[" THE MADAM TOLD HIM THAT YOU TRIED TO RAPE HER! SIR CESAR WAS SO MAD HE ASKED HIS MEN TO ABDUCT YOUR FAMILY RIGHT NOW!"]

Problem after problem.

Xavier hadn't solved how he would deal with the survivor in the back seat of the car, and now, another trouble aroused.

"The madam s-said that I tried to r-rape her?"

It's laughable. Horribly laughable. It's freaking funny how that woman can ruin his life through a simple lie.

Was it because she felt ashamed? Her pride was crushed? She wanted to get her revenge?

None of these is reasonable to put someone in danger!

As the seconds passed by, Xavier was sinking little by little into reality. The madam's lie would get him and his family killed.

He shook his head and began to murmur his desperate pleas.

"No. Not my wife. Not my son," he murmured with a voice that was like a turbulent ocean.

He looked down on the dim car and searched for the phone he had dropped before. Just for that moment, Xavier forgot about the cadaver bag on the back seat.

His mind only focused on how he and his family could survive this situation.

And then, a voice which was as desperate as his, spoke to him.

"Help."

It was that single word that made him stop.

He looked back, there at the slightly moving bag.

"Who's there? H-Help me. Help me..."

People were born with the intent of longing to live. And sometimes, those who are in the same situation can develop a mutual understanding with each other. Just like what Xavier felt towards the man in the cadaver bag.

Clenching the phone in his hand, Xavier turned against the bag.

He dialed his wife's number and nervously waited for her to answer the phone.

["The number you've dialed is out of service. Please call again."]

"Oh come on!"

["The number you've dialed is out of service. Please call again."]

"Bridgette, answer the phone!"

["The number you've dialed is out of service. Please call again."]

When he heard the AI's voice on the line for the third time, Xavier felt like crying. He dialed the number again and again, but the result remained the same!

"F*ck!" he cursed as he slammed his hand on the steering wheel.

If he couldn't contact his family anymore, he was certain that Cesar's men had caught them already.

What will they do to his wife and son? Where did they put them?

Finding answers to these questions made him feel like standing at the edge of the cliff. He knew right then that he had to go back.

He might not convince the boss to believe him. But at least, he would have the chance to save his family and let them escape.

Xavier started the engine of the car. Nodding his head as he swallowed repeatedly, he glanced at the cadaver bag in the back seat of the car.

'Let's see if one of us is lucky tonight,' Xavier thought before he drove the car.

When he turned the wheels back, the loud hissing of the car tires squealed on the empty road.

The corpse delivery time is 6pm to 8pm. It is because the police patrol roams the road from 9pm onwards.

While driving, Xavier looked at the time in the car.

7:36 pm.

He carefully parked at the side of the dark and empty road. Xavier hopped down from the car and looked around.

As expected, there is no CCTV around the place. After taking this road for a year, Xavier memorized which places have cameras and which places have none.

'There are no cameras here but the police always take this route,' he thought.

He opened the door of the back seat and looked at the cadaver bag.

Xavier swallowed dry saliva repeatedly before he carefully carried the heavy bag.

Wincing, Xavier succeeded in putting the bag on the roadside.

While catching his breath, he stared at the bag and pressed his lips into one thin line.

If the boss finds out about this, the boss will kill Xavier.

'But if the boss believes the Madam, I will die too,' Xavier laughed at this.

At least, if they really killed him, he set a trap that would unfold the hideous secret of the mansion.

"I won't go down alone," Xavier murmured.

He raised his hand and reached for the zipper. Then, he unzipped the bag. He couldn't see the face of the man because it was dark. But Xavier could feel his faint breathing.

'He's really alive.'

Xavier was about to unzip it all down, but he saw the red and blue light from afar.

It is a police vehicle.

In a hurry, Xavier looked at the man in the bag.

"L-Listen," he stuttered. "I don't know if you can hear me or not. But let me tell you this."

He took a deep breath before detaching his mouth again.

"The police are coming to save you."

"Hmmm," the man groaned in pain.

Xavier looked back at the police car. It's coming closer and closer.

"Live. Live and survive!"

He stood up and was about to go back to the car when someone held his wrist from behind.

"Haaah!" Xavier gasped as he looked back at the man in the cadaver bag.

The bloody hands held him tightly, as if telling him to stay there.

Xavier's knees gave in with the blood on his sight. He saw down on the muddy grass field with wide open eyes that cannot shut.

"Name," the bloody man whispered to Xavier. "Your name."

Xavier glanced at the police car. He removed the hand away from his wrist and crawled backward.

Feeling the pounding of his heart, Xavier stood up and stumbled towards the car. He held the doorknob and when he opened the door, Xavier murmured his name.

"Xavier Green."

"..."

"If you are asking for my name to know your benefactor, then don't bother. I might also die tonight."

He entered the car and drove away.

Xavier wasn't sure why he shared his name with the survivor.

'Maybe I want someone to remember the last good deed that I will do in my life,' Xavier thought.

Xavier went back to the mansion.

As soon as he hopped from the car, Frederick dashed towards him.

"Why did you come back?! You idiot!" Frederick shouted at him. "Didn't I tell you that Sir Cesar would kill you?!"

Trembling, Xavier held Frederick's shoulder.

"My f-family. I couldn't contact them anymore. D-Did the boss bring them h-here?" he asked in terror. "Where are they?!"

"T-That..." Frederick murmured. "About that I already..."

"Xavier is here!" shouted the men who found the two in the mansion's garden.

In an instant, Frederick and Xavier were surrounded by Cesar's men.

Xavier looked around. All of them wear guns on their waist. Even if he fights back, he has no chance of winning.

'There's no escape,' Xavier thought as his blood ran cold. He knew this would like to happen if he came back and he readied himself. But preparations were futile.

The racing heat and shivering of his body could tell the whole story.

"Xavier Green!"

A man's scream pierced the air.

From the dark shadows of the trees, crows flew up in the sky.

Under the moonlight, shadows overlapped behind Xavier. Two men pushed him down to the ground, and his knees fell hard.

"Argh," Xavier grunted in pain.

As his eyes stood downward, he saw a pair of shoes and heels traversing in front of him.

When he lifted his head, sweat gathered at the tip of his chin. A gray handgun welcomed his sight, and the gun's muzzle pecked on his forehead.

"How audacious of you to come back with your own feet," Cesar said in a throaty tone while aiming the gun straight at Xavier's head.

Staring at the gun, Xavier felt the rising tide of fear. The chill of haze began to crystallize as he looked at Cesar and Lewelyn, who were standing behind her husband.

'That evil and cunning woman,' Xavier cursed inwardly, while glaring at the Madam of the house.

"This man! This is the man who tried to rape me!" Lewelyn shouted while pointing at Xavier. She covered her eyes and sobbed loudly as if she was traumatized just by seeing the rapist's face.

"...hah."

An abrupt scoff squeezed out from behind Xavier's clenched teeth. On the back of his hands, lines of blue popped. His blood was riled by Lewelyn's accusation.

It was all a lie.

The two of them know what really happened inside her room. Lewelyn asked him to be her lover, but she got rejected. So why would she do that?

Because she felt ashamed?

Eager to know the answer, Xavier peered straight to Lewelyn. A hint of a sneer flashed on the lady's lips, and no one saw it except Xavier. He knew it right then that Lewelyn was determined to ruin his life from the moment he declined her offer.

"This is not true," Xavier defended while shaking his head. "I never covet your woman, Sir!"

"Lies!" Lewelyn screamed while crying hysterically. "Y-You forced yourself inside my room and confessed that you liked me. When I rejected you, you threatened me and tried to hold me!"

"No!" Xavier declined. "I never d..."

Xavier stopped when Cesar pinned the gun muzzle onto his forehead.

Click.

There was a clicking sound as Cesar put the gun's hammer down. After that, every sound was muted. Xavier could only hear the loud beating of his heart.

"Are you saying that my wife who was crying so hard is lying to me?!" Cesar shouted.

"I... won't dare lie to y..."

"SHUT THE **** UP!

Xavier's shoulders tensed. From the beginning, he was never given the chance to explain himself, and everything was decided.

Whatever the truth is, Xavier will be punished by Cesar. No one would listen to a lowly and powerless driver.

"You touched something which isn't yours, young man," Cesar said while grinding his teeth.

With bulging eyes, he stared down on Xavier and added, "The only punishment for coveting what isn't yours is death."

Cesar placed his index finger onto the gun's trigger, when suddenly, someone shouted, "That's impossible!"

Everyone looked at Frederick, who suddenly screamed.

"Xavier won't ever do that!" Frederick added.

Eyes rounded, Xavier looked at his one and only friend.

Frederick is the most cowardly man who Xavier met in his whole life. During Frederick's first day at work, he almost collapsed after seeing a dead body. Since then, Frederick had been determined to stay low while working in this dangerous mansion.

But that cowardly friend gathered his courage to defend Xavier.

"What is this wimp..." Cesar paused to look at Frederic's wet pants before he continued, "...talking about?"

Frederick was so scared that he peed on his pants just by trying to save Xavier. But it was too late to back out. He could not stay still and do anything when Xavier was about to die.

Gulping his fear, Frederick responded to Cesar.

"A moment ago, I a-asked a maid."

Frederick glanced at Xavier and then diverted his eyes to Lewelyn.

"It was Madam Lewelyn who called Xavier in her room," he said, and then pointed to the evil woman.

Lewelyn's face turned bright red.

Whoever leaked this information, she vowed to kill that person next.

"T-That's not true!" Lewelyn uttered, gripping her husband's arm. "I am the victim here! Why are you doing this to me?! You should not defend him just because you are his friend!"

"B-But..." Frederick stuttered.

"Honey," Lewelyn called her husband. "Ask the maids. You c-can ask the maids. They will prove the truth."

Cesar, who will absolutely take his wife's side, nodded his head.

"Call the maids who were serving my wife," Cesar commanded.

Calling the maids to confirm the truth? Xavier doubted it would be helpful.

Who will take the risk and side a driver against the Madam of the house?

"Madam Lewelyn is...," one of the maids started giving her statement. She glanced at Lewelyn and saw her glaring at her.

If the maid says the truth, then she knows Lewelyn will kill her next.

Therefore, she shut her eyes and decided to save her life instead.

"T-The driver went inside M-Madam's room!" the maid shouted a lie.

Xavier looked at the maid while shaking his head. He prayed she would stare at him and pity him, but to no avail, the maid kept her head down while lying.

"I heard Madam shouting and asking him to stop. B-But, the driver threatened her life. If the madam won't let him do what he wants, then she could just give him money to pay his debts."

Then, the maid showed the bank cheque that she had found inside Lewelyn's room and gave it to Cesar.

$2 million.

It is the exact amount that Xavier needs to pay his wife's debts.

No more words needed; Cesar aimed the gun at Xavier.

He will die tonight. That's final.

Hanging his head low, Xavier stared at his swaying shadow.

"My family," Xavier murmured.

With no strength left, he bent down and kissed the ground.

"My family has nothing to do with this. P-Please, spare them."

Cesar looked down at Xavier. "Even if I wanted to, I could not do it now. Your wife and your son had disappeared already when my men arrived in your apartment."

Xavier's loosened eyes lifted.

His wife and son disappeared before Cesar found them?

A moment ago, Xavier couldn't contact his wife. He thought that it was because Cesar's men brought her and his son to the mansion. But are they missing?

Xavier tilted his head and looked at Frederick.

The only one who knows Xavier's family is his friend.

'Does it mean that Frederick told my wife to escape beforehand?'

Now he realized why Frederick kept on telling him to stay where he was and hide.

'How stupid of me. I am such an idiot,' Xavier blamed himself even though it was too late.

"You begged me to spare your family. Does it mean that you're admitting your crime?" Cesar asked.

Xavier bit his lips firmly as he curled his mitts into menacing missiles. He kept his mouth closed, as if this was the only way to aid Cesar's anger and to protect his wife and son.

"Xavier! What are you doing? Tell the truth! You didn't do it!" Frederick shouted.

"Ahhh sh*t. Dog knows how to bark," Cesar complained before he aimed his gun at Frederick instead and pulled the gun's trigger.

Bang!

"Ahhhh!" a loud piercing shot resonated in the cold air.

Frederick cried out loudly while holding the gunshot in his injured leg.

As Xavier watched his friend wriggling in pain, he lost more hope.

Cesar aimed the gun back at Xavier and demanded, "Speak."

Palpitating, Xavier started to Cesar. If he keeps on staying quiet, Frederick will die.

Xavier can't do this to his friend.

Frederick saved his family, so he had to do the same.

"Kill me. Just kill me!" Xavier shouted; blue lines hissed on his neck.

Cesar laughed menacingly as he saw Xavier's desperation.

"Kill you?" Cesar asked. "If I pull this trigger right now, everything will end just like that. Do you think that would satisfy me and my wife?"

The old man raised his hand and grabbed Xavier's cheek. He squeezed it tight while his foot stepped on Xavier's hand.

"Ugggh!" Xavier groaned in pain as he glared back at Cesar.

"I won't give you a painless death, you lowly and dirty beggar!"

Cesar's secretary gave something to him.

Xavier watched the whole scene before him and saw a blue and red tablet in Cesar's hand.

'What is that? A drug? A poison?'

As Cesar held him tightly, he showed him the drug in his hand and grinned.

"Do you know this? Without this, you wouldn't be able to work in this place. There will be no corpse to deliver without this thing."

For a year, Xavier was curious why there were so many corpses going in and out of the mansion. Finally, he figured out the answer. It is because of that drug. Where it came from and what it is for, Xavier has no time to know that.

One thing is for sure. Xavier delivered hundreds of corpses who died after taking this drug, and now, it is his turn.

"Take this, and meet your family in the next life," Cesar laughed before he forcefully put the drug inside Xavier's mouth.

"Hmmff!"

One man pinned him down. Others covered their mouths.

As Xavier struggled to spit out the drug, he recalled his wife's smile and his son's laugh.

After that, he won't be able to see them again.

'Maybe this is my punishment,' Xavier thought while the drug slowly melted on his tongue.

Just like the corpse, he would vanish from the world without a trace. And Xavier thinks it is his punishment for doing something so evil for the sake of money.

When the drug entered his system, Xavier quickly noticed the subtle hallucinogenic effect in his body. He saw the yellow swirly tinged film covering his vision. It was hard to breathe, as if Xavier was fighting against the demon that was dragging him to the pit on the ground. He felt himself slipping further and further from reality, and that's when the intoxicating calmness rushed over him. He fell on the ground.

Thud.

Someone yelled his name from a distance.

"Xavier! Xavier!"

He opened his lids.

Xavier saw the people who were watching him die slowly and painfully.

Cesar, who threatened his family and forced him to kill himself.

Lewelyn, who wrongly accused him of a crime he did not do.

The maid who lied.

The men who dragged him down.

The secretary of Cesar who hired him in this place.

And last, Frederick who's lying on the floor covered with blood.

Tears flowed like hot flames. His throat sobbed, yet no words came out. He had no strength left and all he wanted to do was to close his eyes.

'I don't want to die.'

But at one point, Xavier accepted that it was likely bound to happen.

Accepting his defeat, he laid down on the ground and looked at the night sky.

He remembered his wife's smile, his son's laugh and the promise that he would make them happy.

'I am sorry.'

With those three words, Xavier apologized for everything. For being a worthless husband, and for being a negligible father.

He was so sorry that he couldn't fulfill them anymore.

'I'm sorry that you married a worthless guy like me,' he apologized to his wife.

'I am sorry, I wasn't that kind of father you wanted to boast to your friends,' he apologized to his son.

When Xavier closed his eyes, he recalled the bloody man in the cadaver bag.

Before he decided to save him, he made a bet to see who is lucky among them. In the end, Xavier believes that he never stood a chance.

He laughed with tears and slowly lost consciousness.

Xavier stopped breathing.

He ceased moving.

Everyone thinks Xavier is dead.

'But they were wrong.'

Because the night won't end until they deliver Xavier's body to the 53rd warehouse.