Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 10

"Ian, how long are you going to keep this up?"A voice message from Ruby popped up, thick with frustration.After drifting out of the ER, I somehow ended up in front of her.I couldn't touch anything anymore, but every call, text, and notification tied to me still reached me."Getting a nurse to text me for you? That's a new one."Another voice message came right after."But Ian, your phone's locked with your fingerprint. How could anyone else unlock it? If they can still use your fingerprint, how are you suddenly in critical condition?"She frowned on the words "critical condition."From under the blanket, Steven reached over and lightly tugged her sleeve."Ruby, don't be so hard on Ian." His voice was weak. "What if something really happened to him? Maybe you should go check on him. I'll be okay here alone."Ruby looked down and brushed the back of her hand across his forehead. "Steven, you're too nice. That's why he keeps bullying you."She cut up an apple and held a piec

She pulled out a chair for him and flipped open the menu."Want the salmon bowl? You liked it last time."Steven leaned closer."Ruby, you're so good to me."My spirit hung above them, watching her feed another man.***Later, back home."Looking at Ian's socials again?"Steven stood in the bedroom doorway, fresh out of the shower.Ruby immediately locked her phone."I was checking Teams."She wasn't.She'd been looking at my social feed.My last post had gone up at four o'clock yesterday afternoon.A photo of a black suit hanging on a rack.Caption:[Tomorrow.]No comments.No likes.She opened her fitness app.My name still sat on yesterday's leaderboard.[9,034 steps.]Today: Zero.Then she scrolled through our chat history.The last message on her phone from me read:[My suit's pressed. Your iced Americano is on the table. Don't forget to drink it when you get back.]She never replied.Because by then, she'd already been on her way to Steven.Steven wrap

My bones were shattered.My face was barely recognizable.But the ring on my ring finger was untouched.Ruby could still hear her own voice from the day she slipped it onto my hand."You'll be my husband for the rest of your life. Once this ring's on, you're never taking it off."Now I was lying in a morgue drawer.Cold.Lifeless.Still keeping that promise.Ruby's whole body shook.The doctor stepped over with a death certificate."If you've confirmed the identity, please sign here."Ruby didn't take the pen.Instead, she reached toward my face, trying to wipe away the dried blood.The moment her fingers touched me, part of the crushed bone gave way.She jerked her hand back.Her eyes turned red."This isn't Ian." Her voice cracked. "Ian likes being clean. He'd never let himself end up like this."The doctor sighed."My condolences."He paused."The police also have some of Mr. Irving's personal belongings ready for pickup."Ruby turned around numbly.Her phone

Steven stumbled out of the repair shop and chased after her.He grabbed Ruby's arm."I was wrong. I know I was." His voice broke. "I just loved you too much. I was scared Ian would take you away from me. Please forgive me this one time. I swear I'll never do it again."He cried so hard people on the sidewalk stopped to stare.Ruby didn't even look at him.She shook off his hand, got into her car, and slammed the door.The engine roared.A second later, she sped away.Steven collapsed onto the pavement.As the taillights disappeared, his eyes filled with resentment.Ruby drove straight to NovaCare Hospital.She rushed into Medical Records and pulled up Steven's chart from the day before.The diagnosis was right there in black and white:[Minor abrasion to the left wrist. No active bleeding. No bandaging required.]Ruby crumpled the paper in her fist.Yesterday, Steven had called her sobbing that he'd lost a lot of blood.She'd abandoned me in the middle of picking out we

Three days later, my funeral was held at a funeral home on the edge of Nordica City.A light rain drifted from the gray sky.Ruby wore black.She stood in front of my framed photo like a ghost.Like she'd lost a part of herself.Only a few people came.She hadn't told many—just a handful of close friends.Joyce walked over."Ruby, get some rest. You haven't slept in three days."Ruby shook her head.Her eyes never left my photo. "I want to stay with him."The hall doors swung open.Steven walked in wearing a flashy suit, his dress shoes clicking across the floor.He carried a plastic bag and a nasty little smile.Joyce frowned and stepped in front of him."What are you doing here? You're not welcome."Steven shoved past her and headed straight for my casket."I came to pay my respects to Ian. He hated me when he was alive. Least I can do, right?"He opened the bag and pulled out a handful of cheap casino chips.Then he scattered them over my closed casket."Ian, spe