Lies on a Rainy Night

My name is Sophia Lynn. The rain when I was fifteen was as cold as a knife. Raindrops pelted the windowpane, producing a relentless, crackling sound. The wind slipped through the half-open window, carrying a damp and chilling breath. I curled up in the corner of the stairwell, clutching tightly the birthday gift my Father had given me — a brown plush bear. Its ears had already been distorted by my squeezing, just like my heart at this moment. The stench of blood in the living room slowly crept to the stairwell entrance, a sickly sweet and pungent odor that made me want to vomit. I held my breath and peered down through the gap in the stair railing. "Sophia, don't be afraid, hide in the wardrobe." Father's voice came from downstairs, trembling in a way I had never heard before. Before I could react, he pushed me forcefully into the cloakroom. The moment the door closed, I heard heavy footsteps followed by the thunderous crash of the door being kicked open. Immediately after, Father's agonized scream pierced the air, a sound that stabbed my heart like a knife. The gap in the wardrobe door was narrow but enough for me to see everything unfolding in the living room. A man in a black trench coat stood before Father, holding a handgun that gleamed with a chilling light. His profile was stern, his gaze as cold as ice. A man beside him respectfully called out, "Mr. Green." I don't remember how long I stayed in the wardrobe; I only knew that my legs had gone numb. Time seemed to freeze, with only fragments of conversation from outside and the sound of my heartbeat breaking the silence. After an unknown length of time, the wardrobe door was gently opened. "Come with me." The man crouched down, his voice low and gentle, his palm surprisingly warm. I stared into his eyes; that was the first time I saw Caleb Green. There was no malice in his eyes as I had imagined; instead, there was an indescribable calm. "Who are you?" My voice was hoarse, like sandpaper. "I am the one who will avenge you." He pulled me into his arms, a faint scent of cedar lingering on his coat. Two weeks later, the news reported that George White and his family had been arrested for intentional homicide. I sat by the hospital window, staring blankly at the rain outside. Caleb Green pushed the door open, holding a cup of warm milk in his hands. "From now on, I will protect you." He placed the milk before me, his gaze resolute. I gripped the cup tightly, tears uncontrollably striking its surface: "Thank you, Mr. Green." Ten years later, I stood on the Best Actress award stage, the spotlight so blinding I could barely keep my eyes open. As applause surged like a tide, I raised the trophy but searched the crowd for that familiar figure. At the celebration banquet, I finally saw Caleb Green. But he was not alone; he was kissing a young girl by the lounge door. When the girl turned, I recognized her as the recently popular young model, Willow White. Her smile was sweet, yet her eyes held a hint of defiance. "Sophia Lynn," Willow White approached me, gently placing her hand on her lower abdomen, "I'm carrying Caleb Green's child." My trophy nearly slipped from my hands. "What did you say?" Caleb Green stepped out, shielding Willow White behind him. "Sophia, please listen to my explanation." "Explain what? Explain that on the night I won Best Actress, you were holding another woman, telling her you loved her?" I stared into his eyes; the warmth from ten years ago had completely turned to ice. Willow White leaned against Caleb Green's chest, laughing: "Sophia Lynn, Caleb said he's long grown tired of it. If it weren't for your continued usefulness..." "Enough!" Caleb Green interrupted her but did not pull away her hand. I slammed the trophy to the ground, fragments scattering near his shoes: "Caleb Green, it's over between us."