A Life Ransomed in Lies의 모든 챕터: 챕터 1 - 챕터 9

Joe coaxed me softly over the phone."All right, all right. We've been apart for so many years. Let's have a family reunion dinner with our son."I muttered a casual reply and hung up.On the bus, my phone kept pinging. It was Joe sending photos of a restaurant.The dishes in the pictures were beyond anything my son and I could have imagined. Normally, a simple plate of pickles would make him hum with happiness. He had never known a day of indulgence in his life.I had once believed that if I just worked hard enough, earned enough money, I could ransom Joe and provide a shield over my son and me. But all along, it had been a lie. My years of toil were nothing but a cruel joke.Tears fell onto the ashes, and only then did I realize my face was already soaked. I turned off the screen, wiped my tears, and closed my eyes tightly.'Joe… I'm done playing along with your lies.'…That night, I didn't return home. I took my son's ashes to the seaside.He loved the ocean. We had once

Whenever Sofia cried, Joe never asked why—he would unload a storm of scolding on me, claiming he had to "teach me a lesson." Yet the next day, he would bring a gift and soothe me patiently.A slap followed by a sweet gesture—this was his way, his habitual pattern.For all those years, I had been trapped in his sweets, never able to see his true heart. Willingly, I endured suffering for him. Tears fell silently as I felt the futility of all those years.I wiped the blood from the scratches on my thighs—she had drawn blood with her nails—and went to the hospital for a quick bandage.When I returned to the rental, every door had been removed. People were moving in and out, tossing furniture into the street. I panicked and tried to stop them, but they ignored me entirely.I recognized them—they were the very same people I had paid off to clear my debts. They were Joe's men.As he had said, if I behaved, my son and I would be granted a better life. If I didn't… this was the punishment

Sandra, who had once loved beauty above all else, had spent the last five years scraping by. Not once had she allowed Joe to feel even a trace of guilt.But today… for some reason, he felt endless regret.A knife seemed lodged in his chest, twisting endlessly against his heart, sending waves of pain through him.Unconsciously, tears slipped from Joe's eyes, landing with soft taps on the diary. Panicked, he quickly wiped them away.He exhaled sharply, forcing the tears back, and continued flipping through the pages.[They said as long as I have the money, I can ransom Joe back! No matter how much it costs, I'll do it. Today I picked up ten part-time jobs all at once.]…[Because we didn't have money, our son had to transfer to a boarding nursery in the suburbs. I'm not a good mother… he's so small…[When can I ransom Joe back? I'm so tired.[Just a little longer. When Joe returns, all this suffering will turn to sweetness.]…Joe couldn't bear to read any further.It was as

After burying my son's ashes, I returned home and cleaned the entire house from top to bottom.By the time I finished, night had fallen completely. Exhausted, I sank against the wall, shrouded in darkness. My son's face surfaced in my mind, and tears slipped silently down my cheeks.I don't know how much time passed before I wiped away my dry tears, stood up, and switched on the light.After tonight, the past would drift away like smoke. I had to pull myself together and live.I gave myself a month-long mini-vacation. Each day, I ate, slept, read, and walked. Slowly, my strength returned, and I found work nearby.The first month I got paid, I adopted a stray dog. With it by my side, I no longer felt lonely. I thought life would stay this calm forever.But tonight, walking the dog after work, I rounded a corner—and froze at the sight of the person I never wanted to see again.Joe.I wanted to turn and run, instinctively. But he was faster. Before I could move, he grabbed my hand