“There’s no need,” Milo replied icily. “For the sake of our past, just leave already. Haven't you caused enough pain to her already? And take your crazy wife with you, or I’ll have my men handling you two. You know it won’t end well.”“Also,” Milo added, his voice cutting through the tension, “you and Elara were divorced. You have no say in what happens to her remains. Remember that.”“Stay away from Elara, including her ashes and her tomb.”Selene sneered from Lucian’s back. “Even after they divorced, they were still closer than you’ll ever be.”“And don’t get me started on your casinos. They should’ve been Lucian’s. It was only right for him to take them over, not you, an outsider.”Milo sneered back. “So, you two came all this way, pretending to move Elara to a ‘better’ cemetery, when it’s really just about her casinos?”Selene laughed coldly. “Damn right. She stole Lucian from me, and now she owes us. Taking the casinos was the least we could do.”“And you agreed to this nonsense?”
I watched as Milo drove toward Lucian’s company. Inside, Lucian was slumped in his chair, doing nothing. But when he saw Milo, something shifted. He suddenly sprang to life, walking over to him.“Milo, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for what I said to you... and to Elara.”It seemed like he had learned the truth from his parents. Part of me almost felt sorry for him in that moment. I had loved him, after all. That part was true.But Milo didn’t flinch at Lucian’s apology. His voice was cold as he replied, “The person you should be most sorry for is Elara.”Lucian’s expression hardened. “Yes, I’m sorry for what I said to her... for what I did to her. I will divorce Selene. And I will take Elara away with me. I could move to a quieter place—far from here. Elara always dreamed of a peaceful life on a farm, you know? I’d take her now to a place like that, start over myself. Honestly, I’m just so tired of all the drama.”I could tell Lucian was speaking from the heart. But it didn’t matter now.We
“Mrs. Hawke, your condition has worsened. Please let me admit you to the hospital for a more thorough evaluation,” the doctor urged, concern creasing his brow.Unlike my husband, Lucian, who had disappeared the moment his high school sweetheart, Selene Montgomery, returned to town.“That won’t be necessary, doctor. I’ve planned to spend the next few days with family and friends,” I replied, offering a faint smile.I knew my body better than anyone. It was deteriorating faster than anyone could help, and I preferred to spend my last days in comfort, not confined to a sterile hospital room.When I returned to the mansion, Lucian was already there, sitting on the sofa with the coldest expression I had ever seen.“Didn’t you say you were at the hospital? You look perfectly healthy to me, all rosy in the cheeks,” he sneered.I fought to keep my composure, but my voice betrayed me, wavering with the pain I could no longer hide. “You came home early. Did you run out of time with your little g
"I didn’t think you’d take your own health as some kind of joke." Milo’s voice cut through the silence, laced with frustration. "Was Lucian really worth it? Worth risking your own body just to please him?"Milo had been my friend long before I married Lucian. In fact, he was the one who introduced me to him in the first place.It was at one of those annual parties for the mafia families of New York City—lavish gatherings meant for celebrating, forging alliances, and striking business deals. I had never been fond of those events, but that year, Milo somehow talked me into going. That was the night I met Lucian, and I fell for him—hard.Milo sighed, his brows furrowed into a tight knot. "Seeing you like this makes me wonder if introducing you to Lucian was a mistake from the start." His voice softened, but the frustration remained. "Elara, you shouldn’t do this. Degrading yourself—for what? That bastard? Haven’t you given him enough already? You handed him deals that should have been you
His voice was as cold as ever, but strangely, I didn’t feel sad anymore.“Okay, see you there,” I replied simply.As soon as I hung up, Milo spoke up. “At least let me take you there. I’d hate to see you go alone.”I wanted to refuse—Milo and Lucian had some argument about me a while back then, and the last thing I needed for today was another argument, or worse, an unnecessary fight.Before I could protest, Milo added, “I won’t say anything to Lucian. I just don’t want you to be there alone while he has his people with him.”He was right. I needed someone on my side today.And thank God I brought Milo. Because when we arrived at the courthouse, Lucian wasn’t alone—his sweetheart, Selene, was there too.She looked just like she had years ago, dressed in a tight denim dress that hugged her curves, red lips curled into an all-too-satisfied smile. But today, she radiated something extra—triumph.Lucian’s expression flickered with surprise when he saw me stepping out of the car with Milo.
The divorce process was surprisingly quick—perhaps because Lucian and I had both cooperated.As we stepped out of the courthouse, a heavy weight lifted off my chest. It was over. I was free. No ties to Lucian anymore.Selene ran to hug him, her excitement unmistakable. Meanwhile, I descended the stairs slowly, each step steadier than the last.“Babe, you’re finally single! We can be together now. We can get married!” Selene's voice was filled with joy, but Lucian remained shockingly silent.I waited for his response too. Was he happy now? Now that we were finally apart?Lost in thought, I missed a step. My heart lurched as I stumbled, but before I could fall, Lucian was there—his hands gripping mine, steadying me.For the first time in a long while, he looked at me, and his eyes held neither mockery nor disdain. His grip tightened as if… he didn’t want to let go.Did he regret it? Was he regretting our divorce?The thought vanished as quickly as it came. Impossible. He had wanted this.
I knew I had fainted. So when I woke up, I was shocked to find myself lying in a hospital bed—again.I tried to sit up, but then I realized…I was floating.Milo was crying, his hands clutching mine.I frowned. Am I dead? Am I just a ghost now?I followed him when he left the hospital room. I followed him as he knocked on my parents’ door. I followed him when he broke the news to my family and friends—that I was gone.I watched them cry. I watched my mother crumble. I watched my father’s eyes turn red as he sobbed.I wanted to hold them, but I couldn’t.In the days that followed, I stayed with Milo—or rather, I floated after him, watching as he handled my funeral arrangements and my ashes.It had only been a couple of days, but he already looked thinner, worn down.Three days before my funeral, he sat before my ashes, hesitating before speaking.“Elara, give me a sign. Should I tell Lucian or not? It’s your decision.”I couldn’t give him the answer he wanted. But I hoped he wouldn’t.Be
Lucian’s face twisted in confusion. “Elara’s funeral? What the hell are you talking about?” He let out an irritated laugh. “If this is some kind of prank between you and Elara, tell her I’m done with her twisted little games. If she has a problem with my wedding, she can come here and tell me herself.”Milo let out a bitter smile. “How many times do I have to say it? Elara can’t come to your wedding anymore.”Lucian scoffed. “Milo, stop it. This isn’t funny.” He pulled out his phone. “I’ll call her right now. She can tell me herself.”Just as he was about to press my number, Selene appeared beside him, dressed in an extravagant princess-style gown, her makeup flawless. She wrapped her arms around his and pouted. “Babe, what’s wrong? Did Milo say something to upset you again?” She turned to Milo with a frown. “Why do you always have to haunt Lucian like this? He’s your friend too. Show some respect. This is our wedding day.”Lucian turned to soothe her. “Don’t be mad, sweetheart. You kn
I watched as Milo drove toward Lucian’s company. Inside, Lucian was slumped in his chair, doing nothing. But when he saw Milo, something shifted. He suddenly sprang to life, walking over to him.“Milo, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for what I said to you... and to Elara.”It seemed like he had learned the truth from his parents. Part of me almost felt sorry for him in that moment. I had loved him, after all. That part was true.But Milo didn’t flinch at Lucian’s apology. His voice was cold as he replied, “The person you should be most sorry for is Elara.”Lucian’s expression hardened. “Yes, I’m sorry for what I said to her... for what I did to her. I will divorce Selene. And I will take Elara away with me. I could move to a quieter place—far from here. Elara always dreamed of a peaceful life on a farm, you know? I’d take her now to a place like that, start over myself. Honestly, I’m just so tired of all the drama.”I could tell Lucian was speaking from the heart. But it didn’t matter now.We
“There’s no need,” Milo replied icily. “For the sake of our past, just leave already. Haven't you caused enough pain to her already? And take your crazy wife with you, or I’ll have my men handling you two. You know it won’t end well.”“Also,” Milo added, his voice cutting through the tension, “you and Elara were divorced. You have no say in what happens to her remains. Remember that.”“Stay away from Elara, including her ashes and her tomb.”Selene sneered from Lucian’s back. “Even after they divorced, they were still closer than you’ll ever be.”“And don’t get me started on your casinos. They should’ve been Lucian’s. It was only right for him to take them over, not you, an outsider.”Milo sneered back. “So, you two came all this way, pretending to move Elara to a ‘better’ cemetery, when it’s really just about her casinos?”Selene laughed coldly. “Damn right. She stole Lucian from me, and now she owes us. Taking the casinos was the least we could do.”“And you agreed to this nonsense?”
The next morning, Milo woke early and began packing his suitcase. He muttered something about moving to one of the casinos to stay, just in case Lucian showed up again and distracted him from what he needed to focus on.I followed Milo back to one of the casinos. He chose the lounge on the top floor as his temporary space. I’d placed orchids there—so many orchids. Lucian had once mentioned that he liked them, so I’d bought countless bouquets, placing them in every lounge of every casino I owned. I had tended to them personally over the years, never letting anyone else care for them.Milo paused in front of one of the pots, murmuring again, "Orchids were actually my favorite too. Did you know that, Elara?"I froze, watching as a tear fell from his eye.All these years, I had ignored Milo, only focusing on Lucian. Then I suddenly remembered, that night at the our gathering, when I was so focused on my match dress with Lucian, Milo wore the powder blue one—the one color that was perfect
The night Milo went to bed, I found myself in the living room. A ghost can't sleep, obviously. So, I was left with one thing to do: think. My mind wandered back to the day I met Lucian. He stood there, in a perfectly tailored deep blue suit, his brown hair slightly curled. The way he held his champagne glass—there was something magnetic about him. I was immediately drawn to him.I had never met a man so elegant, so handsome, in my entire life. And, strangely enough, I was wearing a deep blue dress too. When Milo introduced us, he even joked, "Out of all the hundreds of guests here, you two are the only ones in the same color!"What they didn’t know was that I had already fallen head over heels before I even knew Lucian’s name.From that moment on, Lucian seemed to show up in my life more often than anyone should. At our small gatherings, at our casinos. Just when I thought I couldn’t sink any deeper into his charm, he casually mentioned a girlfriend. She wasn’t part of our circle—just
After the funeral, my parents asked Milo to stay behind. They wanted to discuss something with him. “Milo,” my father began softly, “with Elara gone, Eileen and I have been talking. We’re getting older, and we can’t keep up with all the schemes and drama like we used to.” He paused, then continued, “We were thinking it might be time to pass the reins of the Sinclair business to you. The overseas shipments, the casinos, the major site development in Manhattan...” Milo looked taken aback. “No,” he replied quickly. “I can’t. I don’t know anything about construction or development. You know my family only handled the drug business, which is simple shipments arrangement and commerce. This... this is beyond me.” My father smiled warmly. “There’s nothing a man can’t learn. You were Elara’s closest friend, and she trusted you more than anyone else. We trust you too.” Yes, I had written in my will that Milo was the one I trusted most to help my father with the growing Sinclair business—const
Why had Lucian chosen now, of all times, to break down? Did he care about me? Did he feel sad?If he did, why wait until it was too late to show it?“Lucian!” Selene entered, dressed in a simpler gown, running toward him.What was she doing here? Even without the wedding dress, her face was still vibrant, too vibrant for a funeral. She helped Lucian to his feet, then turned on Milo. “How could you do this to him? Hasn’t Lucian suffered enough from all of you? Now he has to listen to your scorn? If I may say, he was just trying to confirm what really happened to Elara. If you’ll excuse us, my husband just don’t want to be played with like he was last time.”Milo clenched his teeth. “What the hell do you two need to confirm? Isn’t this obviously a funeral for Elara? The Urn? The photos? Or do you think we all just gathered here to put on a show for you and Lucian? How arrogant can you be?”I scanned the room, and nearly everyone shared the same expression—frustration, anger, disbelief. I
Milo nodded, not offering any more words.I kept following Milo, but just as we were about to leave the wedding, I turned back for one last glance. All I could see was Selene’s furious face, and the guests—shocked, unsure of what was happening.It must have felt terrible to be left behind, especially on your wedding day. It was probably the worst of them all.I guess now, Selene could finally understand what it felt like when Lucian left me to stay with her during my final days.How ironic.…My funeral was held at one of the most exclusive funeral homes in Manhattan. I had made it clear to Milo that I didn’t want anything too grand. I didn’t want a crowd of people coming just to pay their respects. I asked for simplicity — just some close friends and family would have been perfect.I followed Milo into my own funeral. White lilies adorned the entrance, and from where I stood, I could see my parents inside, crying in front of my photo. My friends were there too, their faces a mix of gr
Lucian’s face twisted in confusion. “Elara’s funeral? What the hell are you talking about?” He let out an irritated laugh. “If this is some kind of prank between you and Elara, tell her I’m done with her twisted little games. If she has a problem with my wedding, she can come here and tell me herself.”Milo let out a bitter smile. “How many times do I have to say it? Elara can’t come to your wedding anymore.”Lucian scoffed. “Milo, stop it. This isn’t funny.” He pulled out his phone. “I’ll call her right now. She can tell me herself.”Just as he was about to press my number, Selene appeared beside him, dressed in an extravagant princess-style gown, her makeup flawless. She wrapped her arms around his and pouted. “Babe, what’s wrong? Did Milo say something to upset you again?” She turned to Milo with a frown. “Why do you always have to haunt Lucian like this? He’s your friend too. Show some respect. This is our wedding day.”Lucian turned to soothe her. “Don’t be mad, sweetheart. You kn
I knew I had fainted. So when I woke up, I was shocked to find myself lying in a hospital bed—again.I tried to sit up, but then I realized…I was floating.Milo was crying, his hands clutching mine.I frowned. Am I dead? Am I just a ghost now?I followed him when he left the hospital room. I followed him as he knocked on my parents’ door. I followed him when he broke the news to my family and friends—that I was gone.I watched them cry. I watched my mother crumble. I watched my father’s eyes turn red as he sobbed.I wanted to hold them, but I couldn’t.In the days that followed, I stayed with Milo—or rather, I floated after him, watching as he handled my funeral arrangements and my ashes.It had only been a couple of days, but he already looked thinner, worn down.Three days before my funeral, he sat before my ashes, hesitating before speaking.“Elara, give me a sign. Should I tell Lucian or not? It’s your decision.”I couldn’t give him the answer he wanted. But I hoped he wouldn’t.Be