Part 3Four Years After I Died, My Grandma Called My Toxic Ex

Olivia's smile grew wider, colder.

She obviously didn't believe a word Nana said.

"I told you, we are completely over."

"If this is just some trick Ethan taught you to play, I'll let it slide this one time."

"But please, never bring up his name in front of me again."

Just then, two neighborhood ladies walked over, looking surprised to see Nana.

"Ma'am, it's so late, why aren't you home yet? Did you forget where you live again?"

Then, one of them whispered to the other, clicking her tongue. "It's a tragedy, really. She and her grandson were all each other had, but then the boy died four years ago. Now it's just this poor old lady all by herself."

Yeah, I died four years ago.

I remember that birthday four years ago. I went to the mall, full of excitement to buy her a present, only to see her walking arm-in-arm with another man.

After stumbling out of the mall in a daze, I got a DM on Instagram from a stranger.

I opened it. It was a selfie of a guy in a white button-down shirt, lying on messy white hotel sheets. Right next to him on the nightstand was a distinct, elegant custom lapel pin.

Along with the photo was a message: They say a new fling can never beat a childhood sweetheart. Think you stand a chance against me?

I recognized that lapel pin. It was the birthday present I had given her.

I remembered it so vividly because, even though it wasn't wildly expensive, I had designed and crafted every piece of it myself.

Olivia never minded that it wasn't a luxury brand. She even wore it to major corporate board meetings.

She used to say it was the symbol of our love.

But now, that symbol was casually sitting by another man's hotel bed.

That was the moment I realized love could be so incredibly cheap.