Fatal Trap: Intertwined Destinies

I was the only college student in my village.

When I came back for my father's funeral, I suddenly saw my twelveyearold niece, Lizzy Danes, pouring something unknown into a big pot of oatmeal.

She didn't show any panic when she saw me.

Lizzy's gaze was as calm as stagnant water without ripples. "Auntie, are you going to expose me?"

In my past life, I stepped forward, poured out the food, and gently hugged her. "Don't ruin your future for someone who's not worth it."

I felt sorry for Lizzy, who had lived in torment at such a young age, and I felt sorry for her fate, which was similar to mine.

I wanted to help her as if I was helping the isolated and helpless me from before.

But I never thought it would be like the story of the farmer and the snake.

Lizzy pretended to jump into the river but dragged me down with her.

She blamed me for not pulling her out of the abyss earlier, attributing all the suffering to me and dragging me to death with her.

Her words echoed in my ears like the whispers of a demon.

"Auntie, why should you be able to escape? Why didn't you take me with you!

"The road to the underworld is too lonely. Since you love me so much, auntie, you must be willing to accompany me. Let's die together..."

1

As I gasped for air, the fear of drowning enveloped me, a thin layer of sweat soaking my back.

The surroundings were wreaths. I thought, "Could this be my funeral?"

A shiver ran down my spine as I glanced at the blackandwhite photo on the table.

I patted my chest in relief, thinking, "It isn't mine, it isn't mine, thank goodness...

Wait a minute!"

I focused my gaze and saw my father's black and white portrait displayed prominently.

People around me whispered quietly.

"Hey, isn't that the youngest daughter of the Danes family? She actually came back!"

"A university student, knows book smarts but not common sense. She was nowhere to be seen before his death, and now she shows up to pay her respects."

"Yeah, I mean, why doesn't a young girl like her just get married early? Why waste money on education?"

"At least my daughter listens and goes off to get married. If she disappeared for five years like her, going off to study, couldn't be reached, wouldn't I have wasted years raising her?"

The murmurs around me exploded in my mind like a thunderclap.

I thought, "Have I been reborn?"

I recalled carefully. It was the scene when I attended my father's funeral. It had been five years since I returned to this land once again.

My older brother, Tomas Danes, furious, rushed over and grabbed my collar, raising his hand as if to strike.

"Claire, how dare you come back?"

Tomas' sudden outburst interrupted my thoughts.

Instinctively, I gripped his hand and pushed him away forcefully.

I was not the young girl who could be easily knocked down by his fist anymore, nor was I the girl from a past life who would meekly accept his slap with guilt.

Smoothing out the wrinkles in my collar, I coldly questioned, "I'm not the one with a guilty conscience, so why wouldn't I dare to come back?"

"How dare you..."

"What? Just because you're loud doesn't mean you're right."

It was probably the first time Tomas encountered his meek sister standing up to him. He stuttered, unable to utter a word.

"Tomas, it's our father's funeral today. Do you have to make a scene?"

The villagers were always keen on gossip.

A disturbance today would become tomorrow's talk of the town, spreading through households as fodder for dinner conversations, a topic for idle chatter.

"Or..." I paused, moving closer to him. "Do you want everyone to know that you refused to save your own father to buy a house?"

Tomas was shocked, his eyes evading. "I... I don't know what you're talking about!"

I chuckled inwardly, thinking, "What a 'filial' son!"

In my previous life, I rushed to the hospital upon receiving the news, but I never even got to see my father one last time.

Over the phone, my mother berated me, accusing me of being heartless and of not showing an ounce of filial piety.

In my past life, I foolishly blamed myself, thinking if I had known about my father's illness earlier, rushed over with money, perhaps he wouldn't have died.

But later, Tomas got drunk and accidentally let it slip.

In the past, my father suffered a sudden heart attack due to his old age, but the surgery still had a forty percent chance of success.

However, during those days, Tomas was preoccupied with repaying the mortgage, and the postoperative medical expenses were exorbitant. In the end, fearing it would all be a waste of money, he simply chose to forgo the surgery.

My gaze fell upon the man in the black and white photo, whose face was lined with wrinkles. I thought, "It is ridiculous, really. The eldest son you have cherished your whole life couldn't even muster the will to try to save you."

Tomas' heavily pregnant wife, Amanda Danes, sensing the tension, cheerfully intervened.

"We're all family here, all family.

"Claire, you're all grown up now. Why create such an ugly scene?"

I thought, "Are you kidding? I'm creating a scene?" I couldn't be bothered with this hypocritical woman who always twisted the truth and only knew how to put on a facade.

When my father fell ill, she didn't hesitate to advise Tomas to give up the surgery.

Turning towards the photo on the table, I bowed respectfully.

I thought, "You never really raised me, so this bow is a token of repaying the debt of birth."

Approaching the table, my mother, Kadee Danes, shot me a venomous look, her face unwelcoming.

In my past life, I would have been meek in front of her. All my courage had been used to secretly escape the village to attend university.

But the memory of my mother standing by coldly as I was held underwater by Lizzy, watching me struggle for air, lingered.

She said, "Let her die, one life for another."

From that moment on, the motherdaughter bond between us was irreparably severed.

Feeling disheartened, I avoided her gaze while Amanda enthusiastically gestured for me to sit.

As I settled down, she proudly patted her sixmonth baby bump.

"Look how round my belly is now, Claire. You're going to have a nephew soon."

"A nephew? Isn't it against hospital rules to reveal the gender?"

I stared at her belly, remaining silent.

In fact, until the moment of my death, I never knew whether the child was a boy or a girl.

Because, in the end, they never made it.

Amanda prattled on, oblivious to my puzzled expression.

"Mom consulted the village fortune teller. It's definitely going to be a chubby little boy.

"If it weren't for giving birth to Lizzy, would my body have suffered so much all these years?"

As soon as I heard that name, my hand trembled uncontrollably for a moment before returning to normal.

Amanda continued, "The fortune teller was right. She's a harbinger of misfortune, sent to plague me..."

In the past, I would have harshly interrupted Amanda, reprimanding her for treating her own daughter so callously.

I would have been seeking justice for Lizzy, but also, in a way, seeking justice for my childhood self who had endured injustice.

Born into a family that favored sons over daughters, Lizzy, like me, was unfortunate.

But her misfortune wasn't caused by me. Thinking back to the suffocating sensation of drowning, this time, I simply listened quietly, choosing not to engage.

After checking the time, I found an excuse to leave.

Dodging the crowd, I made my way towards the kitchen, where, just like in my memories, my twelveyearold niece, Lizzy, stood in front of a large pot, pouring some mysterious substance into it.

In my past life, I was startled and anxious, afraid she would do something foolish, so I hurried over and poured out that pot of oatmeal.

Yet I overlooked her calm demeanor at such a young age. Even upon seeing me, Lizzy showed no signs of panic. In her eyes, deep and cold as the abyss, there was only endless indifference and ruthlessness.

Lizzy's gaze was as calm as stagnant water without ripples.

She asked, his expression unreadable, "Auntie, are you going to expose me?"

Approaching, I poured out the oatmeal and gently embraced her. "Don't ruin your future for unworthy people," I whispered.

I felt sorry for this little girl, who was burdened with a life of torment at such a tender age, mirroring my own fate.

I wanted to help her as if I was helping the isolated and helpless version of myself from the past.

Seeing her emaciated figure and bruised face, I was too preoccupied with my sympathy for her to notice the fleeting malice and resentment in her eyes.

And that hatred was directed towards me.

The icy December water chilled me to the bone, each wave slapping against my face, nearly numbing my thoughts.

But amidst it all, I distinctly heard her say, "Why did you meddle and pour out that pot of oatmeal?

"If you hadn't interfered, they would all have gone to die with Grandpa!

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have suffered for so many years! It's all your fault! You deserve to die just like them!"

Suddenly, the words came to me. "A beam of light shines into the dark tower, exposing all the dirt and sin within, thus tainting the light with guilt."

Thinking of Lizzy's resentful face and her resolute decision to drag me into death with her, I chuckled bitterly, thinking, "Am I that guilty light?"

In my past life, I couldn't fathom it, and in this life, I still couldn't.

I couldn't understand, but I also didn't want to.

Upon rebirth, I grasped the most profound truth. That was letting go of the savior complex and respecting the destinies of others.

Moreover, staying far away from vampiric, toxic families.

So this time, as Lizzy wished, I didn't step forward to pour out that pot of oatmeal.

Concealed by the wall, I recorded the entire scene on my phone before quietly leaving.

Not long after I walked back to the table, Lizzy walked in carrying a bowl.

Inside, steaming hot oatmeal laced with something extra.

I glanced over and then averted my gaze.

Lizzy kept her head down and went to hand the bowl to her mother.

I couldn't judge whether this was right or wrong, for I myself had been a child bound by a toxic family intimately acquainted with the bitterness, hatred, resentment, and unwillingness within.

But everyone must bear the consequences of their choices.

Sipping my coffee, I sat on the sidelines, silently observing the scene.

I couldn't help but wonder, "In this life without my intervention, will Lizzy be content?"

Amanda merely cast a fleeting glance her way, dismissively remarking, "Just leave it there."

Her gaze dripped with disdain.

"It was just cooking oatmeal. What took you so long? Useless!

"And now you've made it all mushy, how am I supposed to eat this?"

She grumbled incessantly, never once considering preserving a shred of dignity for her own daughter in front of so many others.

Lizzy stood by, head bowed, seemingly oblivious, as if she had long grown accustomed to it all.

Suddenly, Lizzy lifted her head, locking eyes with me directly.

"Auntie, long time no see."

When I left, Lizzy was already seven years old and adept at recognizing people.

As I stopped feeling sorry for her, this statement struck me as somewhat eerie.

I was suddenly reminded of my mother's snide words from the past.

"You seem quite concerned about that little girl.

"You fool! She sells you out, and you will still be worried about her!"

Back then, I brushed it off, thinking my mother was just venting as usual.

But at this moment, the gaze projected by Lizzy across the table seemed to merge with the look she gave me five years ago. At that time, I planned to escape the village and attend university, but Lizzy stood in the doorway, staring into my eyes.

A sudden chill ran down my spine.

At her age, young girls still struggled to conceal their emotions well. However, despite the faint smile on her face, Lizzy's eyes couldn't hide the malice brewing within.

For the past five years, I had been unable to comprehend why, despite meticulously planning everything, I was still discovered by my family.

If it weren't for my teacher's timely intervention, I might never have escaped this secluded village nestled in the mountains.

I would have been forced to marry an old man by my mother, condemned to a life of laundry, cooking, and childbearing, a fate sealed without reprieve.

Under the pitchblack sky, clutching my ID, I made my way out.

A soft voice echoed from behind, "Auntie, where are you off to?"

Cold sweat trickled down my back as I frantically scanned my surroundings. Only after confirming no one else was present did I exhale deeply.

As I looked at Lizzy, who I had always shielded, a pang of guilt washed over me. But I understood that staying here would mean settling for a life of mediocrity.

I approached, gently patting her head, whispering, "Be a good girl, Liz."

At that time, I still called her nickname "Liz."

Born into a family that favored sons over daughters, I could sense her sorrow.

"Liz, I'm going to university. Remember, you must persevere in your studies, okay?

"Education is our only chance to escape the mountains, our sole path to changing our fate..."

With her head bowed in the dim light, I couldn't discern Lizzy's expression, only hearing her somber words.

"Can you take me with you?"

"Sorry."

That was the only answer I could give back then.

Back then, I was just a newly adult girl, using the money I had saved from working to buy the nearest train ticket.

As for what lay ahead, I couldn't guarantee anything, especially with a sevenyearold niece in tow.

Time was running out, so I hastily bid her farewell and rushed to the train station.

But at the last moment, my parents, Tomas, and others caught up, shattering my plans entirely.

If it weren't for my teacher's timely help, I might never have left.

At that moment, I felt like I had survived a disaster. My mind was in chaos, so I couldn't continue to think about why I had been discovered so quickly.

Now I thought, "Perhaps she had a hand in this all along...

Maybe her heart has rotted long before then..."

"Auntie?"

Lizzy's voice snapped me back to reality. I forced a smile, saying, "Still remember me?"

"Of course, how could I forget Auntie?"

Every word she said was eerie.

I exchanged a few perfunctory words with her before diving into my meal.

To my surprise, no one touched that pot of oatmeal in the end.

Lizzy, like a shadow, faded into an unnoticed corner, her oatmeal left untouched as well.

As guests departed, I pretended to help tidy up, all while discreetly observing Lizzy's every move.

She silently picked up the oatmeal from the table and headed outside.

I followed quietly behind.

Lizzy poured the oatmeal into the neighbor's large black dog's bowl and grabbed a stick from the ground, striking it forcefully.

At this moment, the neighbor was still helping at our place, unaware of the commotion here.

Lizzy tactfully positioned herself, the startled black dog barking furiously and lunging towards her.

But tethered by a rope, it couldn't reach her.

The dog, unable to bite her, lost interest and caught a whiff of the aroma from the bowl, eagerly digging in.

I had seen this big black dog always barking loudly at young Lizzy before, who would freeze in fear, rooted to the spot, tears streaming down her face.

Lizzy's parents never paid her any mind. It used to be me who would run to comfort her and take her away.

But the Lizzy standing before me now, faced with the very same black dog she once feared, showed no trace of fear at all.

She shed the timid, pleasing smile on her face and wore an expression of cold indifference.

"Eat up, have as much as you want! Since those bastards won't touch it, let you have it!"

Before long, the dog let out a whimper and collapsed on the ground.

Throughout the night, the neighbor's house was filled with commotion, but all that reached our side was a simple remark, "What bad luck!"

September brought a hint of coolness in the air.

Amanda was nearing her due date, and her whole family, except for Lizzy, was on high alert, treating her like fragile glass, fearing any misstep, almost wanting to put her in a bubble for safety.

Yet Lizzy, in these past few days, stood by, eyes fixed unwaveringly on Amanda's belly several times.

She had a venomous gaze, occasionally revealing a strange smirk on her face.

I started feeling nervous, not for the child in Amanda's belly, but to prevent a repeat of the past.

In my previous life, I didn't understand Amanda well because her boypreference attitude was akin to my mother's, and I didn't like it.

This inadvertently gave Lizzy an opportunity.

As the time frame mirrored the past, Kadee instructed me to watch over the nutritious soup she was cooking in the kitchen, telling me to take it upstairs once it was ready.

As for why I was still here, it wasn't because my mother still cared about me or preserved my room.

It was merely to have more people looking after Amanda, and I, a university student, was a free babysitter.

Lizzy appeared behind me, catching me off guard, echoing the same words as in the past life, "Auntie, Grandma said to add some walnut oil to the soup to boost the nutrition."

She smiled innocently, like a sweet, obedient little girl, endearing yet unsettling.

In the past, I didn't question her words, and with their urging, I hurriedly followed through, taking the soup to Amanda.

That night, Amanda suffered severe allergic reactions, leading to heavy bleeding and a trip to the hospital.

After treatment, Amanda survived, but the child did not.

The doctors informed us that Amanda's body was no longer fit for successful pregnancies.

Kadee slapped me hard across the face, leaving a clear imprint and blood on my lips.

The searing pain and the ringing in my ears remained unforgettable to this day.

Kadee's eyes glinted with malice as if one slap wasn't enough. She lunged forward to strike me again, only to be stopped by a nurse beside her.

"Madam, please calm down!"

Trembling, my mother pointed at me, shouting, "Claire, what have you done? How could you treat Amanda like this?

"How have we wronged you, Claire, to make you ruin our family line?

"Oh, my precious grandchild! You've deprived me of my beloved grandson!"

I covered my face, feeling bewildered and unsure how to respond.

"I had no idea Amanda is allergic to walnuts!

"And besides, it wasn't you who told Liz to ask me to add walnuts to the soup?"

Suddenly, I realize something.

I froze in disbelief, looking towards Lizzy, who stood silently on the sidelines, watching the drama unfold.

I rushed over and grabbed her shoulders tightly.

"Say it! You were the one who said to add walnut oil to the soup!!"

Lizzy's eyes welled up with tears, her face filled with a sense of injustice.

She furrowed her brow, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Auntie, what are you talking about? I clearly said sesame oil!"

"Auntie, I know you didn't mean it! Apologize to Mom, Grandma, and Dad. They won't blame you! They will forgive you...

"Fine," Lizzy turned to Kadee, saying, "It's all my fault. I misunderstood and passed on the wrong information. If you want to blame someone, blame me! I'm the one who let Mom down, who let my brother down..."

Tomas, who had been suppressing his emotions, forcefully pushed me away.

"That's enough!"

He dragged me back home before I could react.

His fist came down hard on me, not giving me a moment to catch my breath, followed by a swift kick.

With a dull thud, I almost heard the sound of my bones breaking.

Tomas' face turned ashen, his expression fierce.

He yanked my hair viciously, questioning me coldly, "Claire, why would you do this? That was my wife and your nephew! How could you be so heartless!"

I struggled to speak, tasting the metallic tang of blood in my throat.

"Tomas, it wasn't me, I swear it wasn't me..."

Tomas flung me aside, and I fell to the ground, my body sliding until it hit the corner of the wall.

"Claire, if I had known this day would come, I would have drowned you in the river when you were born!"

The door slammed shut forcefully, casting the room into darkness.

My body ached all over as if I had been run over by a truck. I gasped for air, my vision starting to blur.

Suddenly, a faint light shone from the direction of the door.

Even the dim light stung my eyes.

I struggled to open my eyes to see who was approaching.

Lizzy hurried towards me, her voice trembling.

"Auntie! Are you okay? Does it hurt..."

"Auntie, it's all my fault, I got it wrong, blame me..."

As Lizzy spoke, she slapped herself twice.

I, who always doted on her, now looked at her with coldness in my eyes.

"Do... do you truly not know that your mother is allergic to... walnuts?

"Then why didn't you admit your mistake in front of them? Why blame me for everything?"

I coughed violently, almost coughing up blood from my throat.

Despite this, I kept my gaze fixed on her, trying to read something from her face.

Unfortunately, in the pitchblack environment, I couldn't see anything. I missed the fleeting look of schadenfreude on her face.

Lizzy shook her head vigorously.

"Auntie, I'm just a twelveyearold child, I really didn't know!"

She reached out to hold my hand, but I jerked it away.

"Auntie! Auntie, I'm truly sorry!"

Lizzy covered her face with her hands, trying to stifle her sobs, her shoulders shaking.

"Auntie, if I didn't say this! Dad and Grandma would definitely kill me!

"Auntie, I'm scared, I'm really scared..."

I thought, "So, am I to bear the blame for all of this?

Don't I feel fear too?"

I didn't want to argue anymore and closed my eyes, saying, "Get out!"

Afterwards, I became lost and numb.

No matter how I explained, they refused to believe me.

"Claire, have you no sense of decency? You've already caused the death of my son, and now you want to slander my daughter?"

"Claire, I will hate you for the rest of my life. Even if you were dead, you'd still owe the Danes family a life!"

"Claire, you've ended our family line. I should have beaten you to death back then!"

"Claire..."

The constant repetition of these words, along with the suffocating atmosphere, slowly twisted my mind.

Sometimes, I would blankly wonder if I truly caused all of this.

In the end, they successfully manipulated me, turning me into a puppet, following their every command.

I earned money only to hand it over to them. When they fell ill, it was my duty to care for them.

Because I caused the death of their only son, I was now obligated to care for them for the rest of my life.

In my youth, I had escaped from here with all the courage, enduring all hardships to break free from the shackles of this family. Now, it seemed like nothing but a dream, ultimately just a joke.

Since then, I ignored Lizzy. As I became the target of mistreatment, her life improved significantly.

I worked tirelessly outside, trying to fill the bottomless pit called the Danes family.

One day, a phone call from Tomas disrupted the fragile peace I had managed to maintain.

"Hey, Claire! Lizzy is at the bank of Ringchonk River, threatening to jump!

"She's shouting apologies to you, wanting to see you one last time to apologize! She says if she can't see you, she'll jump!"

He was surrounded by deafening noise, but I could still hear the venom in Tomas' voice.

"Claire, you've already killed my son, do you want to drive my daughter to her death too?"

I stared at the now disconnected screen, chuckling bitterly.

I thought, "She's jumping? But isn't it because Amanda forced her to marry a widower at nineteen?

Aren't they the ones who drove her to this?

But Lizzy, you do owe me an apology."

The chilling wind blew, the river water relentlessly hitting the walls.

This was the infamous treacherous river in the village, deep and surrounded by walls, with hidden currents and whirlpools.

And there was Lizzy, perched on the edge. Although she was holding onto the railing, there was always the possibility of her slipping.

Surrounded by a crowd, Lizzy shouted loudly, "Don't come any closer! If you do, I'll jump!"

Amanda's face showed signs of worry as she pleaded, "Lizzy, come down, let's talk things out!"

Amanda didn't seem too concerned for her daughter. She was just afraid that Lizzy might actually jump.

The villager would drown her, a mother who drove her own daughter to death, in spit.

I remained silent, tightening my coat as I walked over.

"I heard you were looking for me. What's the matter?"

Life had drained all my energy, giving my normally bland and even indifferent tone a jarring effect in this situation.

Lizzy smiled, "Auntie, you've come.

"Auntie, you look so thin."

She seemed to be genuinely feeling sorry for me.

I stared at her, asking, "Weren't you going to apologize to me?"

Blinking her eyes, Lizzy looked on the verge of tears.

"Auntie, you used to be so kind to me..."

With that, Lizzy reached out her hand as if asking me to help her up.

Seeing an opportunity to save her, Amanda forcefully pushed me from behind.

Caught off guard, I stumbled forward.

Before I could react, those hands pulled me forward abruptly.

Panicking, I tried to retreat to the shore, but Lizzy held on tightly.

"Auntie, why should you be able to escape? Why didn't you take me with you!

"The road to the underworld is too lonely. Since you love me so much, auntie, you must be willing to accompany me. Let's die together..."

Suddenly, I snapped back to reality, the bowl slipping from my hands and crashing to the floor.

Broken pieces were scattered everywhere.

I wore an awkward smile, saying, "Oops, clumsy me.

"There are a lot of shards here. It's dangerous. Lizzy, you should go play in the living room."

Lizzy wanted to say something, but I cut her off sharply.

"Walnut oil, right? I got it."

Lizzy obediently left, but she stood not too far away, watching my every move through the kitchen window.

Nonchalantly, I picked up a broom to clean up the mess.

Only when I used my body to shield myself and took a bottle of oil from the cupboard did the watchful gaze behind me suddenly disappear.