Chapter 3

When I opened my eyes again, everything before me was a haze.

I stood dumbfounded, looking at Ethan Shaw and Lila Reeves right in front of me. Ethan had that familiar look of indulgence on his face, the one he always reserved for her.

“Stop it, will you?” he said, his tone soft and coaxing. “I already told you, I can’t divorce her right now. You know she’s pregnant. If I leave her now, you’ll be the one people blame.”

At first, I thought he was refusing to divorce me because he still had a sliver of conscience. But then it hit me—he wasn’t doing it for me. He was doing it to protect Lila Reeves’ reputation.

Of course. In his heart, what was I to him? Nothing. Just a burden.

I didn’t understand why they weren’t kicking me out, though. I was standing right there, in plain sight. Lila Reeves had always despised me. Why hadn’t she told me to leave yet?

“Hmph, fine. I’ll forgive you this time since you came so quickly,” Lila said with a pout, her voice dripping with feigned innocence. “But are you sure it’s okay to just leave her out there like that? I heard she’s due to give birth soon.”

Yes. Anyone with a shred of humanity wouldn’t do such a thing.

I spoke, trying to get their attention. But no matter how loud I was, neither of them acknowledged my presence. Panic began to set in. I reached out and tapped Ethan Shaw on the shoulder.

What happened next was something I never expected. My hand went straight through him.

I froze. What was happening?

A terrifying thought exploded in my mind. Could it be…? Was I already dead?

The two of them continued their flirtation backstage, completely oblivious to me. Then, Ethan’s phone rang. He answered it casually, not expecting the fury that erupted from the other end.

“Ethan Shaw! Where are you? How could you leave Clara alone on the road? She was in labor! Did you know that? Well, now she’s dead! Are you happy now?”

It was my best friend, screaming like a madwoman. Her voice was raw with anger and grief.

So it was true. I was dead.

Ethan seemed stunned at first, caught off guard by the onslaught. But when he recovered, his tone turned cold and dismissive.

“What kind of trick is this now? Playing dead? What is she, a child? Tell her this—if she’s really dead, I still wouldn’t spare her a second glance.”

My friend’s voice rose, trembling with fury. “Are you even human? That was your wife! She was carrying your child! How can you say such things?”

“Even if she were a stranger, you should’ve at least cared enough to check on her!”

Her desperation must have sounded genuine, even to him. For once, Ethan fell silent, as if he were actually considering whether this might be real.

“I should—” he began, but Lila Reeves suddenly clutched her head.

“Ethan, my head feels so dizzy,” she murmured weakly.

That was all it took. Ethan dropped everything. Without hesitation, he turned his back on the call.

“I’m telling you now,” he barked into the phone, “if she doesn’t come back in three days, you’ll bear the consequences.” Then he hung up, ignoring my friend’s enraged screams on the other end.

I should’ve known. This was exactly the kind of man he was. As long as Lila Reeves showed the slightest sign of distress, I ceased to exist in his world.

Lila coughed weakly, her voice trembling with mock concern. “Ethan, I’m fine. Clara probably needs you more. You should go to her.”

“Lila! You’re too kind for your own good!” Ethan exclaimed, his voice filled with blind adoration. “She’s just faking it. I can see through these little tricks of hers.”

Lila’s lips curled into a subtle smirk, a flicker of triumph flashing in her eyes. But Ethan, lost in his delusion of her perfection, didn’t notice.

Even his friend couldn’t bear to watch anymore. “Ethan,” the man interrupted hesitantly, “maybe you should check on her. Clara doesn’t seem like the kind of person to play games like this.”

Ethan snorted, his face twisting with disdain. “Don’t worry about her. She’s been my lapdog for years. She won’t leave me. All I have to do is snap my fingers, and she’ll come crawling back.”

Hearing his smug confidence, I couldn’t help but laugh.

Ethan Shaw, you’re so sure of yourself. What will you do when you find out I’m truly gone?