Total Control

The day I first met

Amity Crossroads was a secluded villa district tucked away in City A.The homes here looked old-fashioned—not in the grand, mountaintop-European style of the 17th century, nor in the expressive, lakeside-modern fashion of today. Instead, they carried the dignified elegance of the late 19th century.

Amidst the steel and concrete of the modern world, these houses exuded the quiet nobility and leisure of old-money families. Each villa, with its own private courtyard, upheld a distinct sense of taste and discretion, as if hidden away from the world entirely.It was strange—how a place barely a dozen minutes from the heart of bustling City A could feel so isolated. Towering sycamore trees lined the roads, dense and tall, filtering out the noise and chaos beyond. Whether by accident or intent, they created a haven of peace and privacy.In the sweltering July heat, the thick green canopy didn't just offer shade and cool air. It added an unspoken message—this place was not meant for outsiders.

Liliane had enrolled in summer courses, and the schedule was always tight.As she walked along the dimly lit path, her mind was still stuck on the professor's lecture from earlier in the day—Western music history. She drifted in and out of focus, also calculating how much time she had left for piano practice that night.

Amity Crossroads No. 1314—the house carried her parents' romantic history. Liliane arrived at the door, reaching into her bag for the key. She pulled it out, ready to open the door."Don't scream!"A black shadow suddenly appeared behind her. A hand clamped tightly around her neck.Ding—Liliane trembled. The key slipped from her fingers and hit the ground.She didn't scream.She didn't dare scream.She couldn't scream.Really—if someone sneaked up behind you as you were unlocking your own front door, if they pressed a blade to your waist... would you be able to scream?Not only couldn't she scream—Liliane felt the strength drain from her body in an instant. She froze. She didn't even dare to move.

The person behind her was incredibly close, their voice low and brushing right past her ear.Liliane felt the sting of cold metal pressing sharply into her waist. She could feel the weight of his body behind hers—heavy, suffocating.

And there was a smell.A very distinct smell of blood.Liliane's mind went completely blank."Don't say a word... Get inside."Stiffly, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.The man kicked the dropped key into the yard.Then—bang—the iron gate slammed shut behind them.Liliane didn't dare look back, but she heard the sharp sound of metal—the key turning in the lock behind her. Her thoughts were in chaos.A robber?Or worse—someone who had just killed someone?This place wasn't like other apartment buildings with 24-hour security. Liliane had been born and raised here, and in all those years, she had never heard of a break-in.People who lived here were either rich or powerful. Every household likely had some kind of backing.But facts were facts.Since childhood, she had never even encountered a thief. Not just a thief—she couldn't recall ever seeing a single homeless person walking past the neighborhood.

But now—The door was closed. She was shut off from the rest of the world.The neighbors were distant. There were no pedestrians on the road.If she were silenced tonight... her body might only be found when it started to rot."Fear" wasn't even a strong enough word for what she felt.

The knife pressed against her back kept her walking, step by step, into the house.But along the way, she couldn't see anything that could be used to block the door.Aside from the large iron gate—which they locked every time they went out—the rest of the villa was completely unguarded:Delicately carved wooden doors.Floor-to-ceiling windows.