Take My Breath Away

After Matthew went to the study, Erica eschewed a shower. She sat back down at the dresser, found the foundation, and began to apply it in front of the mirror.

Twenty minutes later

Someone pushed the door open quietly from the outside. Inside the study, Matthew was having a video conference with his subordinates.

He stood in front of the window, his back to the door. He listened carefully to what one of his employees was saying. He didn't feel it necessary to turn around. An aide was giving her report, her tones even and devoid of feelings. She was all business. "Last month, the profits of our branch company were up six percent. It's very likely it will..."

Matthew froze for a moment. He felt someone approaching him from behind. His hand hovered over his phone, held in place.

Erica tried to mask her approach, tiptoeing across the carpet. Matthew's keen senses still picked her up.

Right now, there was no one else in the study except his wife.

He pretended not to notice and wanted to see what tricks she was going to play.

The video conference was still going on. "But the staff turnover in the branch company is not stable and the rate of loss is quite—aahhhh!"

The subordinate who was reading her report out loud suddenly screamed, and a dozen senior executives attending the meeting heard the shrieking. They simultaneously looked up at their own computer screens to see what was going on.

Unexpectedly, more and more people began to scream, until it reached a crescendo. Everyone on that call was spooked.

"Oh my God! It's a ghost!" another man exclaimed.

"What the hell?"

"Aahhh..." The video conference was a total loss. Someone took his suit jacket off and threw it over his screen. The camera in his square went black.

Matthew finally spun, trying to see what was going on with his staff, when suddenly he saw a white figure standing beside him out of the corner of his eye.

When he took a closer look, his heart trembled violently.

Then he realized who it was; he closed his eyes in despair.

The woman was dressed all in white in a form-hugging gown. Her long black hair spilled around her shoulders and back, and her face was painted bone white, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. She had traced lines under her eyes with red lipstick, like blood was dripping from her eyes.

Her lips were painted with that same shade, red and glistening as if she had just partaken of some blood.

Silently, she stepped

ere I live."

Civilization was pretty far away, including the nearest cell tower. Phones would be useless here. The old man would be waiting at the entrance.

"Thank you, sir!" The two men thanked the old man and led Lenora into the cave.

The closer she got to the cave, the more her fear threatened to overwhelm her. The towering trees and lush green plants were now twisted mockeries of themselves. The rushing stream seemed to be laughing at her.

The scenery was beautiful, but it would be horrible if she had to stay here overnight.

The thin man next to her muttered what he had said countless times on the road. "Who do you think you pissed off? Why did you have to mess with Mr. Huo? We gotta stay here with you, which sucks—a lot. Mr. Huo gave us hazard pay. The zeroes are in the right place, at least. If they weren't, we wouldn't be here."

"I...I'm sorry..." Lenora apologized timidly. She was stammering, because now she knew it was all real.

There was no way she'd survive in the forest by herself. If they left her alone here, she would probably die. So she couldn't afford to tick these guys off.

The fat man glanced at her and said to his companion, "You know, we're alone here. How about we...?" He flashed a lewd grin.

Though he didn't finish his sentence, Lenora immediately understood what he wanted. She shivered and was about to cry.

The thin man patted him on the head. "You think I don't want to? But what if something happens to her after we fuck her? Mr. Huo told me that he just wants her to stay in the cave for a month. So, not a good idea. If something happens to her, we'll get blamed for it."