Chapter 1

By the third year after my death, my son and I were still wandering ghosts. Because of our deep ties to this world, we couldn't pass on from here.

Meanwhile, my husband, Samuel Hoffman, had clawed his way up from the bottom of society. He had transformed into the most up-and-coming new star in the business world.

I had betrayed him without hesitation during his most desperate times. So, he hated me. He hated me so much that he would skin me alive.

Three years ago, he had forced me to donate my bone marrow to his childhood sweetheart, Violet Sampson. At that time, I had been deathly sick.

Bone marrow aspiration was an invasive procedure. I didn't know if it was a botched operation or if my low immunity due to my inherent illness was to blame, but I suffered a severe systemic infection a week after the procedure. I then fell into a fever-induced coma and died at home.

My three-year-old son, Toby Hoffman, was left uncared for. Eventually, he died by my side.

In all those three years, Samuel never visited us—not even once. He didn't make a single phone call.

While holding Toby's little hand, I floated in the air. I watched as Samuel kicked at the front gate of the small house that I used to live in.

We hadn't seen each other in three years, and he had changed a lot. His expression was cold and merciless. It felt so familiar yet so oddly strange.

Behind him stood Violet, who was dressed extravagantly and wearing a face mask. Her complexion was rosy, and her figure perfectly proportioned. She didn't look like someone who was terminally ill at all.

Toby listened to the grating noise of the door being kicked and hid in my arms in fear. He looked up at me. His bright eyes were filled with a mix of excitement and fear.

"Mommy, has Daddy finally remembered us? He hasn't come to see us for such a long, long time. But he seems angry. Did I upset him? And who is that lady standing there?" Toby asked a series of questions.

I patted his head softly. My heart ached like a knife had cut through it. My throat felt constricted, and I couldn't utter a word.

"Kristen! Get out here right now! Stop playing dead inside!" Samuel shouted hoarsely into the courtyard.

The commotion startled Jessie Vance, who lived next door.

She stepped out of her yard and asked Samuel, "Young man, who are you looking for? No one has lived here for a long time."

Samuel composed himself and asked, "Didn't Kristen live here? Has she moved away?"

Jessie's eyes dimmed as she sighed. "Are you talking about Kristen Zucker? That poor young woman died three years ago."

Samuel froze for a moment.

Jessie continued, "I heard that she was forced to donate her bone marrow when she was very ill. She passed away a few days after coming back. It was truly tragic."

Violet's expression changed, and her face turned pale. As if feeling wronged, she protested. "Please don't spread unfounded rumors like that, ma'am. Donating bone marrow is safe and doesn't cause death.

"If she didn't want to donate her bone marrow to me, she could've just said so. There's no need to jinx herself like this."

She deliberately said those words loudly, as if I might be eavesdropping from inside the house.

Samuel, who had been dazed, immediately relaxed when he heard Violet's words. The next moment, a mocking smile appeared on his face.

He said contemptuously, "She likes to play pretend all the time. If she wants to make up lies, she should at least make them believable. She should look up whether anyone has ever died from donating bone marrow."

Jessie didn't understand what they were arguing about. She repeated, "The poor thing. She died in the house and no one knew for days…"

Samuel's expression turned icy. He said to Jessie, "I don't know why you're helping her deceive me. But please tell her this—if she doesn't show up within three days to donate her bone marrow to Vivi, I won't hesitate to cut off the dialysis treatment for that child of hers."

Jessie's eyes widened in shock. She shook her head and sighed before turning to go back into her own house.

From behind her, Samuel warned coldly, "Remember that I'm giving her only three days. If she doesn't show up, I won't pay her a single cent of living expenses this month. She'll watch as that little kid dies in front of her."

With her back turned, Jessie's eyes reddened as she muttered to herself, "That poor child… He already starved to death a long time ago. If only I had gone to check… Maybe I could've saved him."