After I Die

To take the fall for his first love, my husband killed me with his hands.

Before this happened, I once asked him, "Is it only when I'm dead that you'll spare me a glance?"

He replied, "Even if you were gone, I wouldn't spare you a glance."

However, after he learned the truth, he painstakingly dug my remains mixed with dirt, from the earth, until his nails were torn and bleeding.

At that moment, he trembled and said, "Ariella, don't be afraid. I'm here to make amends."

1

It was our third wedding anniversary.

I had prepared a romantic candlelit dinner.

At ten in the evening, I received a call from Jordy Hudson, my husband, "Margret's daughter is having a birthday. I won't be coming back."

I remained silent for a long time.

Margret Steinfeld was his first love. Before she appeared, I thought his indifference was just his nature.

Only later did I realize he would care for someone.

He would bring her an umbrella on rainy days, buy her expensive gifts, and take her and her daughter to amusement parks.

On Christmas Eve, he left me at home with a high fever because of a single word from her.

But his care never extended to me.

"If you don't come back tonight, let's get a divorce." My tone was indifferent.

I didn't know why, but this time I didn't want to avoid it anymore. I didn't want to stay silent. I wanted to fight back.

I thought he would argue with me, but he hesitated for just two seconds before saying, "Alright."

Then he hung up, not giving me a chance to respond.

Perhaps he had long wanted a divorce. After all, the person he held in his heart was never me.

I took out the divorce papers I had prepared, signed them, and left the house.

Little did I know, as soon as I stepped out, I was knocked unconscious by two men and stuffed into a black van.

When I woke up, I was in an abandoned factory, with no sign of the kidnappers.

"She's been caught. What should we do?"

I became alert. The rough voice came from downstairs, and the footsteps were getting closer. "Kill her? Sure, but the price doubles."

I opened my eyes wide, filled with terror and unease.

I quit my job to be a housewife and take care of Jordy because he wanted me to.

I always strived to live peacefully without offending anyone. Who wanted me dead?

The footsteps grew nearer.

I didn't have time to think. I took out a spare phone from my pocket.

Leaning against the wall, I stood up. Although my hands were tied, at least my fingers could move.

I hid in the corner and dialed an emergency contact number.

"What is it?"

"Jordy, I've been kidnapped. Please save me! I'm currently... "

Before I could finish, he interrupted, "What are you up to? You know I hate it when you act like this."

I wanted to argue, but I inadvertently heard a girl's soft breathing on the other end.

The words stuck in my throat, and I swallowed them back. I pleaded humbly, choking back tears, "I'm not joking. I've been kidnapped. Please believe me this time. Please save me. I don't want to die... "

He sounded like a spectator watching a play, devoid of emotion. "Your acting is good, but I hate your exaggerated play."

Then the phone was hung up.

The sound of the call being disconnected echoed through the factory, like a countdown to my life's end.

At the same time, the kidnappers appeared behind me.

I didn't even have time to scream before darkness engulfed me.

I had thought that when he returned home and saw the divorce papers, he might try to keep me, or at least have some reactions.

But unfortunately, I would never know.

2

Jordy and I met through a blind date.

He didn't know me, but I had long held a deep admiration for him.

He was the esteemed attorney, Mr. Hudson, but I was just a small intern at his firm.

Being able to date and then get married to him was the luckiest thing in my life.

He was always indifferent to me. I thought it was just his cold nature.

Then his first love, Margret, returned from abroad with her daughter, and I saw a completely different side of him. He became even colder towards me.

I could clearly feel that his heart no longer had room for me.

When Jordy finally came home one day, he just changed his clothes and was about to leave.

I grabbed his hand and stripped off my clothes myself.

I was terrified and deeply humiliated.

But he hadn't touched me for a long time. If I let him go, I feared I would never win back his heart.

Seeing me like this, his eyes darkened, "I have something urgent."

His so-called urgency was just that woman catching a cold.

I tightly held his hand to my chest, but he shook it off as if he had touched something dirty, "Don't disgust me."

As he opened the door, I cried out, "Jordy! Is it only when I'm dead that you'll spare me a glance?"

He lowered his eyes, full of disdain, "Even if you were gone, I wouldn't spare you a second glance."

I knew he always hated me being pretentious.

And I was used to being humble in front of him. It took all my courage, but it was all for nothing.

I crouched down, hugging myself, letting the tears fall.

When I snapped out of my memories, my soul was already floating in the air.

The first person I saw when I opened my eyes was the Margret I had known for a long time!!

How could it be her?

I was puzzled. I had never seen her in person, nor had I ever interacted with her directly.

Why was she here?

I watched as she handed a wad of cash to the thug, "Thanks for your hard work. I'll take it from here."

The thug grinned lecherously, "Call me anytime for such good jobs. This chick was really tasty! I couldn't sleep all night, mesmerized by her body!"

I clenched my fists. I never imagined that even in death, I would suffer such humiliation!

I glared at Margret with hatred.

I had never seen her in person, but I had looked at her photos countless times in the dead of night.

She was beautiful, the kind of beauty I could never match. No wonder Jordy liked her so much.

But I never thought she would be so vicious!

She placed a burning charcoal on my body, leaving no part of my skin unscathed.

My body was disheveled, and her gaze was full of contempt.

I didn't understand. I posed no threat to her. Why did she want to kill me?

If anyone should hate, it should be me hating her!

I lashed out in vain, unable to make contact.

I gave up...

Looking around, I noticed her daughter sleeping soundly on the floor nearby.

It was almost evening, Jordy called her, "Margret, where did you go?"

It was the first time I heard Jordy speak so gently.

Margret's voice trembled, "Jordy, my daughter was kidnapped. The kidnapper asked me to bring the ransom. I was too anxious to tell you, but now... I accidentally killed the kidnapper. What should I do?"

Jordy immediately calmed down, "Don't be afraid. Tell me where you are, and I'll handle it!"

In less than ten minutes, Jordy arrived.

Calming down, I realized Margret had planned this all along.

She bet that Jordy would definitely help her...

Jordy looked at the disfigured corpse in front of him with calmness. If he had paid more attention to me, he would have known that the body was mine.

I often wore this outfit, but he rarely came home and never looked at me.

3