Chapter 2

I had imagined countless ways Jonathan might react to the news of my death. But his actual response was nothing like I had expected.

"Alright, got it," he said casually before hanging up.

Someone nearby asked, "What's the matter, Jonathan?"

"It's nothing. Just a scam call," he replied indifferently.

Since I hadn't told him I was back in the country, he assumed I was still abroad. No wonder he thought it was a scam when the hospital told him I had been in a car accident here.

Well, at least he hadn't told anyone else I had died. Otherwise, they'd probably be grumbling about how I had managed to ruin their day yet again.

To them, I was always the killjoy, the one who smelled like fish. The wet blanket who didn't finish their homework. A nuisance because I couldn't give them money for a new gaming console.

Even when they shoved my head into the toilet, I was still a disappointment. I was unable to scream, and that only made them torment me more.

Even now, the memory of their words sent a shiver through me.

If it hadn't been for Jonathan—guiding me, standing by my side, standing up to Selena and her gang—I might have jumped from the rooftop years ago.

…

Jonathan stayed by Selena's side for an entire month while she was in the hospital and cared for her. People thought they were a couple and praised their devotion to each other.

Yet, he never denied it. It seemed like he had long forgotten he had a wife.

Finally, Selena was ready to be discharged and to recuperate at home.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and cooed, "I want to stay at your place."

"I'm married," Jonathan reminded her.

"But that deaf-o isn't even around. Besides, she's too clueless to suspect anything. It's been 15 years, and she still hasn't figured out that you approached her just to toy with her. You’ve been treating her like some kind of joke!"

As Selena recalled the past, a grin spread across her face. "I remember how you stole her cochlear implants and flushed them down the toilet. She went nearly half a year without hearing anything.

"You told everyone she was a pathetic loser, yet she just kept smiling at you like a fool. You—"

"Shut up!" Jonathan cut her off sharply. His expression darkened. "I gave you the heart you needed, so keep quiet. Don't ever bring this up to her!"

Selena's smile faltered at his words. "Have you… actually fallen for her?"

"That's none of your business. And don't forget, you were the one who left me first!"

"What's with that attitude?"

Tears welled up in Selena's eyes. Almost immediately, Jonathan pulled her close. He started whispering words of comfort.

In no time, they were as close as ever.

Meanwhile, I felt paralyzed. My heart sank into a deep, cold void that sent an ache coursing through me.

I had searched everywhere for my cochlear implants when I lost them but to no avail. My parents were so frantic that they went as far as kneeling before my classmates.

"If anyone has found Madeline's cochlear implants, please return them," they pleaded.

After all, a pair of cochlear implants cost more than 50 thousand dollars. It was a crushing expense for our family.

But all my classmates did was laugh mockingly.

My mother's eyes were swollen from crying. "I'm sorry, Maddy. You won't be able to hear for a while," she told me in sign language.

From then on, my parents woke up even earlier and came home even later. They saved every cent until the day they were killed in an accident while on their way to sell fish.

Fish flopped in puddles of their blood. At that point, my mother couldn't even lift her hand.

Her lips parted as she spoke, and her eyes filled with tears. However, I couldn't hear her.

Meanwhile, my father's hands trembled as he signed to me, "Live on… Keep living…"

I had suspected each member of Selena's gang of stealing my implants. Yet, the thought of Jonathan being the culprit never crossed my mind.

This was the same Jonathan who had once scolded Selena for bullying me, the one who had held my hand on the rooftop and insisted I had to keep going.

He had been the one to save me from their cruelty. So, how could he have become one of them?

But there was no one to provide an answer.

…

Not wanting to upset Selena, Jonathan brought her to our matrimonial home.

"Just the sight of her irritates me!"

The moment she saw my framed photo, she tossed it straight into the trash.

Jonathan, on the other hand, watched calmly. "You were the one who didn't want to get married to chase your dreams. So, why are you acting like a madwoman in my home?"

Selena stared at him blankly. "What if I said I regret it? Would you divorce her?"

He evaded her question. Instead, he replied, "The heart transplant surgery requires two months of bed rest. By then, Madeline will be back from her studies abroad. You can't stay here much longer."

Tears welled up in Selena's eyes instantly. In a fit of frustration, she began throwing out the plants I had nurtured, my skincare products, and my clothes.

Then, she threw herself into Jonathan's arms with tears streaming down her face. In the next moment, she raised her head to kiss him.

He didn't reciprocate but didn't push her away either. Only when she started undressing did he finally grab her hands.

"Selena, don't. Your body isn't strong enough yet."

What if she had fully recovered? Would they have done it right there on our bed?

I couldn't help but resent the fact that my soul still lingered after my death. I could hear every word without needing my cochlear implants, and I was forced to discover every sickening detail.

Yet, all I could do was watch as Jonathan and Selena lost themselves in each other.

…

Finally, once Selena had recovered enough, Jonathan sent me a message.

With a smile, he typed, "Honey, it's been three months. Surely you've cooled off by now? I miss you so much. How about flying home tomorrow? I'll pick you up at the airport."

However, a day passed, and he received no reply.

Jonathan tried calling, but my phone was off. So, he reached out to my family and friends, but none of them had seen me.

He even checked with my colleagues who had traveled abroad with me, only to discover that I had returned to the country long ago. That was when he sensed something was wrong and contacted the police.

When the officer entered my details into the system, he looked up at Jonathan, stunned.

"Mr. Lewis, your wife died in a car accident over two months ago. Both the police and the hospital contacted you."