Part 1When He Pretended to Be Comatose, I Declared Him Dead

He was a special forces captain, my husband. A mission left him in a vegetative state, and a few days later, he was declared brain-dead.

In my first life, I never gave up on him. I kept him alive on machines, only for him to push me down a flight of stairs, killing me instantly.

In my second life, I saw the truth. I requested a transfer, but on my way out of town, he crashed his car into mine. As I lay dying, I asked him why.

His face was a mask of disgust. “Your father is a general. He’s the reason Celeste and I were torn apart. That is your crime.”

“Only when you’re dead can Celeste be with me. And I’ll still be the general’s son-in-law.”

I finally understood. He never wanted me to live.

This time, when I received the notice of Alex’s brain death, I looked over at the attending physician, Dr. Celeste Schnapp, standing not far away.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I made my decision.

“In that case, let’s get a death certificate issued immediately.”

“Given Alex’s situation, applying for a Medal of Valor shouldn’t be a problem. We should invite the top brass to the funeral. It needs to be a grand affair.”

If he wanted to play dead, I would make sure he was truly dead.

* * *

The moment the words left my mouth, Celeste’s expression changed.

She rushed forward, positioning herself between me and the hospital bed.

“Ma’am, please, you need to calm down.”

“The patient may be brain-dead, but we can still maintain his vitals with life support.”

“As doctors, we will never give up as long as there is a sliver of hope.”

I looked at her sanctimonious act and laughed coldly to myself.

What a convincing performance.

In my first life, I fell for her nonsense. I chose to keep my husband, Alex, on life support.

And what happened?

Alex wasn't dying at all.

He and his first love, Celeste, had worked together. He’d taken a drug to simulate death, orchestrating an elaborate escape.

The first thing he did after “waking up” was shove me down the stairs. My neck snapped on impact. I died instantly.

And the murderer? A man in a vegetative state?

Who would believe it?

Not only did he get away with it, but he also used his “grief” to win the sympathy of my father, a high-ranking general, and climbed the ranks with ease.

The memory of my father, a white-haired man mourning his only child, was a knife to my heart. Hatred boiled within me.

This time, I wouldn’t give them a single chance.

My voice was firm. “That won’t be necessary. My husband, Captain Alex Hayes, died in the line of duty. The evidence is conclusive.”

“I need you to issue a death certificate so I can apply for his posthumous honors.”

Celeste stood frozen, forcing a look of pity and disapproval onto her face. “I understand your grief, but isn’t it too rash to just give up on treatment?”

“He’s still young. A miracle could happen.”

“You’re his wife. Are you telling me you won’t even give him that last bit of hope?”

She intentionally emphasized the word “wife,” as if to accuse me of being cold-hearted.

A sarcastic smile touched my lips. “It seems this hospital needs to brush up on its basic medical knowledge.”

My words made her flinch.

Before she could recover, I continued, “Brain death is the irreversible cessation of all brain function, including the brainstem. It is, by legal definition, death.”

“There are no medical miracles for this condition.”

“As a doctor, for you to give a family false hope when a patient is clinically deceased… what is your motive?”

I didn't spare another glance for Celeste’s pale face. My voice was unwavering. “Please shut down all the equipment immediately.”

“My husband was a soldier who died with honor. He deserves to leave with dignity, not be kept as a specimen in a hospital bed.”

Faced with my unyielding stance and irrefutable medical facts, the hospital administration finally agreed.

Celeste stood rooted to the spot, her eyes filled with panic as she watched the nurses begin to power down the machines.