The Price of Love Is Death

"Keep her dizzy."

A wave of nausea shot from the back of my head to my throat, and I dropped to the ground, retching. I tried to unlock George's phone, only to discover there was no passcode—just facial recognition.

I let out a bitter laugh, thinking, ‘Is this it? George, are you really planning to imprison me for life? Do you want to push me to my death?’

Lying helpless on the lawn, I laughed, hopeless. If that was how it was going to be, why not just electrocute me?

In my hazy state, I heard the voices of girls approaching. The one leading them seemed to be carefully eyeing the layout of George’s estate, debating whether to enter and nearly stepping on me in the process.

"Annie, I heard nobody’s allowed inside this part of the Larsons’ estate. Maybe we shouldn’t go in," one of the girls said nervously.

"But it’s George’s birthday today. I’ve got to have a surprise for him, no matter what!" Annie replied.

That voice belonged to Annie?

Curiosity got the better of me, and I glanced up, studying the woman who was supposedly my replacement. Annie noticed me too, and her expression changed as soon as she took in my face and clothes.

"Why do you look so much like me? Are you trying to imitate me? You shameless bitch!" She shrieked and charged at me, landing a hard slap across my face.

I was stunned. One was crazy, and the other was obsessed—what a perfect pair.

"You fake! You even went as far as to get a beauty mark like mine! Do you really think sneaking into George’s estate and pretending to be me will get you into his bed?"

Annie grabbed my chin roughly, slapping me again and again. As the diamond ring George had given her was sharp, it cut deep gashes across my face.

"Studying my face and my style won’t help you! Don’t you know George doesn’t let anyone near this place?"

Out of breath, Annie looked down at me in disgust. "You’re lucky I’m nice. I should’ve let you go and watched you try to climb into George’s bed. I’d like to see if he’d throw you into the sea to feed the fish!"

My mind, already muddled with pain, could not focus. After her slaps, I collapsed, vomiting again, unable to fight back.

Struggling to prop myself up, I tried to speak, but my voice came out hoarse from disuse.

"You… don’t recognize me?"

Annie sneered. "Do you know how many women try to get surgery to look like me just to please George? Why would I waste my time knowing the names of every worthless pest like you?

"Since today’s George’s birthday, I guess I’ll clean the house for him. It’s time to deal with you pathetic women who don’t know their place."

I stared at Annie’s twisted face and said, "Annie, George never loved you, did he? What makes you so sure you’ll ever be Mrs. Larsons?"

My raspy voice was like a devil’s whisper, stripping away every ounce of her dignity.

Annie rushed toward me, her eyes wide with fury as she glared down at me.

"What did you say? How dare you talk to me like that, you imposter? I’ll kill you!"

With that, she yanked off her high heel and swung it at me. The pointed heel slashed across my face, tearing a chunk of skin and dragging my mouth up toward my ear. Blood gushed uncontrollably.

Yes, I was in so much pain that it felt like I might die, or maybe dying would be better than being trapped in that estate, staring into George’s obsessive eyes every day.

Annie screamed, "I’ll beat you to death! I’ll tear that tattoo right off your skin and rip your whole face off!"

‘Fine,’ I thought, and I taunted her again.

"But my beauty mark is natural, not a tattoo!" I grinned. "What about yours?"