Chapter 1 Chapter 1

By the third year after my death, my son and I were still wandering ghosts. Because of our deep ties to this world, we couldn't pass on from here. Meanwhile, my husband, Samuel Hoffman, had clawed his way up from the bottom of society. He had transformed into the most up-and-coming new star in the business world. I had betrayed him without hesitation during his most desperate times. So, he hated me. He hated me so much that he would skin me alive. Three years ago, he had forced me to donate my bone marrow to his childhood sweetheart, Violet Sampson. At that time, I had been deathly sick. Bone marrow aspiration was an invasive procedure. I didn't know if it was a botched operation or if my low immunity due to my inherent illness was to blame, but I suffered a severe systemic infection a week after the procedure. I then fell into a fever-induced coma and died at home. My three-year-old son, Toby Hoffman, was left uncared for. Eventually, he died by my side. In all those three years, Samuel never visited us—not even once. He didn't make a single phone call. While holding Toby's little hand, I floated in the air. I watched as Samuel kicked at the front gate of the small house that I used to live in. We hadn't seen each other in three years, and he had changed a lot. His expression was cold and merciless. It felt so familiar yet so oddly strange. Behind him stood Violet, who was dressed extravagantly and wearing a face mask. Her complexion was rosy, and her figure perfectly proportioned. She didn't look like someone who was terminally ill at all. Toby listened to the grating noise of the door being kicked and hid in my arms in fear. He looked up at me. His bright eyes were filled with a mix of excitement and fear. "Mommy, has Daddy finally remembered us? He hasn't come to see us for such a long, long time. But he seems angry. Did I upset him? And who is that lady standing there?" Toby asked a series of questions. I patted his head softly. My heart ached like a knife had cut through it. My throat felt constricted, and I couldn't utter a word. "Kristen! Get out here right now! Stop playing dead inside!" Samuel shouted hoarsely into the courtyard. The commotion startled Jessie Vance, who lived next door. She stepped out of her yard and asked Samuel, "Young man, who are you looking for? No one has lived here for a long time." Samuel composed himself and asked, "Didn't Kristen live here? Has she moved away?" Jessie's eyes dimmed as she sighed. "Are you talking about Kristen Zucker? That poor young woman died three years ago." Samuel froze for a moment. Jessie continued, "I heard that she was forced to donate her bone marrow when she was very ill. She passed away a few days after coming back. It was truly tragic." Violet's expression changed, and her face turned pale. As if feeling wronged, she protested. "Please don't spread unfounded rumors like that, ma'am. Donating bone marrow is safe and doesn't cause death. "If she didn't want to donate her bone marrow to me, she could've just said so. There's no need to jinx herself like this." She deliberately said those words loudly, as if I might be eavesdropping from inside the house. Samuel, who had been dazed, immediately relaxed when he heard Violet's words. The next moment, a mocking smile appeared on his face. He said contemptuously, "She likes to play pretend all the time. If she wants to make up lies, she should at least make them believable. She should look up whether anyone has ever died from donating bone marrow." Jessie didn't understand what they were arguing about. She repeated, "The poor thing. She died in the house and no one knew for days…" Samuel's expression turned icy. He said to Jessie, "I don't know why you're helping her deceive me. But please tell her this—if she doesn't show up within three days to donate her bone marrow to Vivi, I won't hesitate to cut off the dialysis treatment for that child of hers." Jessie's eyes widened in shock. She shook her head and sighed before turning to go back into her own house. From behind her, Samuel warned coldly, "Remember that I'm giving her only three days. If she doesn't show up, I won't pay her a single cent of living expenses this month. She'll watch as that little kid dies in front of her." With her back turned, Jessie's eyes reddened as she muttered to herself, "That poor child… He already starved to death a long time ago. If only I had gone to check… Maybe I could've saved him."

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

"Sam, is Kristen hiding because she doesn't want to donate her bone marrow to me?" Violet asked pitifully. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. Samuel ruffled her hair affectionately. "Don't worry. It's just leukemia. Even if Kristen doesn't donate her bone marrow to you, I'll search the entire country to find you a match." Violet pouted and said, "My body didn't show any signs of rejection upon receiving Kristen's bone marrow. The doctor said he's never seen two people with such a high level of compatibility." Samuel glanced at the locked gate. His tone was resolute as he promised, "I'll find her for you, even if I have to dig her up from the ground!" At that moment, I felt a pang of intense pain in my heart. As I watched the two people standing before me, memories from years ago resurfaced. Samuel and I were college classmates. Back then, he was like the sunlight piercing through the chilly morning mist. His presence was warm and dazzling. I was the one who fell for him first. After graduation, we ended up together. I once saw him as my salvation, and my world revolved entirely around him. I stood by him as he ventured into entrepreneurship. Then, I endured hardships by his side. He promised to take care of me for a lifetime. In the beginning, he kept his promise. But ideals could never truly withstand the harsh reality. During the early days of setting up his business, I often accompanied him to negotiate deals with other parties. It was during this time that I met Daniel Jones, the heir to Glorious Group. Daniel was a privileged scion who only worked for the sake of experiencing life. Ever since he met me, he stuck around like a fly I couldn't shake off. There were times when he touched me inappropriately under the guise of being drunk and wasted. Finally, things turned ugly one day. When Daniel tried to hold me in his arms while he was drunk, Samuel grabbed a wine bottle from the table and smashed it over his head. Because of this incident, we lost the contract with Glorious Group. Not only that, we also had to forfeit all our savings to keep Daniel from sending Samuel to jail. Of course, what we paid went far beyond just money. That night, Samuel held me in his arms and apologized profusely. He kept telling me how sorry he was and that he would never let anyone bully me again when he became successful. True to his words, he became a successful businessman. No one else bullied me anymore—only he did. I didn't want to remember any of this anymore. I looked at the face that had only become more unfeeling and ruthless after all these years. The stifling summer wind tousled his hair and deepened the already furrowed lines of his brows. He looked immensely troubled. He held Violet in his arms. His gaze was fixed on the weeds that had grown half a foot tall at the courtyard gate. The year I "betrayed" Samuel was during the second year of our marriage. At that time, I was already over a month pregnant. But neither of us knew about this. By then, Samuel's business had started to flourish. It even attracted several investors. It should have been a period of steady growth. However, everything fell apart without warning. Deals that had been finalized were abruptly canceled. The capital funds dried up, and product issues kept cropping up one after another. Bank loans were cut off. Even the mortgaged properties, cars, and factories were all set to be repossessed and auctioned off. During those days, Samuel could not eat or sleep. To make matters worse, his mother was diagnosed with cancer that year. An enormous sum of money was needed for her treatment. I pulled some strings and looked into the odd circumstances surrounding Samuel's business. Soon, I discovered that the person sabotaging his company was none other than Daniel, the man he had once hit with a wine bottle for my sake. At this point, Daniel sought me out. He said he could have Glorious Group's investment firm inject some funds into Samuel's business and cover his mother's medical expenses. I knew he had his conditions because let's be honest—would a devil ever do charity? If he didn't want my life, he would certainly take something even more valuable than life itself. So, I asked him what his true purpose was for making this offer. Daniel sneered disdainfully. "I do it because I want to. What purpose do I need? I just enjoy watching you worthless insects struggle and seethe with anger, yet you're completely helpless against me. "Besides, I haven't paid Samuel back for the time he smashed a wine bottle on my head. It's time for him to suffer the consequences of his reckless action." I couldn't understand Daniel. He had a hundred ways to make Samuel's life miserable, yet he chose me. Even after all these years, I vividly remember that day. In the dimly lit private room, Daniel held me on his lap with a contract in his hand. When Samuel pushed open the door and saw us, he froze. His eyes reddened as he rasped, "Why?" I said to him, "You can't give me the life I want, but Daniel can…" In response, Daniel laughed heartily and pinched me with his greasy hands. My heart bled with agony, and I felt a sense of crushing humiliation. Nevertheless, I forced myself to laugh and evade his touch shyly. "Isn't this great, Samuel? I help you secure funds, and you seal the deal with Glorious Group. It's a win-win situation," I said. Disappointment clouded Samuel's eyes bit by bit. Still, he extended his hand toward me with determination. "Come back to me, Kristen. I don't need you to do this. Whatever life you want, I'll work hard to give it to you." He was pleading so humbly, and his expression was full of sorrow. At that moment, my heart shattered, and I could scarcely breathe. Samuel went on, "Kristen, I can walk away from today's deal. Please just come home with me…" He had once been so confident and proud. In fact, he was proud enough to smash a wine bottle over the head of Glorious Group's heir without hesitation. With a cruel twist of fate, he was now reduced to begging. Daniel chortled smugly. "The woman you cherish is nothing special. All it took was for me to beckon with my finger, and she willingly climbed into my bed. So tell me. What was the point of smashing that wine bottle on my head back then?" Samuel ignored his words and fixed his gaze on me. I smiled as I wrapped my arms around Daniel's neck. "That's right, Samuel. Don't take things so seriously—just let it go." I don't remember much about what happened after that. I only remember that Samuel signed the contract with bloodshot eyes. He said to me, "I'll forever hold a grudge until one of us dies, Kristen." After that night, he threw himself into his career with a vengeance. In just a few short years, his fledgling company went public. Furthermore, his company grew to become the industry leader just last year. He pulled through and made his way to the top of the pyramid. And I became the greatest stain that ever marred his life.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I, of course, didn't show up within the three-day deadline he gave me. Samuel returned once more to the gate of my humble abode. Toby circled Samuel excitedly. He slipped his tiny, transparent hand into Samuel's hand that was hanging at his side. He turned back joyfully and shouted to me, "Mommy, I'm finally holding Daddy's hand!" My eyes stung, and I looked back at him with a forced smile. Over the years, Samuel had always believed that Toby was Daniel's child. He loathed him and refused to even spare him a glance. Although I had done a paternity test that confirmed they were biologically father and son, he still refused to believe it. He vehemently claimed I had paid someone to fake the results. After that terrible night, I had lost all his trust. I had asked him for a divorce, wanting to put an end to our toxic relationship. But he only glared at me with venom in his eyes and spat, "Kristen, I want you to remember this—you owe me one for the rest of your life. I told you that this grudge won't end until one of us dies. "As for divorce, don't even think about it!" He brought countless women home to spend the night and flaunt his intimacy with them in front of me. Whenever I argued with him, he would sneer and remind me how dirty I was when I slept with Daniel. This went on until Violet returned to the country. From the moment she came back into his life, he cut off all contact with those other women. Subsequently, the two of them flaunted their relationship openly. Even his business partners referred to Violet as "Mrs. Hoffman." My thoughts drifted back to the present. I watched as Samuel stood at the gate and called me. The monotonous voice on the other end informed him that the number was no longer in service. He frowned and opened our WhatsApp chat. The only thing he saw was the last message he had sent me three days ago, urging me to come forward to provide my bone marrow to Violet. I hadn't replied, of course. Samuel turned to Facebook next. When he saw a photo I had posted four years ago, his hand froze for a moment. It was a photo I had secretly taken—he was sitting on the couch, with two-year-old Toby clinging to his arm and resting his adorable little head on his shoulder. I had thought it was a beautiful moment, so I snapped a photo. But in the next second, Samuel had pushed Toby away in disgust. He enlarged the photo and stared at it for a long time before returning to the chat window. Then, he typed a message: "Kristen, you brought this on yourself. The three-day deadline is up. Starting today, I won't send you a single cent for your living expenses." After waiting for a reply and getting none, he kicked the gate hard in frustration. Toby, who had been happily holding onto Samuel and running in circles around him, was terrified by the sudden aggression. He quivered and burst into tears as he ran into my arms. "Mommy, what's wrong with Daddy? I'm scared…" I held him tightly and comforted him. "Don't be scared, Toby. Daddy can't hurt you anymore. Look, there are butterflies over there. Do you want to go play with them?" I said that to distract him. Toby turned his head and saw a few butterflies fluttering in the distance. His tears stopped, and he quickly wiped his face before running after the butterflies with a smile. Meanwhile, Samuel only grew more agitated after kicking the gate twice. He rubbed his temples repeatedly. Then, he took out his phone and made a call. "Hello, is this the locksmith?"

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Half an hour later, Samuel pushed open the gate, which was already covered in cobwebs. The weeds in the courtyard had grown even taller than the grass by the gate. They reached up to his waist. It was clear that this place had been uninhabited for a long time. Samuel stood in the courtyard, hesitating whether to take another step forward. He had been here twice before, and he should have remembered that I kept the yard in excellent condition. It didn't look anything like this when he visited in the past. The first time he came here was to drop off Toby and me. Back then, two-year-old Toby had just been diagnosed with uremia caused by underdevelopment of his kidneys. He thought Toby was a jinx and bought this farmhouse in a remote village for us to move into. Every month, he transferred me 20 thousand dollars, which included the fees for Toby's dialysis treatment. The second time he came was to force me to go and do the HLA typing to see if my bone marrow was compatible with Violet's. If his memory didn't fail him, he should recall that the yard was once filled with hydrangeas and roses. I had even built a swing there for Toby. While Samuel was still lost in thought, Violet called again. Her voice sounded weak over the phone. "Sam, have you found Kristen yet? Will she come and donate her bone marrow to me today?" Samuel reassured her, "I'll handle this. Just focus on cooperating with the doctors for your treatment. Don't worry." Violet's voice broke slightly. "I know Kristen must be unwilling to donate her bone marrow for me again, and I can understand. She already saved me once. I shouldn't be greedy and ask her to save me a second time. If she's hiding now, I don't blame her…" It was as if she knew for a fact that I was intentionally hiding because I didn't want to donate my bone marrow to her. Samuel was silent for a few seconds. To my surprise, he didn't immediately side with Violet. Instead, he said, "That's not it. I haven't managed to contact her yet. She probably doesn't even know that your leukemia has relapsed. How could she have known about that in advance and decided to hide?" Violet was momentarily at a loss for words. She quickly clarified, "Sam, you misunderstood me. That's not what I meant." Samuel cut her off. "Don't worry, Vivi. As long as Kristen is still alive, I'll find her. And if she's on the brink of death, I'll make sure she donates her bone marrow to you before she takes her last breath." Violet seemed relieved after hearing this. After hanging up, Samuel stood in front of the house for a long time. Even though the door wasn't locked, he didn't push it open and go inside. If he had, he would have seen the two figures outlined in white chalk. Those were the markings left by the police after they discovered our dead bodies in the house. Samuel just stood there. In the end, he stepped back out of the yard and bought a new lock from the locksmith. Then, he locked the gate.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

I noticed something strange. As long as we followed Samuel, we could leave the place that had bound us for so long. Toby had grown tired of being at the farmhouse after three years. So, I thought it was a good thing that we could venture out and see the outside world. Of course, Toby was thrilled. He constantly looked around and exclaimed in awe at everything he saw. However, it seemed we couldn't stray too far from Samuel. We followed him back to his villa. Toby stared at the luxuriously decorated villa with his mouth agape in astonishment. He had lived here before up until he was two years old. Perhaps he was too young to remember it. He flitted around excitedly while exploring every corner. Meanwhile, I drifted behind Samuel and followed him as he went into his study. I watched him make a call to the bank and freeze the bank account tied to the card he had given me. If he had paid closer attention, he might have realized that he hadn't received any transaction notifications for that card in the past three years. The money he had been transferring to that account throughout that time had never been touched either. He believed that by freezing the account, I would have no choice but to show up within a week. After all, Toby's uremia required constant dialysis until a kidney transplant was possible. A dialysis treatment was needed twice a week, so he was sure I couldn't survive without money. When that was done, he opened his phone's photo gallery and stared at it, lost in thought. I floated behind him and saw that he was looking at the photo I had posted on Facebook—the one of him and Toby together. The resemblance between them was uncanny. His eyes trailed from their broad foreheads to their lush lashes, slightly upturned eyes, and identical eyebrows. Every feature seemed to shout the truth of their shared bloodline. He wasn't stupid—he could see it. A sudden phone call broke the silence in the study. It was from the hospital. Violet had suddenly fallen into a coma.

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Samuel grabbed his car keys and rushed out. Toby and I were forced to follow him to the hospital. In his hurried dash, Samuel collided with a man in the hospital lobby who was dressed in an expensive tailored suit. I recognized him—it was Daniel. Daniel stumbled back two steps. Once he steadied himself and saw it was Samuel, his face showed a hint of surprise. He jeered, "Well, if it isn't the man of the hour in Southton—Mr. Samuel Hoffman? What brings you to the hospital so late at night? What's the hurry?" Samuel muttered an apology hastily before bypassing him and running straight to the elevator. Daniel, however, was relentless. He followed Samuel at a brisk pace. He trailed him all the way to the inpatient department of the hematology ward. When they reached Violet's room, she wasn't there. Samuel immediately rushed to her attending physician's office. Upon learning that she was in the observation room and hadn't fallen into a coma but had simply fainted due to anemia, Samuel finally breathed a sigh of relief. He sat in the chair by her bedside while breathing heavily. His gaze was hollow as he stared at the floor. It was evident how worried he was about Violet. While leaning casually against the doorframe, Daniel asked nosily, "I thought your sweetheart was cured of her illness. What's she doing back here?" Samuel didn't feel like talking to him. He replied tersely, "It relapsed." Over the years, Samuel and Glorious Group maintained steady business collaborations. Their deals gradually increased in volume and scope. Three years ago, Daniel's father forced him to go abroad. And so, other executives took over his tasks. With Daniel out of the way, Samuel's career flourished even more. "So, who are you planning to sacrifice this time?" Daniel suddenly asked. Samuel glanced at Daniel like he was looking at a fool. "I don't understand what you're talking about." Daniel scrutinized his face as a peculiar smile formed at the corner of his mouth. "You really know how to keep up an act. Sometimes, I can't tell whether you're faking it or not." Samuel's patience had worn thin. With his voice lowered, he said, "If you have something to say, say it directly. Beating around the bush isn't your style." Daniel replied, "What I mean is, Kristen is already dead. So, whose bone marrow are you planning to use to save your sweetheart this time?"