The knife in Jane's hand plunged into James's chest.
As she looked at the wide-eyed man, the fear in her heart inexplicably began to fade-from the very beginning, she had known that her fate would be death.
Just like the man's missing lovers.
The man before her had told her so himself.
She had immediately begun to fight back.
Then the man had laughed.
He had laughed as he viciously lashed her with the whip in his hand.
A strange satisfaction had surfaced on his face.
From that moment on, she had known he had done it deliberately.
He had told her on purpose, all for that feeling of satisfaction.
He did not want the game to be too easy. He wanted her to resist.
And only by resisting, by giving him that satisfaction...
Could she stay alive.
Day after day.
She did not know how she had endured it. She only knew that she did not want to die, so she had lived cautiously by his rules.
But when he returned yesterday, she had known she was doomed.
He had told her what had happened at 10 Clara Street, then told her that 5 Moon Street was also his property. He also had a little plan that required her cooperation.
He would disappear.
After fooling everyone, he would take her to the Inner Bay.
That was a lie, of course. She knew him far too well. Every time he spoke to her so gently, vicious torment followed a moment later.
And this time...
He was going to kill her.
He could not leave her alive when she knew the truth.
But there was still hope!
That "Medium" whose fame was on the rise would come!
Surely he would see through the man's tricks!
But...
He had not.
That "Medium"