Chapter 2My Husband Does Not Know I Am Dead

I followed Rhys to "The Starlight Room."

It was the first upscale restaurant Rhys had ever taken me to.

Back then, we were broke, scrambling to build our careers.

He spent half a month’s salary on that one dinner.

He’d said, “Sera, one day I’ll bring you here every night.”

He kept his word. Once things improved, we did come here often.

Now that I was gone, he was starting a new life. No one should live in the past.

The time he spent with me was hard enough.

I hoped his future would be a little sweeter.

He waited a long time, but Kinsley never showed.

A while later, his phone vibrated again.

After he answered, Rhys looked frantic. He said a few rushed words and sped off toward the hospital.

Kinsley was injured.

A fractured left leg.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness it wasn’t like me.

“Rhys.”

“I shouldn’t have come near you. I shouldn’t have been foolish enough to hope. Let’s not see each other again.”

Kinsley was a mess of tears.

Rhys gently soothed her.

“What happened?”

Kinsley choked out the words.

“It was... it was your wife.”

“She must have seen the messages I sent you. She found me and said this was just a warning. If there was a next time…”

“...she said she’d kill me!”

“Rhys, what am I going to do? Please, can you protect me? All I wanted was to be near you.”

I froze.

I had never met Kinsley Tate, let alone threatened her.

Why was she lying?

I stared at Rhys, still clinging to a sliver of hope.

I thought, based on how well he knew me, he wouldn't possibly believe this lie.

But he disappointed me.

A vicious, hateful glare—a look I’d never seen directed at me—flashed in his eyes.

After calming her down, he left the room and called my phone over and over.

Of course, the calls never went through.

He opened our messaging app and sent a voice note.

“Sera Miller! Haven’t you caused enough chaos?! I’ve tolerated you for eight years—eight years of nursing you while you were paralyzed! Isn't that enough?! How dare you be so wicked as to attack Kinsley!”

“How can you be so venomous? I must have been blind to marry you! You’re nothing but dead weight, a burden on everyone!”

Every word was a stake through the heart.

If I were still alive, I couldn’t imagine the pain of hearing that.

But thankfully, I was dead. The dead don't feel heartache.

It was better this way. If he hated me, he could move on from the past faster.

Rhys returned to Kinsley’s bedside and held her tight.

He didn't come home that night.

The morning light streamed through the balcony glass, illuminating the empty wheelchair.

Sam saw the wheelchair and let out a sigh of irritation.

“Mom, why are you up so early?”

No one answered.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Sulking again. So annoying.”

On the dining table were warm milk and a fried egg.

He’d learned to make breakfast two years ago. I had felt so proud and sad at the same time.

It’s a shame Mom will never taste her son’s breakfast again.

I followed Sam downstairs.

A crowd had gathered near the complex entrance, completely blocking the way.

Through the gaps, I faintly saw a pool of fresh, bright red blood.

I immediately positioned myself in front of Sam.

I was terrified he would see my corpse and be traumatized.

Thankfully, he only glanced once, then quickly averted his gaze.

I sighed with relief and shielded him until we reached the gate.

A gust of wind swept past my ear, and he muttered under his breath:

“I wish it had been her who died.”

My non-existent heart lurched, then settled into calm acceptance.

Son, your wish has already come true.

I only hope you won’t be too sad later.