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Semua Bab Better Dead Than Married: Bab 1 - Bab 10

15 Bab

Chapter 1

When Edmond dug us out from under that old house, Ariel and I felt something shift—like our souls finally exhaled.We shot each other a look, a small smile. Edmond and Philip were circling the corpses, clueless.Edmond—my genius husband, top of the forensic game—stared at my body like he'd just smacked into a brick wall.Then came those too-familiar hands on his shoulders. Keyla Manson.She leaned in, syrupy-sweet. "What's wrong? Bodies giving even our star pathologist a hard time?"His face stayed stone cold, but he gently pulled a sheet over me, then nodded to the assistant to move us to the autopsy room.Only after we were gone did he speak, voice low to Philip."Feels... cruel."I never thought he would be so emotional.Edmond never talked much—unless it was about Keyla. That was his favorite subject.I almost laughed, but the hate hit harder.On my birthday, I'd waited. He never came home. Then the cramps started. Blood. Panic. I grabbed my phone, hoping he'd rush me to
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Chapter 2

By the time we saw Edmond again, Ariel and I were already ghosts, just floating in silence.We watched Keyla—calm as ever—plop into a wheelchair she'd stashed earlier, right after slicing open our pregnant bellies. Then she jumped online, fake-crying as she posted some drama-filled rant about how we botched her surgery and left blades inside her. Said we ruined her life.Wanna know the worst part? Edmond and Philip bought every word.A genius pathologist and a seasoned cop, and neither blinked. They just ran to Keyla, ready to grovel."Keyla, it's our fault. We knew they were petty and still let them touch you."Philip looked like a scolded middle schooler—head down, no fight in him.Ariel stared, eyes full of heartbreak. Then she glanced at me, smiling like it didn't hurt."Emma, look at him. He didn't even ask. Just assumed I hurt her."They both did. Edmond, too—actually looked guilty for once. Even cooked Keyla's favorite meals himself as an apology.I was six months pregn
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Chapter 3

That night, we trailed Edmond and Philip back home. Philip barely got through the door before kicking off his shoes and collapsing on the couch."Ariel, I'm starving!"He'd spent all day sucking up to Keyla, then came home barking orders.Ariel clenched her jaw. "He treats me like a maid."I gave her a pat. Ever since we married into the Jahns, the good stuff never made it to us. We cooked, cleaned, did laundry—and didn't even get a paycheck.We weren't wives. We were unpaid help.Philip yelled a few more times. When Ariel didn't jump like usual, he stomped upstairs, muttering the whole way."You've got such a bad attitude. I'm always apologizing to Keyla because of you. Can't you be more understanding? She's just our little sister. Why are you so jealous?"Unreal. What kind of "little sister" shares a spoon with her brothers or curls up in their laps to game?But Edmond and Philip kept spinning that lie—until they actually bought it.Still grumbling, Philip swung open their
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Chapter 4

While Philip kept ranting, Ariel just stared, eyes wide, like blinking might break her. But the tears came anyway.I didn't say a word—just pulled her in and let her cry.This was our reality now. Marriages that meant nothing.Next morning, Edmond and Philip headed to the station. Since no one had ID'd us yet, Edmond couldn't start the autopsy. All he could do was collect DNA for comparison.Oh, and it just happened to be Keyla's birthday.Before their shift was even over, Philip slung an arm around Edmond."So, what'd you get Keyla this year? She always loves your gifts. Hook me up with some ideas?"Ariel and I just watched them, stone-faced.She let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "We were fooled from the start."I laughed too. Neither of us even knew Keyla's birthday was today.Every year around this time, Edmond and Philip claimed they were slammed at work. We never questioned it.Guess our trust made it easy to lie.Before heading to Keyla's, they called us—habit, probably.
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Chapter 5

They went all out for Keyla's birthday. She threw a fake tantrum, downed too many drinks, and even though they were on duty, Edmond and Philip hovered around her like she was gonna break.Tea, water, nonstop worrying.Watching them fawn over her made my chest tighten. I glanced at Ariel."I need a comedy.""Same."Back when we were alive, dumb comedies were our go-to—blankets, snacks, full-on giggles.But there's no laughing in the afterlife.Edmond and Philip guarded her like she was made of glass. I wondered if they'd still be playing knight once the truth hit.I remembered the day she took us—how she just stood there, watching us panic. She let us hope. Then crushed it.Straight-up evil.The next morning, maybe out of guilt, Edmond and Philip hit us up again after leaving Keyla's.When we still didn't answer, Philip started looking thrown."Ariel's never stayed mad this long. Don't you think it's kinda extreme?"For a sec, I thought—finally. Maybe his detective brain wa
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Chapter 6

After she killed us, Keyla stuffed our bodies into dirt-crusted sacks and tossed us in a sewage ditch. Rain took care of the evidence.If some random scavenger hadn't caught a whiff, we might've stayed lost forever.I wanted to see Edmond's reaction.He pulled on his lab coat and gave a quiet, solemn nod to the corpses.It was the first time I watched him work. First time I saw how he could talk to a corpse for hours but couldn't even say "I'm tired" to me. Like I was some kind of poison that made him shut down.The deeper he got, the darker his face turned. Then he hit the wound on my abdomen and just... stopped."Who could be this heartless? Killing a pregnant woman? We'll get justice. I swear it."So noble. So sure of himself. I wondered if he'd still be preaching justice once he found out his precious angel was the murderer.Love doesn't follow logic. Neither does favoritism.I didn't expect much. But when I looked again, Edmond was staring at my left ring finger.I float
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Chapter 7

Edmond hit the floor, eyes glued to the corpse like the air had been punched out of him. The noise brought company—Philip barged in, and that's when I knew they were both back.Ariel floated beside me. We watched in silence.I knew she wanted this moment too. The big reveal. The crash of those two men who always acted untouchable. What now, now that their dead wives were staring back at them?Philip ran over, trying to haul Edmond up, but Edmond jerked his arm so hard, Philip nearly ate the floor."Edmond, what's going on? What happened?"Edmond didn't say anything at first. Just stared at my body, dazed, like he couldn't quite breathe. Then he turned to Philip."Emma and Ariel—they're at the hospital, right?"His hands were clenched so tight his knuckles were bone-white.Philip, totally clueless, answered without blinking. "We just came from there. They're not at the hospital. No idea where they ran off to. Oh, and Keyla called—wants dinner with us tonight."Normally, the sec
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Chapter 8

Philip looked confused but stepped up like he was supposed to. He scanned the body with that detective eye of his. Still didn't click. Just pressed his lips together."She's wrecked... looks like torture.""And?""What else?""You seriously don't recognize her?"Edmond didn't blink. Just stared. Hard. Philip leaned in, squinting like maybe the truth would shift if he stared long enough.Then he saw the birthmark on her foot.His face cracked—half laugh, half cry. "This... this has to be some sick coincidence, right? Ariel and Emma—they're fine. Still at the hospital. Right?"They kept spinning lies, hoping one would stick. But the truth hit like a gut punch.Philip's knees buckled. He dropped next to Edmond, both of them sitting on the floor, wrecked."What the hell happened? I just snapped at Ariel 'cause of Keyla, and she bailed? What did I even do?"He sounded more like a kid who lost his Halloween candy than the guy who once yelled at Ariel outside her hospital room.Ed
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Chapter 9

The noise finally drew a crowd. Cops rushed in, yanking Ariel's and my body out of their arms.It was weird enough that the chief showed up himself.He zeroed in on Edmond, all judgment. "Edmond, really? I always told people you were the calm one. Now you're out here hugging corpses and bawling like a soap opera extra?"He kept going, but Edmond and Philip just sat there, silent.That's when the chief turned to Philip. "He's always been the broody type, but what's your excuse?"Hearing his name cracked something in Philip. The tears came fast."I... I don't have a wife anymore...""What, Ariel wants a divorce? I told you two to chill. You get married, you stop messing around with other women. But nope—you didn't listen. Now look. Serves you right."Ariel and I were the hospital's golden girls—one married to a cop, the other to a forensic pathologist. Everyone called it a fairytale. No surprise the whole department knew our names.Hearing the chief now, though? Yeah, they'd bee
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Chapter 10

Everyone's eyes bounced between Edmond, Philip, and the bodies. Then someone finally blurted, "Wait... that's Emma and Ariel?"Edmond barely nodded before sliding down the wall, totally wiped out.The chief's face dropped. Whatever softness had been there vanished the second he realized it was us.His voice snapped like a whip. "Move! Start the investigation—now!"He fired off orders, and the whole team scattered.Once the others cleared out, the chief turned back, voice low. "If you need time off, I can sign off—""No, Chief. I'm good. I'm working this case. I'm finding the killer myself."Edmond cut him off, already pulling himself together. His eyes had that locked-in look.I wanted to scream. Tell the chief not to let them near this case—not because they couldn't handle it, but because I knew they'd go soft. I trusted them too much. That was the problem.Keyla wasn't just anyone. She was their dream girl—the one they'd protect, even over their own kids.But it didn't matt
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