On our wedding anniversary, my husband invited Cora to our home for a rendezvous. They stayed together until late into the night. Cora caught a cold, but my husband redirected his frustration at me. He locked me out on the balcony all night and then shoved me into the freezer as if to punish me. I was trapped for three full days. After I died, my soul drifted away from my body. I watched Cora place my corpse into boiling water until it was beyond recognition. Then, she had the crematorium staff take me away to an abandoned factory. When my husband saw my pitiful state, he called Cora to remind her to stay safe. A colleague reminded him not to forget about me. He sneered, “Cora is delicate, so of course I should care for her. As for Adeline, she’s too tough to die so easily.” But he had no idea that the decayed body in front of him was mine. As a top mortician, he couldn’t even recognize my face. 0 Cora was the one who sent me to the crematorium. Before they took me in, she looked at my disfigured body and sneered, “Adeline, since you love Asher so much, I’ll let him send you off.” So, after my death, I saw Asher for the first time. He frowned at my body and then took out his phone to call Cora. “Cora, I’ve received a highly decomposed body here, so I’ll be home late. Also, with all these homicide cases lately, make sure to lock the doors and windows. Don’t go out at night.” His tone was tender and affectionate. Sadly, in five years of marriage, I never experienced that. On the other end, Cora responded coyly. “Come back soon, I’ll be worried about you.” They exchanged a few more words, and before hanging up, Cora hinted, “Asher, you’ll make sure today’s client looks beautiful, won’t you?” She meant something deeper, but unfortunately, Asher didn’t catch on. After all, in his heart, Cora was the delicate flower needing protection. But it was this delicate flower who, after my death, placed my body into boiling water until I was unrecognizable before bringing me here. Seven days ago was my fifth wedding anniversary with Asher. I prepared a candlelight dinner at home, waiting for Asher to return. Instead, he came back with Cora. Seeing my mood drop, he impatiently scolded, “Cora just came back from abroad all alone. Can’t you be a bit more understanding?” But wasn’t she alone abroad too? Before I could say anything, Asher pushed me onto the balcony. Maybe he was afraid I’d interrupt them, so he locked the door from the inside. The candlelight dinner I prepared became their feast. I froze on the balcony all night. The next day, Cora claimed she caught a cold. Unusually, Asher got angry at me, which ultimately led to my demise. While Asher and I argued, Cora pressed against his arm, trying to mediate, “Asher, Adeline surely didn’t mean it. It’s all my fault for being so delicate.” I was furious at Cora’s behavior and pointed to the door, telling her to leave. Asher, however, was enraged. He dragged me by the hair to the freezer and shoved me in. Before the light faded, the last thing I heard him say was, “Adeline, you’re worthless. Just cool off in there.” I struggled inside, banging and shouting. But the freezer door wouldn’t open from the inside. I begged until my fingers bled, but Asher never let me out. I died from suffocation and cold. Afterward, Cora soaked me in boiling water, leaving me unrecognizable. It wasn’t until today that she sent me to the crematorium. 0
After calling Cora, Asher’s colleague Gideon teased, “Asher, you’re so concerned about your first love. Doesn’t your wife mind?” Asher walked over to my body and replied, “Cora is delicate. Of course, I care about her. As for Adeline, she’s too tough to die easily.” Hearing that, my heart ached. I wondered how Asher would feel once he realized the decayed body lying before him was the same Adeline he thought was too tough to die. All I knew was that I felt deeply hurt. I had loved Asher for so many years, yet in his heart, I couldn’t even compare to a single word from Cora. After the preparations were done, Asher and Gideon stood solemnly by my body and bowed deeply. It was the first time I saw Asher at work, and the first time I realized he was gentler with corpses than he ever was with me. I had deceived myself into thinking he was just naturally cold. Turns out it was just because he didn’t love me. I felt so unwilling! But Asher was already absorbed in his work. Even when Gideon couldn’t stand the smell and stepped out for air, Asher didn’t stop. Soon, he restored my legs, body, and arms. When only my head was left, Asher took a deep breath and stood up to stretch his stiff muscles. He leaned against the hallway wall, lost in thought. Gideon asked, “Got to you?” Asher didn’t answer. As he put on his mask to return to work, he said, “Just seems a little tragic.” For someone who sees corpses daily to find my situation tragic, I chuckled, anticipating his next reaction. Asher meticulously filled, pressed, and reshaped. My face slowly took form. His skills were truly impressive. My face, once unrecognizable, began to resemble its former self. When he finished, Asher examined my face closely. After a moment, he turned to Gideon, “Doesn’t this face look familiar to you?” Gideon glanced over and exclaimed, “You know, it does look a bit like…” He stopped mid-sentence, staring at Asher, “Don’t get mad, but it looks a bit like… like your wife.” 0
After he spoke, he watched Asher intently, but Asher just frowned and stood up. “Must be a coincidence. Adeline’s worthless. Who would go to such lengths to kill her?” Gideon couldn’t respond, so he agreed, “It must be a coincidence. Your wife hardly ever leaves the house. How could anything happen to her?” They covered my body with a white cloth and called for it to be taken for cremation. Perhaps the resemblance disturbed Asher. After my body left, he followed shortly after. Several times, his car almost hit the guardrail. Eventually, he pulled over and called Cora. “Cora, Adeline… she’s at home, right?” Cora pretended to be jealous, huffing, “Why do you always ask about Adeline? You afraid I’ll eat her or something?” As Asher anxiously explained, she laughed, “I’m just teasing. Adeline’s your wife. You’re supposed to care about her. Why would I be jealous?” “Don’t worry, she was with me just now. She’s probably out shopping.” Cora lied effortlessly. Trusting her completely, Asher was reassured. After a few sweet words, he hung up and headed to the mall. Watching him walk, I recalled wanting that unique ring before our wedding. Asher berated me in public. “It’s just a gimmick meant to fool idiots like you.” The salesperson’s expression was unpleasant, and I felt humiliated under their gazes, like a cold splash of water on a chilly spring day. That was my first hint that I might just be a substitute for Cora. Asher didn’t love me. But I loved him from the moment he stood in front of me. So I swallowed my pride, smoothed things over, and bought a simple wedding band. Why was he here now? Was he finally feeling guilty after my death? Trying to make amends this way? I followed Asher to the store. Maybe it left a strong impression, because the clerk remembered him. “Mr. Asher, are you picking a gift for your wife?” 0
Asher didn’t deny it. But when the clerk showed him the latest styles, he suddenly said, “I want that ring you can only buy once.” The clerk seemed genuinely happy for me. She handed Asher that ring and said, “Your wife wanted this last time. She’ll be thrilled to receive it.” “By the way, Mr. Asher, we can engrave the ring. Would you like that?” My heart pounded. Though Asher caused my death, I had loved him for so long. I needed to know if he had even the slightest affection for me, just a tiny bit. “Engrave Cola.” When Asher’s words came, my heart shattered completely. The clerk thought it was my initials and cheerfully went to engrave it. Asher waited with an indifferent expression. But I was truly dead. My body and heart were gone. Yet for some reason, I was still bound to Asher, unable to leave. How cruel of fate, to have me killed by them, then watch their love unfold even in death. Is this my punishment for being blind and giving my heart to the wrong person? As soon as Asher spoke, my heart, which had been anxiously suspended, shattered into pieces. The shop assistant mistakenly thought it was my name and eagerly went to have it engraved. Meanwhile, Asher waited with a detached demeanor. I was the only one truly gone—my life ended, and my spirit crushed. Yet, inexplicably, I remained bound to Asher, unable to leave. How cruel the universe is, to let me be harmed by them, and even in death, force me to witness their affection. Is this my punishment for misplacing my trust and heart in the wrong person? After the engraving was done, Asher casually picked up a necklace, paid, and left. When we returned home, Cora feigned worry, “Asher, Adeline still hasn’t come back. Do you think something might have happened?” Perhaps surprised I wasn’t home, Asher paused momentarily before relaxing. “She’s probably just being stubborn. Don’t worry about her. She has no family here; she’ll come back eventually.” I was shocked by Asher’s words. Only now did I realize my journey for love, crossing mountains and seas, was just a gamble to him, certain I wouldn’t leave. No wonder! No wonder he dared to openly bring Cora home, convinced that I couldn’t survive without him. Cora blamed herself, “I shouldn’t have come here. Otherwise, Adeline wouldn’t be upset, affecting your relationship.” Her self-reproachful expression made Asher feel incredibly tender towards her, comforting her with an arm around her shoulders, “It’s not your fault. I never had feelings for her. I only married her because she seemed suitable for daily life.” Cora wanted to continue, but Asher cut her off. “Let’s not talk about these unlucky things. I got you a birthday gift. Come see if you like it?” Asher spoke as if I were the misfortune, completely forgetting that Cora had broken up with him initially because she despised his job. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself, watching as Cora easily got the ring I had desperately desired. When she put it on, it was a bit tight, and her touched expression froze. “Asher, did you get the wrong size? This isn’t my size?” Asher felt a bit frustrated. The shop assistant assumed the ring was for me and used my size. Asher, concerned about his pride, couldn’t admit it was for someone else. He had to swallow this bitter pill. Their unhappiness lightened the weight in my chest. Even in death, Asher was my unresolved issue. In the end, to maintain appearances, Cora placed the ring, meant for her ring finger, on her pinky and forced a smile, “Maybe I’ve gained weight recently. A different finger works.” Their awkwardness dissipated. To make it up to her, Asher went to the kitchen to cook, while Cora stormed into the room and stomped on the newly bought ring, her face dark. “Adeline, you bothered me alive, and now in death, you won’t let me be. Didn’t you care most about Asher? I’ll show you how he becomes mine.” I saw her take out a small bottle from a locked drawer, piecing together her words… A sense of foreboding arose. “Cora, dinner’s ready!” Asher’s voice called out, and Cora, clutching the bottle, went to the living room. “Asher, I have some fine wine. Let’s have a drink.” She suggested gently, and Asher suspected nothing, continuing to bring dishes to the table. I saw Cora pour the contents of the bottle into the wine behind his back. As they drank, their figures became suggestive. After a few sips, Asher’s eyes turned hazy, and he kept murmuring, “Cora… Cora…” They say you speak the truth when drunk. Asher really never had me in his heart. The next moment, Cora coaxed him into our room, half-undressed on the wedding bed I had chosen. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see, but the sounds still reached my ears. My hatred reached its peak. I hated the injustice of fate, hated Asher’s heartlessness, hated Cora’s malice, and hated myself more for being unable to avenge myself. I curled up in the living room, head buried, when suddenly there was a knock at the door late at night. Asher opened the door, and the person outside said with a sorrowful expression, “Professor Asher, my condolences.” Before he could speak, they handed him an urn and a peace amulet necklace. It was the one I had spent a month’s salary on to get for Asher when he first started his job. Because of Cora’s one remark about it being ugly, he had thrown it away, and I had later picked it up again. “We found this among the deceased’s belongings yesterday. I remember Adeline treasured it. Professor Asher, is this right?”
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