Chapter 3

Listening to Chloe’s heartless words, I realized something shocking—my heart didn't hurt as much anymore.

After all, what could I expect from a woman who didn't care about her missing husband, yet treated her ex-boyfriend's mild cold like a medical emergency?

My only regret was realizing her true nature so late.

I didn't want to watch them play house anymore, but the moment I saw Chloe, I felt an invisible chain binding me to her.

I couldn't move more than a few yards away from her.

I felt like an absolute clown. I was miserable while alive, and now I was forced to watch my wife and her lover as a ghost.

Frustrated, I turned my gaze to the empty wall in the hallway.

Our wedding photo used to hang there.

A bitter feeling washed over me. After all these years together, did Chloe really have no feelings for me at all?

Suddenly, a phone vibrated.

Julian had fallen asleep. Chloe quietly stepped out of the bedroom, eagerly grabbing her phone. But when she saw the caller ID, her excited expression instantly collapsed.

It was Marcus, my one and only best friend in this city.

"What do you want?" Chloe’s tone was incredibly sharp.

Marcus's voice came through, cold and dark. "Chloe. Where the hell are you?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "None of your business. State your purpose, I'm busy."

A heavy silence fell over the line before Marcus exploded. "Busy with what?! Busy playing nurse to that pathetic loser, Julian?! Do you have any idea what happened to Ethan—"

"Don't shout at me, Marcus!" Chloe barked back. "Watch your mouth, or go to hell!"

Marcus took a deep, shaky breath. "Let me ask you something. Have you even checked the rescue updates for Ethan recently?"

"No. He's a grown man. Can't he find his own way home? He survived the crash and didn't even bother to text me. His ego is getting way too big," Chloe scoffed.

"He can't text you, Chloe! He will never text you again! Because he is dead! Ethan is dead! You are his wife, how can you be this fucking heartless?!" Marcus roared into the phone.

Chloe let out a condescending laugh. "Oh, please. Does Ethan know his best friend is making up fake deaths for him now?"

Marcus gasped, utterly bewildered. "You don't believe me?"

"Why should I? Use your brain, Marcus. Ethan can swim, and he had a lifebuoy. Staying afloat until help arrived would be a piece of cake for him. Besides, he's too stubborn to die."

Marcus was practically hyperventilating with rage. "He *used* to swim, Chloe! That was ten years ago! Ever since he almost drowned saving your worthless life, he developed a severe phobia of water! He hasn't touched water since!"

"Chloe, you are a monster. Ethan was your husband. He loved you more than life itself, and you left him to die alone in the dark!"

Chloe froze. "What rubbish are you talking about? Julian was the one who saved me back then."

"Bullshit! Julian didn't show up at the hospital until hours later! If you had waited for him to save you, you'd be a skeleton by now! Think back to that day, Chloe! Who actually dragged you out of the water?!"

"That's impossible... I clearly remember..." Chloe’s voice trailed off. The annoyance on her face cracked, revealing a sliver of panic.

Marcus let out a humorless laugh. "What's the matter, princess? Memory coming back?"

Ignoring his mockery, a sudden dread crept into Chloe's eyes. Her voice trembled. "You... what did you say happened to Ethan just now?"

"He's dead, Chloe! He's dead!"