Part 1Echoes of a Dead Wife's Voice

On the day the city's skyline was lit with fireworks spelling out my name, Julian Vance dialed my number.

"Happy birthday, Clara. I'm so sorry I couldn't be there with you again this year."

"Be good and wait just a little longer. Our eighth anniversary is in three days. I promise I'll be home to celebrate with you."

The call ended. The woman beneath Julian wrapped herself around him like a serpent.

"Are you really going back?"

"What about me, then?"

Seeing the hurt pooling in Evelyn Hall's reddened eyes, he leaned down and kissed her passionately, unable to hold back his tenderness.

"If I don't go back, she'll throw a fit."

What Julian didn't know was that I would never throw a fit at him again.

Because I had died two years ago.

The voice that just answered his call was nothing more than an AI voice replica I designed before I drew my last breath.

Julian rolled over, pinning Evelyn beneath him instead of letting her straddle his waist.

"We have to make this quick. My flight is at ten tonight."

Evelyn froze.

"Tonight? I thought you said three days from now."

Julian replied casually, "Yeah, I decided to go back early. Surprise her."

The moment the words left his lips, he gripped her chin and kissed her forcefully.

His large hand roamed over her body with enough intensity to bruise, as if trying to crush Evelyn into pieces.

I had never seen this side of Julian.

The man in my memories had always been gentle and restrained.

I still remembered the night of my eighteenth birthday, when I accidentally overheard him talking to his friends.

"Julian, your little princess finally turned eighteen today. You planning on going all out tonight?"

"Look how thoughtful I am. I got you the ultra-thin ones—ten whole packs!"

Julian took the box and hurled it straight to the floor.

"Clara is still young. Absolutely not."

"Keep your trash ideas to yourself. Get the hell out of here, all of you."

Once everyone left, I watched Julian sit on the sofa, irritably lighting a cigarette.

When I pushed the door open, he stubbed it out immediately.

I picked up the box from the floor, sat across from him, and met his gaze.

"If you want to... I'm willing."

"As long as it's you, I'm okay with anything."

I saw the raw desire flaring in Julian's eyes.

Yet in the end, he took that still-smoldering cigarette and pressed it hard against the back of his own hand.

"I'm not willing. I want to save the best of you for our wedding night."

"So, Clara... let's get married soon, okay?"

Floating beside them now, I watched the two bodies tangling beneath the sheets, unable to tear themselves apart.

It was a relief, honestly. Ghosts couldn't feel heartache.

Afterward, Evelyn snuggled obediently into the crook of Julian's arm.

"Does that good girl of yours play this rough in bed?"

Julian stroked Evelyn's hair, looking utterly satisfied.

"Clara doesn't know anything about this stuff. Of course she doesn't."

"When it comes to bed, you're the one who really satisfies me."

Evelyn tilted her head up with a smile and asked, "Then why don't you divorce her and marry me instead?"

The second she spoke, Julian's face turned icy cold.

"When I brought you abroad with me back then, I made it clear: I give you connections and resources, you satisfy my physical needs. I told you not to get any funny ideas, didn't I?"

A flicker of jealousy flashed through Evelyn's eyes, but she quickly lowered her head.

"I'm sorry."

"I crossed the line."

The sudden ring of a phone shattered the freezing tension between them.

The driver's voice came through the speaker.

"Mr. Vance, I've arrived downstairs. Are we heading to the airport now?"

"Yeah, I'm coming down."

Julian pushed Evelyn aside, got out of bed, and got dressed swiftly.

Evelyn bit her lip. "When will you come back?"

Julian pulled on his coat.

"I'm not coming back. Thank you for your company these past two years. The resources I gave you won't change, and I'll wire an extra twenty million dollars into your account."

"Take the money and stay here to focus on your acting. Don't come back to the city. If Clara ever finds out about us, you know what the consequences will be."

Julian reached out and patted Evelyn's head.

Just as he turned to walk away, Evelyn grabbed his sleeve.

"Could you... please not leave tonight?"