Chapter 1

Victoria Marshall. That was my name.

Today marked 312 days since I died.

I couldn't let go, so my soul had been lingering in this world.

However, my husband, Noah Carlson, showed up at my doorstep with a bunch of burly men, shattering the peace of the countryside.

He glanced around with a face full of disdain.

"This place's still a dump. What's that smell? It stinks! Where's Victoria? Tell her to get out here! I was way too good to her. That's why she thinks she can ignore my calls and messages for a whole year. If Amelia hadn't gotten disfigured, I wouldn't have even bothered to look for her!"

For the past year, my name had become a taboo in this house.

When my mom, Melissa Young, heard it, her eyes welled up with tears.

She slowly lifted her empty gaze and said, "Vic is gone. She died in the earthquake last year…"

She began to chase them out.

"Stop looking! Vic's dead! My daughter is dead!"

Noah didn't believe her. He let out a sneer.

"There's no way someone that vicious would be dead! She's way too scared to die. If you won't tell me, I'll find her myself. Screw off!"

With that, he barged into the room I used to live in with those burly men.

Everything inside was spotless and untouched, just the way I'd left it. Because of that, Noah was convinced I still lived here.

He turned the tiny room upside down, searching every corner where someone might hide. Of course, he didn't find me.

How could he? I was already dead.

Floating behind him, I couldn't help but let out a sneer.

A year ago, I was still a doctor on a disaster relief team.

That day, a magnitude-seven earthquake struck. My team was ordered to the scene to provide medical support.

I carried a heavy medical kit on my back, treating the wounded in the epicenter.

While passing a collapsed building, I spotted a pair of familiar figures.

It was Noah and Amelia Duffy, entwined together. Their faces were pale, their bare skin scratched and bloodied.

I couldn't believe the man I loved had actually betrayed me. I could still remember the indescribable pain at that moment.

However, duty came first. I pushed aside my personal grudges and called for the relief team to pull them out.

After they were pulled from the debris, I quickly cleaned their wounds and moved on to the next site.

That day, I saved a lot of people. By the time I got home, it was already 2:00 am.

I was completely exhausted.

Suddenly, Amelia showed up anxiously. She claimed that Noah was in critical condition at the hospital.

In a panic, I followed her without a second thought.

She stopped when we reached a remote, deserted place. Standing behind me, she grinned and stabbed me in the back with a boning knife.

"Time to go, Victoria."

Pain surged through me instantly. I dropped to the ground, powerless, as blood gushed from my body.

"W-Why… I saved your life!"

Amelia let out a cold laugh.

"I'm about to marry the son of the richest man. Yet, you've caught me with Noah today. If this gets out, everything will be ruined! So you have to die. Only the dead can keep secrets."

If it had been any other day, I wouldn't have followed her blindly. I would've fought back.

However, that day, I was too tired and worried about Noah. In the end, I died under her boning knife.

After that, she dismembered my body and dumped it. She then used my phone to send Noah a divorce message.

The moment Noah saw the text, he agreed without hesitation. He didn't even want our four-year-old son, Oliver Carlson.

If Amelia hadn't been disfigured, I doubt he would've ever looked for me.

Tears of blood fell from my eyes. If I could live again, I'd never fall in love with him.