He Found Me After I Died

I had been trapped in this place for more than four years.After my body was completely cremated, my spirit drifted here.The reapers said my attachment to the living world was too strong. They couldn't take me away or set me free, so they told me to wait.I stayed beneath this magnolia tree day after day, year after year, until Noah Whitmore came here.This was where we first met, and we hadn't seen each other in five years.I vaguely remembered our first meeting. He wore an ill-fitting suit to attend a college seminar.I was posing for photos beneath the magnolia tree with my best friend, Linda Rivers, while wearing a dress.I never expected to be harassed, and I certainly never expected him to step in.He chased the thug away. His skin was scraped raw in several places, yet he blushed when he looked at me."I only helped because I happened to see someone in trouble. I should get going."I gathered up my skirt and ran after him, reaching out to stop him. "Hey, could I have

Linda was pregnant.I stared at her baby bump and felt cold all over.I thought I would accept the reality of Noah having a happy family.But I couldn't accept that Noah was with Linda, especially when she had fabricated all those stories about me.I followed Noah around resentfully.He didn't believe her, did he?[Noah! Use your head! How could I possibly be that kind of person?]Noah couldn't hear my frantic shouting, but during a break from work, he drove his Cullinan to my former home.No one had lived in my old home for years.My mother couldn't bear to face my death. She couldn't bring herself to rent the place out either, so it remained empty and gathered a thick layer of dust.Noah stood helplessly in front of the rundown door, looking like a lost child.Whenever someone passed by, he stopped them and asked, "Excuse me, do you know Belle Hart? She used to live here.""Oh, young man, I'm getting old. I can't remember. No one's lived here for ages, has there?"He ask

Noah stared at my mother with wide eyes."What do you mean?"Linda looked unconvinced. She had gone overseas to study around the same time as Noah, and she had lost contact with me afterward.In her mind, I should have been living a wonderful life."Mrs. Hart, everyone from our college knows that Belle cheated on Noah."Even if you're trying to clear Belle's name, you don't have to make up something this outrageous, do you?"My mother swept a cold gaze over her.Noah wanted to defend Linda, but he no longer had the courage.A suspicion he had buried deep inside was being confirmed, yet he refused to believe it.His fingers trembled as he reached out to help my mother up, but she slapped his hand away again without mercy.The moment she revealed the truth, my mother seemed to age before their eyes.She wanted to keep my secret, but she couldn't bear to see me so unfairly maligned.She looked at the man and woman before her. Her stern expression gave way to helplessness.Adm

Whatever happened between Linda and Noah was their own business.My mother lowered her eyes and had the housekeeper escort them outside.She still clutched the album about me, refusing to let go. Her eyes were red, but they also held a hint of relief.I smiled gently.[Mom, it's time for you to start a new life too.]A breeze stirred the ends of my hair and set the wind chime I had made as a child swaying.I never expected my mother to bring it here too.She stared at the wind chime in a daze."Belle? Belle, are you here?"I desperately shook the wind chime and blew at it, trying to tell her that I was there, but I couldn't move it even slightly.The breeze, however, swept through again.The wind chime rang once more with a clear, delicate sound.My mother smiled, and then she began to cry."Belle, don't worry. I am doing very well. I just miss you a little."You have to be well too. In our next lives, we'll be a family again."I nodded and turned away.My final attachme