Even after Her Death Free Preview

I died on my wedding night.

During our ceremony, my husband left me at the altar, making me the subject of ridicule for everyone in the city.

When a dangerous man attacked me, I called my husband for help, but he told me to just die already so that my sister wouldn't be bothered by me any longer.

Before I passed away, I saw the city illuminated by fireworks.

These fireworks were supposed to celebrate our marriage but were instead his way of wooing another woman.

I thought that by dying, I would remove the last obstacle, allowing him to openly pursue my sister.

However, when he discovered that my bones had been fashioned into prayer beads he touched day and night, he lost his sanity.

As my consciousness dimmed, I made one final call.

On the other end, a chaotic noise preceded a man's cold voice. "Chloe, are you done making trouble? I've already given you a grand wedding. I'm just spending time with Anna. What more do you want?"

Blood poured from me quickly as the attacker loomed over, observing my struggling and pitiful state.

He was aware that I was about to die and could no longer pose any threat.

But I clung to the faintest glimmer of hope, unwilling to surrender just yet.

My white wedding dress, now drenched in the river, was muddied at the hem. Summoning my last bit of strength, I cried out, "Luke, save me!"

Luke Bolton cut me off with annoyance, "Enough. Aren't you tired of this charade? I'm fed up with it."

"I'm not lying. Someone is trying to kill me ... "

He scoffed, "Chloe, you were pretending to be sick before. What's this performance now?

"Are you so desperate for attention? Anna is your own sister, and you're Mrs. Bolton now. Will you only be satisfied if she's dead?"

The biting cold was nothing compared to his scornful words. As the blood pooled beneath me, staining my wedding gown, I knew my end was near.

With my final breath, I lay on my back, surrendering to my fate, my voice a faint whisper. "But Anna is safe and alive, while I ... am dying."

"Just die already. That way, Anna wouldn't be bothered by you anymore."

Before the call ended, a sweet voice chimed in, "Luke, the fireworks are about to begin."

Luke's voice faded away, leaving only the howling wind in my ears. The blood-smeared phone slipped from my fingers and fell heavily into the water.

The splash sent droplets into my eyes, which turned into burning tears streaming down my cheeks.

Amidst the swirling snow, tiny lights began to appear in the dark sky, resembling a river of stars created by twinkling drones.

The deafening bursts of fireworks filled the air, and my vision was overwhelmed by their dazzling display.

The elaborate fireworks, which he had spent six months preparing to celebrate our wedding, had ultimately been a show to impress another woman.

Someone sent me a photo of my husband, holding another woman closely amidst the radiant fireworks.

His lips, usually so detached, curled into a subtle smile.

In the midst of their joy, my eyes closed for the last time.

They say that after death, one may experience reincarnation.

If there was truly another life, I hoped I would never cross paths with Luke again.

But fate had different plans. When I regained consciousness, I found myself under a brilliant, star-filled sky, watching a couple locked in an embrace.

It was my husband, Luke, and my sister, Anna Sander.

"Luke, Anna, you can't do this!"

I tried to reach out to them, but my hands went straight through their bodies.

Looking down, I saw my almost transparent form. No one around seemed to notice me.

It hit me that I was dead and my spirit had somehow ended up near them.

Watching them kiss so passionately, I felt the sharp sting of death.

I had been his childhood sweetheart, and not long ago, Luke had promised me that his feelings for Anna were purely sibling-like and that he loved only me.

Another firework streaked across the sky, and Luke suddenly jolted awake, pushing Anna away with a sudden force.

"Anna, we can't do this."

Anna's face was still flushed, and the firelight made her look even more captivating. She bit her lip and said, "Luke, I didn't mean for this to happen. I just ... couldn't control myself."

Luke gently stroked her head. "It's alright, I'm not angry with you. I'll make a call."

I watched as he pulled out his phone and dialed my number.

A chill swept over me. After more than twenty years of devotion, it all meant nothing in the end.

Even thinking of me came only after his romantic encounter with Anna, as if calling me was just an afterthought.

Beep, beep, beep ...

After three rings, my voice remained unheard.

I was always on standby for Luke, ready to answer within three rings.

But I was dead. How could a corpse answer a phone?

Luke frowned deeply. "Anna, I'm going to check Chloe's last location."

Oh, now he remembered me?

Before I died, I had sent Luke my location by the river. If he came now, he might still find my body.

Time was slipping away, and I dreaded what the scheming murderer might do to my remains.

A small hand grasped his wrist, and Anna looked at him with pleading eyes. "Luke, please stay with me."

Luke hesitated. "But Chloe ... "

"Chloe is always dramatic. Remember when she pretended to be sick in the hospital? You dropped your billion-dollar deal to come back, only to find she was fine. Or when she said someone was stalking her, but nothing ever happened?

"That's Chloe for you. She's always been spoiled, playing these tricks. She's the Sanders' heiress. Who would dare harm her?"

His words eased Luke's doubts, and he rubbed his weary brow.

"I wish Chloe could be as understanding as you."

Anna smiled, and I felt a bitter pang of irony.

He used to say, "Only people who have never experienced love need to be sensible. Chloe, you can be as carefree as you like."

Luke didn't come to find me again. Instead, he took Anna to our room.

I blocked the doorway, trying to prevent her from entering.

Anna, like a determined insect, laughed as she passed through my ghostly form.

It seemed that whether I was alive or dead, I couldn't stop her.

Anna emerged from the bathroom in my nightgown—the surprise I had planned for our wedding night.

Luke's eyes darkened as he took in her silhouette beneath the sheer fabric.

I recognized this as a sign of his arousal from our time together.

Watching the growing tension between them, I felt a mix of rage and sorrow.

"Anna, that's Chloe's clothes," Luke reminded her.

"I know," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Luke, I know you've long stopped loving Chloe. You love me, don't you?"

"Anna, enough." Luke's voice turned cold.

Tears streamed down Anna's face as she sobbed, looking like a pitiful woman who had been abandoned. "After tonight, you'll be my brother-in-law. I'm not asking for much, just one night. Luke, I want to be yours."

"I'll agree to anything but this!" Luke pushed her away.

Anna stamped her foot. "Fine, if you won't have me, I'll find someone else—maybe the delivery guy, the janitor, or even a beggar under the bridge!"

"Stop this nonsense!"

"If you don't want me and won't grant me this one wish, then I ... "

Luke pulled her into his arms and silenced her with a kiss.

I screamed in agony, but no one heard me.

Luke, the man I had loved for over a decade, was now making love to my sister in our room.

I watched as Luke unleashed all his repressed emotions that night.

As dawn's light touched Anna's marked body, she nestled closer to Luke with a shy smile.

Luke, now regaining his composure, looked regretful. "Anna, about last night ... "

I sneered. What good were regrets now that everything was done?

It was pointless!

"Luke, don't worry. I won't tell Chloe. From now on, you're my brother-in-law. I'll study abroad and disappear from your world forever."

Luke's brow furrowed. "Who told you to leave? You ... "

Before he could finish, the phone rang. Luke answered it.

A stern voice came from the other end. "Mr. Bolton, this morning, a designer wedding dress was recovered from Silver Shore. It has been identified as the one your wife, Chloe, wore yesterday. Please come to the police station to assist with the investigation."

Upon hearing the police officer's voice, I couldn't help but wonder if Luke would even feel a pang of sadness upon learning of my death.

Would he?

After more than twenty years together, could it really all be so easily forgotten?

Luke's face, always so composed, showed no sign of concern. He asked casually, "It's just a wedding dress?"

"Yes, for now it's just a wedding dress. But Ms. Sander might be in danger. We can't rule out the possibility of suicide. We discovered—"

Before the officer could finish, Luke abruptly interrupted. "I don't know who reported this, but I know Chloe very well. She wouldn't take her own life. She's pulled these stunts before. There's no need to waste police resources on her little rich-girl antics."

The officer was taken aback. We had only gotten married the day before, and Luke displayed no concern for my safety.

The officer tried to continue, but Luke had already ended the call.

I almost laughed—a bitter, self-deprecating laugh at the idea that Luke might still have feelings for me.

I was dead!

Even with the police involved, he still thought I was playing some trivial game!

Anna wrapped around Luke like a vine. "Luke, what if Chloe is truly in danger?"

Luke's brows knitted together. "On the phone yesterday, Chloe did sound weak and like she was asking for help."

"It could be that I tried on Chloe's wedding dress, and she was upset, so she threw it into the river. But we genuinely love each other. I've controlled my feelings and let you have her. What more could Chloe want?

"You hired the designer to work on that dress with my preferences in mind. Why should she be so petty about me trying it on? It's a million-dollar gown—how could she just toss it away! And now it's causing trouble at the police station. Isn't this deliberately embarrassing the Boltons?"

Luke's anxiety faded, replaced by his usual contempt for me.

A week ago, when I went to try on the wedding dress, I found Anna already wearing it. She had even altered the color and size to fit her.

I asked her to take it off. Before I could say anything harsh, my family chided me, saying it was just a dress. Letting my sister try it on was no big deal.

Anna, dressed in the wedding gown, clung to Luke, making it seem as if she was the genuine Mrs. Bolton, while I was just a mere backdrop.

My family's bias stemmed from when Anna fell into the river at age five. I jumped in to save her but couldn't.

I hit my head on a rock and lost consciousness. When I woke up, I found that the young heir of the Boltons had rescued me, while my sister had disappeared into the river.

That was how I ended up connected to Luke, growing up together as childhood friends.

When I turned eighteen, Luke's father, Adam Bolton, introduced his new wife into the family, and Anna came along with her. At that time, Luke was deeply annoyed with her.

Three years ago, at my engagement party, Anna suddenly regained her memory and claimed to be the lost fifth daughter of the Sanders.

While everyone was celebrating, Anna suddenly fell to her knees before me, clutching my gown and crying, "Chloe, why did you trick me and push me into the river back then?"

I was stunned, having no idea she was my lost sister.

I had never treated her poorly, whether as a sister or as a sister-in-law.

Her accusations hit me hard, leaving me dazed and unable to recover.

Anna kept begging, "Chloe, I promise I'll behave from now on. I won't compete with you for anything. Please stop hurting me. I miss Mom, Dad, and Ethan. Can I please go home?"

My dad raised his hand and struck me hard. "I never imagined you could be so cruel at such a young age. Anna was only five then. How could you be so heartless?"

Panicked, I tried to explain, "That's not true. I didn't push her. I didn't ... "

"She's your own sister. Why would she lie so dramatically to deceive us? Anna, my poor daughter, you've endured so much all these years."

My mom held Anna close, sobbing uncontrollably.

Yes, she was my sister. Why would she treat me this way?

What was meant to be my engagement party had turned into a chaotic family drama, and I was given the label of an evil sister, a stigma I couldn't escape.

I cried, my makeup smeared and my voice hoarse from trying to explain, but no one would listen.

Adam, usually so kind, glanced at Luke and instructed him to take me away to fix my makeup.

From his look, I could sense that he felt I was an embarrassment.

In desperation, I clung to Luke's hand, trying to plead my case. He held me close, his fingers gently patting my back. "I believe you. How could I not? You're the kindest, sweetest girl there is."

How had the man who once stood firmly by my side become like this?

I watched them from the bed, my heart heavy with despair.

After death, no matter how deeply I mourned, my hollow eyes could not shed a tear.

Though my heart no longer beat, it felt as if a cold breeze was passing through it.

I tried to move away, but I couldn't get more than three feet from him.

I was forced to watch as they got up, with Anna in my new clothes, sitting at the vanity.

She held an eyebrow pencil, pouting as she had Luke fill in her brows.

It was as if they were the rightful couple.

Luke's gaze fell on our wedding photo, and he paused. "Enough, Anna. Didn't we agree to return things to how they were before after last night?"

"Yes, I understand. I won't disturb you and Chloe anymore," Anna said, lowering her head in a show of fake innocence.

Luke dialed my number again, but it still went unanswered.

If he had contacted the police to locate my phone now, he might have found my body.

But he didn't. Instead, he put his phone away with a troubled expression.

I heard him scoff coldly. "Chloe, it seems I've spoiled you too much."

"Yeah, Chloe is skilled at playing hard to get. Don't worry, Luke. She might have already returned to the Boltons and is just ignoring your calls to make you worry."

Luke's expression grew colder. "We should visit our parents today after the wedding. Chloe would definitely be there for such an important occasion. Let's go back. I want to see what Chloe is playing at!"

Luke's stepmother, Sheila Bolton, had once had a daughter with Adam, but the child passed away when she was very young, leaving behind a deep sadness. Later on, they adopted Anna, a twist of fate that brought her into their lives.

Three years after Luke's mother passed away, Adam welcomed Sheila into the family, and she became Mrs. Bolton.

From the start, Sheila never liked me because of Anna's presence.

When Anna saw Sheila, she sweetly called out, "Dad, Mom."

Adam's gaze turned sharply to Luke. "You ungrateful fool, so you finally decided to come back. You've embarrassed the Boltons beyond repair!"

At yesterday's wedding, just as Luke and I were about to exchange rings, Anna called, claiming she was having severe chest pains. Without a second thought, Luke rushed out, leaving me as the subject of ridicule throughout the city.

Anna immediately went up to Adam, teary-eyed. "Dad, it's all my fault. I thought I was having a heart attack and called Luke. I didn't expect it to turn out like this. If you're angry, blame me, not Luke."

Sheila gathered Anna in her arms. "Anna only developed this heart condition because Chloe pushed her into the water years ago. Besides, our in-laws didn't complain. Why are you so upset? Anna, dear, it's okay. It's not your fault."

This scene had become a familiar occurrence over the past two years. Whenever Anna and I clashed, Adam would make a fuss but quickly move on.

In the end, Anna always walked away with the advantages, leaving me with only bitterness.

Luke scanned the room, not finding the person he was looking for. He asked, "Dad, where's Chloe?"

"How dare you mention her! Yesterday, you left her at the wedding, leaving her to face all the blame. She calmed the guests, said she was going to change out of her wedding dress, and then never returned. She saved face for the Boltons, while you trampled all over her dignity!"

Luke's expression changed slightly. "You say she hasn't come back. Where could she have gone? She sent me her location last night!"

Luke pulled out his phone, his fingers tense. "The police called me today saying they found Chloe's wedding dress at Silver Shore ... "

Ha.

I laughed. It took him this long to realize I was dead?

"Where did she go? How should I know! Did you even think about her when you ran away from the wedding? Now, what are you pretending for?"

"Dad, I'm going out."

"Luke, I'm coming with you."

Watching his slightly panicked back, I found it almost amusing.

Wasn't it a bit late to be panicking now?

At the police station.

Luke cut straight to the point. "Officer, what exactly happened?"

"Mr. Bolton, this morning, a wedding dress was spotted drifting on the river. A jogger thought it was a body and reported it. After retrieving it, we confirmed it was the same high-end dress your wife wore at the wedding ... "

Anna interrupted, "Was there anything else found besides the wedding dress?"

"No," the officer glanced at Anna and replied.

"Officer, Chloe wouldn't have thrown the wedding dress into the water just to upset you, would she?

"Chloe often plays these kinds of games, but we don't have time to indulge her."

Anna's nonchalant attitude made the sheriff, Nelson Tucker, raise an eyebrow. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Chloe's younger sister. Chloe has always been deceitful. When I was just five, she tricked me into leaving the house and then pushed me into the river, trying to drown me. Even when I managed to get back home, she continued to scheme against me in every possible way. She excels at playing the victim to manipulate others."

Hearing these accusations, I wanted to defend myself and tell them that it wasn't me, and I didn't do any of that.

I had repeated this explanation numerous times, but everyone seemed to view Anna as the perpetual victim. My protests always sounded like mere excuses.

I hoped Nelson might see through Anna's lies, but his expression remained impassive.

"We discovered traces of blood on the wedding dress. After conducting tests, we confirmed it matches Ms. Chloe's DNA. There are also two puncture marks on the dress, likely from a sharp object. If Ms. Sander was wearing this dress, she would have sustained injuries from a sharp object in both her abdomen and back.

"So, we suspect Ms. Sander may have been harmed."

Luke's face turned ashen. His hand, holding a disposable cup, shook uncontrollably, causing water to spill all over the table.

I glared at him with disdain.

Did Luke finally remember what I said when I called him?

I was reaching out for help!

Why didn't he come to my rescue?!

And now he was acting like this—who was he trying to deceive?

"It's impossible!" Anna immediately dismissed the suggestion. "If Chloe had been murdered, there would be a motive. If it were about money, the killer would have kept the wedding dress—it's worth millions, with real diamonds. Why would they just discard it?

"If it were out of jealousy, the killer would have destroyed the dress, not thrown it into the water. And who would go through the trouble of removing the dress and leaving the body to float away? It doesn't make sense."

"Exactly." Luke's eyes brightened. "Didn't you find any other evidence at the scene? For instance, her phone, shoes, or any personal items? Or maybe the weapon used or traces of blood?"

"Not at this time."

Anna concluded, "I believe Chloe purposely removed the dress, used a knife to cut it, and then sprinkled some of her own blood on it before tossing it into the water for dramatic effect."

"That rebellious girl is completely outrageous. It was bad enough when she used petty tricks for attention, but now she's taken it all the way to the police station."

It was my mom speaking. The Sanders had been summoned to the police station for questioning and arrived just in time to overhear the conversation.

As soon as the Sanders arrived, from my parents to my older brother, their responses were consistent.

Nelson interrupted, "Mrs. Sanders, please try to stay calm."

"Calm? Officer, considering your age, you should be settled with a family of your own by now. If your own daughter turned out to be so ungrateful and cruel, harming her own sibling, would you remain composed?"

My brother, Ethan Sander, glanced at his watch. "Officer, we're very busy. We came here to inform you not to waste our time with these childish antics."

I stood there, feeling numb and heartbroken.

Looking at my parents and brother, who had caused me so much pain over the years, I felt an unsettling distance. Despite their unchanged faces, they felt unfamiliar to me now.

What had I done to make them hate me so intensely?

The officers around looked skeptical. One of them remarked, "She's your family. Now she's missing—she could be in danger or harmed. Aren't you at least a little worried about her?"

"I know my daughter well. She's so thick-skinned that she would sacrifice her own dignity. How could she possibly be suicidal? Besides, she's Mrs. Bolton. Who would dare harm her? Don't waste your resources. That rebellious girl is probably somewhere laughing at us."

"I have a meeting soon, so I'll be leaving."

My family hastily went through the motions and left. I even overheard my mother saying, "D*mn it. I haven't even finished my manicure. I was dragged here for such trivial matters."

"Mom, where did you get your nails done? They look fantastic," Anna said, sidling up to her.

"I'll take you later. We'll also get some beauty treatments. If Chloe were as obedient as you, I wouldn't have been so stressed that I've developed two more wrinkles."

With most people gone, only the silent Luke remained.

"Mr. Bolton, did Ms. Sander reach out to you before she disappeared? We heard you left the wedding abruptly yesterday. Ms. Sander, feeling deeply hurt, might have been in a vulnerable state and committed suicide. If you have any information, please cooperate ... "

At these words, Luke's irritation flared. Even though no crime had been confirmed, it felt as though the officer was accusing him of driving me to my death. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "Mr. Tucker, you haven't found a body or a crime scene, so how can you be so certain she's dead?"

"She's your wife!"

Luke, now visibly frustrated, stood up to leave. "Then wait until you find the body before jumping to conclusions!"

Luke couldn't come to terms with the idea that something might have happened to me. He slammed the car door with frustration and dialed my number again, only to be met with the same automated voicemail message indicating my phone was off.

He then opened WhatsApp.

The first thing that showed up was Anna's chat, which was pinned to the top. He had added a heart emoji next to her name in his contacts.

In the past, my profile had always been pinned at the top of his contacts.

I had noticed two years ago that it had been replaced by Anna's.

He had once saved her contact name as "Annoying Chloe," but it was later changed to "Anna."

When I questioned him about pinning her chat to the top, he had appeared guilty and came up with elaborate excuses, even accusing me of being petty and aggressive.

Three years ago, when Anna moved back to the Sander residence, she began to subtly undermine me in every way she could.

With her acting skills, she had managed to convince my parents and even my brother to see me as the villain, fostering deep resentment toward me.

I had hoped Luke was different. We had grown up together; he knew me well.

But he, too, had changed quietly.

He now looked at me with the same disdain as everyone else.

There had been numerous signs of this. While Luke had moved on, I stubbornly held onto the past.

Luke quickly scrolled through his contacts. After receiving countless messages from friends and family following his wedding, it took him a while to find my profile.

He opened it and saw my last message alongside the location.

"Luke, we need to talk."

Luke stared at the message for a long time.

Eventually, he pressed the voice message button. "Chloe, where are you?

"I told you not to play these games. We're married now! Why are you making things difficult with Anna? Do you have any idea how upset she was yesterday?

"If you come back now, I'll overlook what happened last night."

After sending the messages, he threw his phone aside. Roy, observing his weariness mixed with concern through the rearview mirror, spoke softly.

"Mr. Bolton, Mrs. Bolton has always been reasonable. Even when you left her at the wedding, she didn't lose her temper. I don't think she would play such a cruel prank involving the police. Maybe we should go look for her?"

"You know her well, huh?"

"No, Mr. Bolton, I just think she's had an unfortunate turn of events."

"Unfortunate?" Luke scoffed.

"She's always enjoyed creating drama for attention. Fine, if you're so idle, send someone to Silver Shore. Let's see if you can recover her body."

When someone starts to hate you, there's no need to ask them why. Every reason they come up with will seem perfectly valid.

I had noticed a change in Luke's attitude long before.

He used to hate Anna, but later, he couldn't stop talking about her. It was clear his loyalty had shifted.

He remembered her likes and dislikes, and whenever he traveled, he brought back gifts for both me and Anna.

Six months ago, Luke went abroad for a project.

When a sudden earthquake caused a landslide, I immediately booked a flight to join him. But Anna had hidden my passport and visa.

Unable to travel legally, I watched helplessly as Anna flew out of the country on the same day.

I took a dangerous risk and traveled across the Pacific illegally, encountering a tsunami in the process. If not for the help of some compassionate strangers, I would have drowned.

When I finally made it back, relieved to be alive, Anna accused me of having taken a pleasure cruise.

I tried to explain about the passport, but she publicly revealed it from a drawer, leaving me unable to clear my name.

Luke wouldn't listen to my side of the story and spoke to me harshly.

Seeing the transformation in him, I decided it was time to end things.

"Luke, let's call off our engagement."

"What are you talking about?" He frowned, clearly irritated.

I replied calmly, "I've done all I can for this relationship. I don't want us to go from being partners to complete strangers. Let's end things while we still have some good feelings left."

Seeing my determination, panic finally appeared in Luke's eyes.

From that moment on, he made promises to set boundaries with Anna.

He showered me with gifts, and he organized an elaborate proposal and began planning our wedding.

I had thought we would be happy like this forever.

Three months ago, after a night of drinking, we had been intimate, and I found out I was pregnant. I was excited to share this news with him.

But Anna made a scheme and fell down the stairs. At the time, Luke rushed over and lifted her up in a furious rage. When I tried to explain, he shoved me violently to the floor.

That was when I realized that the recent sweetness had been nothing but a facade.

It was fragile and easily shattered.

It became apparent that he had always trusted Anna, despite the evidence.

When I was thrown to the ground, the pain in my abdomen was so intense that I fainted. The doctor informed me that the fetus was unstable, and I had to stay in the hospital for days of bed rest.

His assistant, Roy Carroll, told me that Luke was working on a major project and, despite knowing about my hospital stay, had not come to visit.

But at that point, I didn't care about him. My focus was solely on the child. I needed to ensure its safety.

Unexpectedly, Anna showed up at my hospital bed, describing in vivid detail how Luke had embraced, kissed, and touched her ...

I felt a churn in my stomach and a wetness between my legs, as if fluid was leaking out.

Weak and unable to reach the call button, I had to shout for the doctor.

In my desperation, I got out of bed. Even if I was to separate from Luke, I had to protect this baby.

As I got up, I saw the blood staining the sheets.

The pain caused me to break into a cold sweat. I took slow, painful steps toward the door.

Blood continued to flow from me, spreading across the floor.

Ignoring everything else, my mind was solely on the baby, my baby ...

Everything went black, and I collapsed.