Framed in Life, Cursed After Death

The heavy steel door rattled under a barrage of loud, metallic thuds.

Floating in midair, I watched my wife, Libby Burton, stand outside my apartment with her first love, Louie Fraser, behind her. Her high heels were kicking at the front door so hard she looked ready to put a hole through it.

"Kieran Hayes, get out here! Don't think ignoring my messages means I can't track you down! Do you have any idea how urgent things are for Louie right now? How can you be so heartless? Are you really just going to sit by and let him burn?"

It had been five years since I went to prison, and I hadn't seen Libby since.

I never expected that when she finally remembered I existed, it would be to demand I take the fall for Louie again.

Louie hovered behind her with sunglasses hooked lazily over the back of his head, looking as smug and carefree as ever. "Libby, maybe he's not home. Should we… just drop it?"

"Not a chance! He just got out of prison. Where else would he go? He's definitely avoiding me on purpose! Kieran! Get out here!"

Libby gritted her teeth and kicked the door even harder. The racket finally drew my neighbor, Maddox Bell, out from the apartment next door.

She opened her door, frowning. "Who are you looking for? Nobody's lived there for a long time."

Libby shot a cold sideways glance at Maddox and said, "I'm looking for Kieran. Did he step out?"

"Kieran?" Maddox's gaze turned complicated. "He… passed away a long time ago."

I saw Libby's expression freeze for a moment before she quickly returned to her usual look of disdain. "Are you kidding me? Kieran wouldn't just—"

"Why would I joke about something like that?" Maddox cut her off. "He died just two days after getting out of prison two years ago. The doctors couldn't save him. Who are you to him, anyway?"

"H-How could he…"

The rest of Libby's sentence caught in her throat, and her face drained of color at Maddox's words.

Seeing this, Louie tugged gently on her sleeve. "Libby, forget it… Kieran's even faking his own death now. He's clearly bitter about taking the fall for me two years ago. I'm sure he won't help me again. Let's just go."

With just a few words, he instantly brushed aside Libby's doubts, convincing her that I was merely playing dead to avoid helping them.

Sure enough, Libby let out a cold laugh. "Bitter? What right does he have to be bitter? I paid him plenty of money. He should be grateful!"

Floating right above them, I felt my soul tremble with rage.

Money? I never received a single cent.

I had been saving money for my daughter Trista Hayes' college tuition, but just two days after I went to prison, every last cent was drained from my account.

If not for that, I could've paid Trista's medical bills when she was seriously injured.

Louie put on a dramatic sigh. "It's fine, Libby. If he wants me in prison, I'll go. I'm not scared of doing the time. I just can't bear the thought of being away from you…"

Libby immediately clasped his hand, deeply moved. "Louie, don't worry. I won't let them take you away from me. I'll hunt Kieran down, and he will take the heat for you!"

As I watched the two of them, I wanted nothing more than to fly down and strangle them both.

However, I was just an intangible ghost, powerless to do a thing.

After comforting Louie, Libby turned back to Maddox. Her tone was sharp and demanding. "Ma'am, please tell him if I don't see his face in three days, I'm cutting off every last cent for that little bastard."

Maddox blinked, stunned. "But… that kid was killed in a hit-and-run, and the driver is still on the loose…"

Libby rolled her eyes and stomped her heel against the floor. "Keep playing dumb! So, he did a little time. Now he's playing the martyr?"

She pulled Louie along and turned to leave, muttering under her breath, "He's definitely hiding somewhere. I'm going to drag him out no matter what!"