Deadly Apartment

Suspicion at Every Turn

This is a suspense novel full of twists and turns, where no one around the protagonist can be trusted. The killer prowls the apartment, while neighbors in the same building and visiting friends all harbor their own secrets. The story ends at the most critical moment, just as the protagonist realizes everyone is lying—a cliffhanger leaving readers desperate for answers. At the time, I couldn’t help but curse the author for their knack for suspense.

Now that I’ve become the protagonist, I wish I could dive into the author’s mind and demand to know the truth. But dwelling on that is meaningless now. I may not be able to deal with the killer, the neighbors, or the friends, but I can definitely fix this dangerously insecure apartment.

I started by contacting five renovation companies after ensuring I had enough money. If I can’t get out, the killer won’t be able to get in either. The front door and windows were replaced with the highest-grade security materials—the kind used in bank vaults.

Being highly suspicious by nature and a fan of thriller novels, I knew the killer might disguise themselves as a contractor to plant surveillance devices or secret doors. To counter this, I hired five renovation teams from different places. For instance, Team A and Team B installed the door together, while Teams C, D, and E supervised. Even so, I stayed nearby to monitor everything myself, ensuring none of the teams could secretly tamper with anything.

For the window installations, I rotated the assignments. This time, Teams C and D worked while Teams A, B, and E oversaw the process. The rotation order was decided by random draws to reduce the chance of any two teams getting too familiar. Using this method, I upgraded the apartment’s doors, windows, floors, ceilings, and even the drainage system to my exact specifications.

I also eliminated potential hiding spots. The large wardrobe in the bedroom and the bed with a gap underneath were thrown out. A mattress on the floor works just fine for sleeping.

Do you think that’s enough? Of course not.

Next, I called in the police—not to report the killer, but to have them check for hidden cameras or people hiding in the apartment. Two officers arrived in a patrol car. After verifying their badge numbers online, I entrusted them with the search. Once they found nothing suspicious, I personally saw them out.

The apartment seemed secure, but I knew it still wasn’t enough.