My close friend Avery, every single time she engaged in an extramarital affair, would fabricate a lie to her husband Egbert, stating that she was out shopping with me. It was a pattern that had repeated itself numerous times, causing a great deal of turmoil and confusion.

As a result of her lies, Egbert would call me with a certain regularity, every other day it seemed. His voice on the other end of the line was filled with suspicion as he interrogated me about our supposed whereabouts. His questions were sharp and pointed, leaving me in an uncomfortable and difficult position each time.

In my past life, taking into account the decades-long friendship that Avery and I had shared, I had, on many occasions, covered for her in front of Egbert. I would lie without hesitation, confirming that she was indeed with me, even when I knew deep down that it was wrong. I always hoped that she would come to her senses and return to her family. I earnestly advised her, my words filled with concern and a sense of loyalty to our friendship and to the institution of her marriage. I would plead with her, explaining the importance of her family and the consequences of her actions.

However, she always dismissed my words with a casual wave of her hand or a dismissive laugh. It was as if she had no regard for the damage she was causing, not only to her marriage but also to the lives of those around her. And soon after, she would go on yet another date with another man, continuing her cycle of deception.

This particular time, around one in the morning, I was in a deep, peaceful sleep. The world outside my dreams was quiet and still. But then, my ringing phone shattered the silence and woke me from my slumber. I groggily reached for the phone, my eyes still half-closed and my mind clouded with sleep. I sleepily answered it, only to be greeted by a roar that seemed to come through the phone with a force that jolted me fully awake.

"Lucia, can you stop ruining other people's families?" The voice was angry and accusatory, and for a moment, I was completely taken aback.

Who? Me? Whose family was I ruining? I was startled and confused, my mind struggling to make sense of the situation. But as I became somewhat more alert, I glanced at the caller ID. The name Egbert stared back at me, and I realized it was him again, calling with his accusations and anger.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself to retort and defend myself. But before I could say a word, he spoke first, his voice filled with a mixture of rage and frustration. "Play around all you want since you can't get married, but can you stop dragging my wife into your mess? What time is it now, and you still won't let her come home? Does destroying other people's families give you a sense of achievement?" His words cut through me like a knife, and I felt a surge of anger and injustice.

"Just going out is one thing, but why does she not reply to me? Taking advantage of your long friendship with her and her soft-heartedness, are you manipulating her?" His voice was muffled, as if he was trying to contain his anger but was on the verge of losing control.

Just then, my phone pinged several times in succession. It was messages from Avery. I quickly opened them, my heart pounding with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation.

"Lucia, I told my husband we're out eating, so don't slip up, okay?" Her message was casual, as if she didn't understand the gravity of the situation.

"If he asks, just say we're at a restaurant near your home. There are so many around your area. He can't possibly go door to door looking for us." She continued to give me instructions, as if I was supposed to go along with her lies without question.

"If you can't handle him, just block him. Love you." Her final message was a sign of her callous disregard for the situation and for my feelings.

My consciousness began to clear, and memories of my past life flooded back to me with a vividness that was almost overwhelming. I had been reborn, given a second chance at life. In my previous life, my last moments were of being framed by Avery and sent to prison. Egbert, who was completely unaware of the truth but full of resentment towards me, had hired a hitman to stab me repeatedly in the prison. The pain was excruciating, each stab like a searing hot iron being plunged into my body. I had lost so much blood that I was already too weak to resist. I could only plead with Avery with my eyes, hoping that she would have a change of heart and save me. But Avery just covered her eyes and screamed on the side, as if she was the victim. And after my death, they continued to live a happy life together, without any remorse for what they had done to me.

Thankfully, fate had given me a chance to start over, and I was determined not to let them get away with their actions again.

Seeing that I had been silent for a long time, Egbert became even more agitated. "Did you not hear me? Are you deaf or dumb?" His voice was raised, and his anger was palpable.

"What the hell are you guys doing? Avery said you're eating. What are you eating that takes so long?" He was demanding answers, his impatience growing with each passing second.

I laughed angrily and snorted coldly. "She probably didn't get enough to eat at home, that's why she had to go out for so long." My words were meant to taunt him, to make him feel the sting of his own situation.

The couple had been married for three years but had no children yet. There had always been speculation about whether Egbert had some deficiency, and as the jokes increased, he had become more sensitive about it. My comment about Avery not getting enough to eat at home was a veiled reference to this issue, and it hit a nerve.

"Fuck you! Lucia, you just wait!" Egbert was furious, and he hung up the phone with a slam.

I quickly went to the living room, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination. I locked the front door, making sure it was securely fastened. Then, I barricaded it with a table, pushing it up against the door to provide an extra layer of security. I saved our chat records to the cloud, ensuring that evidence remained in case my device was destroyed. After doing all this, I set my phone to silent and put it aside, preparing myself for whatever was to come.

About twenty minutes later, a violent kicking at the door began. The sound was loud and jarring, and it sent a shiver down my spine. The soundproofing here was poor, and I could hear every noise from outside the door clearly. I could hear Egbert's heavy breathing and his angry shouts as he continued to kick at the door.

Seeing that no one had opened the door for a while, Egbert made a phone call. A few seconds later, a familiar voice came through. "Mr. Alcott, hello, the partnership proposal with Apex Enterprises has been approved, and currently, there remains..." The voice was professional and matter-of-fact, but Egbert interrupted it with his own demands.

Before the voice could finish, Egbert interrupted, "Archibald, do you have the keys to Lucia's apartment?" Archibald was Egbert's subordinate, and also my boyfriend. He had been introduced to me by Avery six months ago. At that time, there was considerable pressure from my parents, and he met all my criteria, so we almost immediately confirmed our relationship as if it were an arranged meeting.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end before Archibald responded affirmatively, "Yes, I do." His voice was hesitant, as if he was unsure of what to do.

"I'm at the door of Lucia's apartment. Bring me the keys." Egbert's voice was firm and demanding.

"Mr. Alcott, what are you doing at Lucia's place so late?" asked Archibald. He was clearly concerned about the situation, but also seemed to be in a difficult position, caught between his loyalty to Egbert and his relationship with me.

It seemed Egbert took a moment to calm himself before he replied, "Lucia has run off with my wife again. Now, my mother is critically ill and wants to see my wife for the last time, yet Lucia refuses to disclose their whereabouts. I will wait for them at Lucia's home today." His explanation was filled with desperation and a sense of urgency.

There was a long silence on the other end. "Alright, Mr. Alcott, but there is still a part of tomorrow's project proposal I haven't finished, so I can't leave right now. Can I bring it to you later?" Archibald's voice trembled slightly, as if he was afraid of Egbert's reaction.

"No need. I'll have my chauffeur pick it up. Just give it to him." Egbert's tone was dismissive, as if he had no patience for Archibald's concerns.

Ten minutes later, my door was successfully opened, and Egbert immediately spotted me in the living room. His eyes gradually reddened, and his face contorted with anger. "Lucia, you're actually home?" He crossed the room in two strides, his long legs covering the distance quickly. He grabbed my collar, his grip tight and unforgiving, and nearly lifted me off the ground.

Our eyes met, and his eyes were filled with ferocious hatred as if he wanted to tear me to pieces. "Amusing yourself at my expense?" he roared, slamming me to the floor with a force that knocked the wind out of me. Then he began searching my home for any sign of Avery, his movements frantic and desperate.

After a futile search, he turned back to me. I hardly had time to mind my own pain as I quickly stood and backed away a few steps, saying coldly, "I never said she was with me today." I was determined to set the record straight and not let him continue to believe Avery's lies.

"You're her husband, and you don't know where your own wife is, yet you ask me? What makes you think I would know?" I continued to defend myself, my voice firm and unwavering.

After saying this, I raised my phone, displaying the call log from when I had reported it to the police a few minutes earlier. "Moreover, you do know that breaking into someone's home is illegal, right? I had already called the police before you came in. I advise you to leave my house immediately, or you'll be responsible for the consequences." I was trying to use the law to protect myself, hoping that Egbert would back down.

He stepped forward aggressively, grabbing the wrist of my hand holding the phone, and the other hand tightly gripped my throat, backing me against the wall with nowhere to retreat. His grip on my throat was tight, making it difficult for me to breathe. Pressing me against the wall, he whispered harshly, "I don't have time for these childish games. Even if my wife isn't with you, you surely know where she is. If you are wise, you'll tell me, or you won't leave here alive today." His words were a threat, and I could feel the danger lurking in his eyes.

As my breathing grew more difficult and my struggles proved futile, my vision began to darken, but just then, he released me. He picked up my phone, which I had dropped and failed to grip securely, and flipped through it, finding nothing. All my social media apps were blank. He was clearly frustrated that he couldn't find any evidence of Avery's whereabouts on my phone.

Gasping for air, I hadn't even recovered when, in a fit of rage, he kicked me in the chest, the pain searing through me, causing me to instinctively curl up. The pain was intense, and I felt as if my chest was on fire.

At that moment, the half-open door was pushed open, and several police officers with badges entered. Their presence was a relief, and I hoped that they would be able to handle the situation and protect me.

Several police officers pulled Egbert away while helping me up. The officers asked routine questions, but I clenched my teeth and remained silent. I was still in shock and angry, and I didn't want to say anything that might make the situation worse. This was far from enough. I was determined to ensure that Avery and Egbert would pay for what they had done to me, both in this life and in my previous life.

Egbert whispered a few words to a police officer who introduced himself as Wilcox. Egbert nodded thoughtfully. "The situation here is unique. I'll contact the department for a joint investigation and keep following up. However, you must not use violence or any illegal methods, or I will arrest you immediately." Egbert was trying to take control of the situation, but Wilcox was having none of it.

Egbert frowned and stared at him as if looking at a fool. "Do you know who I am? Your chief..." Before he could finish, Wilcox interrupted him, "I don't care who you are. Everyone is equal before the law. We are recording everything, and every word you say will be used as evidence in court." Wilcox was firm and unwavering in his stance, and Egbert was visibly frustrated by his naivety, his hand stopping his bodyguard who was about to intervene.

At that moment, Wilcox received a troubling message. A phone ringing broke the deadlock.

"Mr. Alcott, Madam Alcott is in bad shape. She's becoming delirious, mumbling about 'money' or something. The doctor suggests you mentally prepare yourself," came the call from Egbert's personal assistant.

"Lucia. my mother wants to see Avery one last time," Egbert said through gritted teeth, glaring at me. His eyes seemed to flay me alive. The noise attracted many curious neighbors. As more people gathered at the door, some even started live streaming after figuring out the situation.

"Excuse me, please let me through," a familiar figure struggled through the door. Archibald, tall and imposing, positioned himself in the front of me. I hadn't cried when Egbert threatened me, nor when he hit me, but now, seeing this man, a sourness filled my heart, and my eyes warmed.

"You're here," I said hoarsely.

Egbert hung up the phone and threw it at my head. I couldn't help but groan in pain, feeling something warm trickle down my forehead. The crowd outside gasped at the scene.

"Lucia, you're so despicable. You fooled my wife into selling you a family heirloom worth millions for just a few hundred dollars, claiming it was a fake," Egbert shouted.

"You also got my wife to embezzle company money for some ridiculous investment with you, and I haven't seen a dime returned. You know where that money went better than I do." Egbert was making more accusations, trying to paint me as the villain.

"I'm not in the mood to argue with you today. My mother is dying and just wants to see Avery one last time. Are you still opposing me? Do you have any humanity left?" Egbert became more agitated, grabbed me by the collar, and slapped me hard. The bystanders remained indifferent to my plight after hearing him, including Wilcox and Archibald. People outside looked at me with disdain, some even whispering, "Serves her right. She deserves to be beaten to death."

After a moment, Archibald stiffly moved to help me, but Egbert kicked me back down. "Try helping her up again." He was threatening Archibald. Archibald met Egbert's furious gaze but eventually said nothing.

Still, Egbert felt it wasn't enough. "Still being stubborn? Keep hitting her until she talks," he signaled to Archibald to take action.

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