that baby bump]

[No wonder she's a top student, her brain really works]

[Yeah, but where did Adrian go? The movie star disappeared a while ago]

[Sophia's gone too]

[Did they get separated? This escape room is pretty scary]

I glanced at the coffin from the corner of my eye.

The lid was sealed tight---nothing looked unusual from the outside.

Marcus asked: "Vivian, what should we do now?"

I looked around. "Let's search this room first. There should be clues."

Samuel nodded. "Right, everyone split up and look. See if the bride left anything behind."

The two guys immediately spread out---one checking the vanity, one looking in the wardrobe.

I stood still.

My eyes kept drifting to that coffin.

The lid remained sealed tight. Nothing visible from the outside.

[Mommy, aren't you going to expose them?]

The baby's voice carried a hint of confusion.

[They're so bad! You should embarrass them in front of everyone!]

[Let everyone see what bastard dad and Sophia are doing in that coffin!]

I rubbed my belly and thought quietly: "No rush."

[Huh?]

"We'll open it when there are more people around. Better effect that way."

[Wow! Mommy, you're so evil! I love it!]

"We've checked everywhere else. Just this coffin left."

Marcus swallowed hard. "Vivian, this coffin... should we open it?"

Samuel was also looking at me, his eyes questioning.

The baby's voice rang out again.

[Mommy! Bastard dad and Sophia are freaking out!]

[Sophia's claustrophobia kicked in. She's shaking all over, keeps saying "I can't take it anymore, I need to get out"]

[Bastard dad keeps telling her to hold on just a little longer, they'll leave soon]

[He heard you talking about opening the coffin and now his face is green, he can barely breathe!]

I rubbed my belly, both amused and exasperated.

This little thing, really...