I Regretted Loving You

Elise Watson had died, yet her husband of eight years, Andrew Williams, remained unaware because his "first love" had just returned to the country, and he was too busy to notice.

When Elise was on her deathbed after a car accident, she called Andrew, hoping to see him one last time.

But he merely clicked his tongue impatiently and snapped, "What now, Elise? Stop making a scene."

"If you're going to die, just die already. At least that way, you'll make room for someone more deserving of the title Mrs. Williams!"

As he wished, Elise truly passed away.

Yet, the everproud Andrew would later humble himself before gods and spirits, begging to bring back the very wife he once resented so deeply.

——

Elise died, struck by a massive truck that ran a red light. To her surprise, after her death, she found herself transformed into a wandering soul.

The accident occurred on a remote suburban road. No one passed by, and no one discovered her lifeless body.

When her soul fully separated from her body, she saw fireworks erupting in the distant sky.

"Boom, boom, boom—"

Brilliant bursts of color lit up the heavens, and after a spectacular display, large glowing words appeared.

"Welcome Back, Kim!"

Elise let out a bitter laugh, the corners of her lips curling in mockery. So, Andrew didn't come to see her one last time because he was busy throwing a grand welcome party for his "first love."

Two days later it would have marked their eighth wedding anniversary.

Recently, Elise had often seen Andrew preparing for a date. He stayed up late working to free his schedule, even postponing business trips by half a month, just to plan surprises.

The centerpiece of his elaborate plans was a grand fireworks display visible across the entire city.

Elise had foolishly thought it was for their anniversary and was brimming with joy.

She even had a surprise of her own to share—she was pregnant.

But as it turned out, it was all just her delusion.

Thinking about the child, who hadn’t even formed fully before perishing with her in the accident, Elise could no longer suppress her sobs and cried herself into unconsciousness.

When she woke up again, she saw Andrew.

Standing beside him, dressed in matching couple outfits, was Kimberly Ross, her smile radiant and sweet.

"Kim, welcome home. So, what do you think? Are you satisfied with what you see?" Andrew's face was as warm as a spring breeze.

This version of Andrew was one Elise hadn’t seen in years.

Kimberly clung lightly to his arm, her doelike eyes gazing up at him.

"Of course, I’m satisfied!" she chirped. "But you surprised me with such grand manners... Won't Elise be upset if she finds out? I don’t want the two of you fighting because of me."

Her words sounded sincere, though her finger poking Andrew’s chest made them feel more like a provocation.

At the mention of Elise’s name, the smile on Andrew’s handsome face immediately darkened.

"Don’t bring her up!" he snapped.

"If it hadn’t been for her forcing you to leave the country back then, we’d never have been separated!"

Elise stood frozen, disbelief etched across her face. She trembled, on the verge of collapse.

Andrew actually believed that she was the one who forced Kimberly to leave the country?

How ridiculous. The truth was, it had been Kimberly who had begged her for help back then.

Kimberly had claimed that the Williams family had gone bankrupt, and her own family wouldn’t allow her to marry into a ruined household. Instead, they pressured her into an arranged marriage with a greasy, middleaged man.

Desperate and with nowhere to turn, Kimberly had come crying to Elise.

When Elise initially refused, Kimberly even knelt and pleaded tearfully, begging for mercy.

Out of pity, Elise had relented and given her a sum of money to leave the country.

Unexpectedly, in Kimberly’s retelling, all those past events had been twisted into proof that she was forced to leave the country.

A hint of bitterness flashed in Kimberly’s eyes as she reached out to cover Andrew’s mouth.

“It’s all in the past, Drew,” she said softly. “We were simply not meant to be. Thank you for coming to pick me up, but you should go back. After all, Elise is your wife now.”

She lowered her gaze, her delicate face filled with sorrow.

Andrew grabbed both her hands, his voice urgent as he spoke, “Kim, you know that you’ve always been the only one in my heart. If it weren’t for her using the company’s troubles to threaten me, I never would have married her!”

“She even had the audacity to call me earlier, claiming she was dying in a car accident and begging me to see her one last time. What a compulsive liar!”

“She knew you were returning today but still tried to force me to leave you in front of everyone. How is she expecting you to hold your place in Los Angeles’s elite circles now?”

“I think she’s just jealous of you. Why did I ever marry such a bitter and petty woman?”

From an angle Andrew couldn’t see, Elise thought she caught a flicker of calculated malice in Kimberly’s eyes.

The sinister intent sent a chilling shiver down Elise’s spine. However, when she looked again, Kimberly’s face held nothing but guilt.

“Aren’t you afraid Elise will be upset if you don’t go home?” Kimberly asked, her tone soft and hesitant.

Andrew snorted coldly. “She won’t.”

“If she dares to complain, I’ll divorce her.”

“She even pretended to have a car accident. If she’s really dead, all the better—I’ve tolerated her long enough.”

Listening to the undisguised hatred and disdain in Andrew’s words, Elise’s heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

How had it come to this? How had her relationship with Andrew deteriorated to such an extent?

There was a time when their relationship was the subject of envy of everyone in their social circle. But everything changed three years ago, when Andrew reconnected with Kimberly overseas.

The memory of the truck slamming into her headon was so harrowing that Elise had temporarily blocked it out after becoming a wandering soul.

It took her a long time to recall that her final phone call had been to Andrew.

At that time, his words were just as cold and cutting.

“Elise, what now?” He snapped. “Kim just returned, and here you are scheming against her again? What do you gain from driving her away?”

“Oh, you’ve been in a car accident? Why not claim a meteor fell from the sky and crushed you instead? If you’re going to lie, at least come up with something believable.”

Barely clinging to life, Elise had summoned every ounce of strength to whisper, “Andrew, I’m not lying... please, come see me one last time...”

Andrew frowned deeply, his voice dripping with impatience as he dismissed her. “Fine, fine, I get it—you were in a car accident and almost died. I promise I’ll be home by ten tonight, okay?”

“Elise, I have to pick up Kim. Be sensible for once.”

Her consciousness had already begun to fade, but she stubbornly kept calling his name.

“Andrew... Andrew...”

Realizing that his words fell on deaf ears, Andrew’s patience completely snapped. “Elise, if you’re going to die, just die already,” he said icily.

“Your death would finally free up the position of Mrs. Williams. I’ve had enough of you.” With that, he hung up. Elise no longer had the strength to call back.

As her life ebbed away, the last sound she heard was the crackle of fireworks exploding in the sky.

Elise thought to herself, 'The fireworks must be beautiful.'

After all, they were specially arranged by Andrew for Kimberly.

When she opened her eyes again, Elise had already become a wandering soul, homeless and lost.

She was trapped by Andrew’s side, unable to leave, forced to watch as he went on dates with Kimberly while completely ignoring the wife he had been married to for eight years.

Andrew had gone so far as to book an entire rooftop restaurant overlooking the river for Kimberly.

“...Drew, what do you think of my idea?” Kimberly asked softly, her brows slightly furrowed as she looked at him expectantly. “Where do you think I should hold my art exhibit?”

But for some reason, Andrew seemed distracted. His eyes were fixed on his phone on the table, as though he were waiting for a message from someone.

The grip of Kimberly’s fingers on her knife and fork turned white, her jealousy distorting her delicate and innocent features.

Elise glanced at the clock—it was already past nine. At this time in the past, she would have been texting or calling Andrew, urging him to come home early.

Yet, more often than not, Andrew would either ignore her or respond coldly. “Elise, are you done? It’s only nine o’clock. Why are you nagging me to go home so early?”

“Do you want me to go back just to sleep with you, a boring, dull old hag?”

“Do I need to remind you that you’re nearly thirty? Why are you acting like some clingy young girl checking up on her boyfriend?”

“Tsk, you're still immature. I’m hanging up.”

It wasn’t because their relationship had soured that Elise started urging him to come home.

In fact, it was Andrew who had once asked her to check on him and insisted he return home.

When she had asked him why, twentyyearold Andrew had kissed her gently on her eyelid and said earnestly, “Because it gives me a sense of security. I’m afraid that one day, you’ll stop loving me.”

“Elise, without your love, I wouldn’t survive.”

And so, it became a habit—every day at nine, Elise would call to remind him to come home.

But as time passed, Andrew grew increasingly impatient, his words turned sharp and cruel.

Elise stared blankly at him now, wondering. Was he waiting for her call?

But... she was already dead. How could Andrew expect a call from someone who no longer existed?

“Drew! Drew!” Kimberly’s voice grew louder, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“You keep looking at your phone. Is it something important for work?”

“If it is, you should go. I mean, I’ve been gone for over eight years, but I still have my hands and feet—I’ll be fine,” she said.

Andrew immediately denied it. “Nothing of the sort. Work could never be more important than spending time with you.”

But Kimberly pressed on. “Then... are you waiting for your lover’s call? It’s already late. If you don’t go home soon, she’ll definitely be upset, right? Maybe we should wrap up for the night...”

Andrew’s face darkened in annoyance. “What lover? Elise is not my lover.”

“If she hadn’t lied to me for so many years, I would never have ended up with her.”

Elise’s heartache numbed her. She looked at him in confusion, wondering. 'When did I ever lie to you?'

But Andrew said no more, clearly keeping some unspoken understanding between him and Kimberly.

“The person I truly love is...” Andrew began, his gaze tender as it landed on Kimberly. Staring into her innocent, doelike eyes, he hesitated before continuing, “Do you really not know who it is?”

Two delicate blushes crept onto Kimberly’s pale cheeks. She seemed about to respond, but Andrew’s phone rang, interrupting the moment.

Unexpectedly, in Kimberly’s retelling, all those past events had been twisted into proof that she was forced to leave the country.

A hint of bitterness flashed in Kimberly’s eyes as she reached out to cover Andrew’s mouth.

“It’s all in the past, Drew,” she said softly. “We were simply not meant to be. Thank you for coming to pick me up, but you should go back. After all, Elise is your wife now.”

She lowered her gaze, her delicate face filled with sorrow.

Andrew grabbed both her hands, his voice urgent as he spoke, “Kim, you know that you’ve always been the only one in my heart. If it weren’t for her using the company’s troubles to threaten me, I never would have married her!”

“She even had the audacity to call me earlier, claiming she was dying in a car accident and begging me to see her one last time. What a compulsive liar!”

“She knew you were returning today but still tried to force me to leave you in front of everyone. How is she expecting you to hold your place in Los Angeles’s elite circles now?”

“I think she’s just jealous of you. Why did I ever marry such a bitter and petty woman?”

From an angle Andrew couldn’t see, Elise thought she caught a flicker of calculated malice in Kimberly’s eyes.

The sinister intent sent a chilling shiver down Elise’s spine. However, when she looked again, Kimberly’s face held nothing but guilt.

“Aren’t you afraid Elise will be upset if you don’t go home?” Kimberly asked, her tone soft and hesitant.

Andrew snorted coldly. “She won’t.”

“If she dares to complain, I’ll divorce her.”

“She even pretended to have a car accident. If she’s really dead, all the better—I’ve tolerated her long enough.”

Listening to the undisguised hatred and disdain in Andrew’s words, Elise’s heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

Suddenly, Andrew’s phone rang. His brows furrowed, and with a muttered “What a nuisance,” he got up and walked over to the floortoceiling window to answer the call.

“Didn’t I already tell you?! I’ll be home before ten. Why are you pestering me...”

“Mr. Williams, the roses you ordered have arrived.”

Andrew froze for a moment, his lips parting but no words coming out. After a long pause, he finally said, “Send them up.”

When he returned to his seat, an awkward silence lingered between him and Kimberly.

Several times, Kimberly opened her mouth as if to ask something, but in the end, she merely stabbed her steak with force, her eyes filled with venom.

Elise stood silently beside the table, watching the two lovers who seemed destined to be together.

In the early days when their relationship began to crumble, Elise had tried several times to have serious conversations with Andrew.

But each time, the discussions ended badly—always because of Kimberly.

On her birthday, Andrew had flown abroad to congratulate Kimberly on winning an award.

When Elise fell ill, he accompanied Kimberly on a creative retreat along the Atlantic coast.

On their wedding anniversary, he took Kimberly to the island where he and Elise had once gotten married.

The moment Andrew reunited with Kimberly, the scales in his heart had already tipped toward her.

Every holiday, the gifts Elise received were leftovers chosen after Kimberly had her pick, sometimes nothing more than promotional freebies.

Elise often voiced her grievances, but Andrew would always look at her with disappointment and claim it was her debt to Kimberly.

Whenever she tried to ask more questions, he would refuse to elaborate, telling her she knew the answer in her heart.

Over time, her complaints drew accusations from him.

“Why are you so petty and meanspirited? Why can’t you let it go?”

Three years had passed. Elise endured the pain of neglect and resentment, finally gathering enough despair to prepare to leave.

But the unexpected arrival of a child—and Andrew’s recent efforts to prepare a surprise—made her put the divorce papers back in the drawer.

Tonight, Elise had only planned to drive around and clear her head, to seriously consider whether she should leave. But fate had already made the decision for her—it had taken her away completely.

Two staff members carried in an enormous bouquet of 999 roses. Kimberly’s face finally broke into a smile.

“Oh my! Drew, what made you think of giving me this?”

Andrew’s lips curled into a soft smile. “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman—only you are worthy of them.”

Kimberly shyly glanced at him and spoke hesitantly, “But if you’re giving me roses, what about Elise…”

Andrew cast a quick glance at his phone, still devoid of notifications, his face darkening.

“Why bring up someone so unpleasant?” He scoffed. “That sharptongued, venomous woman—being with her every day disgusts me.”

Elise’s soul trembled with pain so deep that her very essence seemed to shatter.

The two drank heavily during dinner, the strong alcohol eventually taking its toll. In the end, Andrew carried Kimberly to the hotel bed and gently laid her down.

As he turned to leave, Kimberly drunkenly grabbed his hand. “Drew, don’t go… I’ve missed you so much.”

Andrew froze midstep, his deep eyes fixed on the drunken Kimberly.

Kimberly appeared to regain a sliver of clarity, closing her eyes as a single tear slid down her cheek.

“No, you should leave. You’re Elise’s husband now. If she finds out…”

Andrew leaned abruptly, his thin lips capturing hers in a harsh kiss. His sultry, raspy voice echoed beside her ear, “You're pushing me toward someone else?”

“What is Elise to me? Do you think I’m still the weak, powerless dog I was eight years ago, forced to endure humiliation?”

“I, Andrew Williams, hate nothing more than being threatened.”

A flicker of triumph flashed in Kimberly’s eyes, though her words were those of refusal.

“Drew, don’t… Elise is your wife…”

Andrew silenced her with another kiss, leaving her no room for protest—only muffled gasps and moans filled the room.

The two indulged in passion through the night, while Elise could only face the wall, covering her ears as she endured the torment of listening to her husband making love for another woman.

The summer rain poured down relentlessly, drowning out the sultry sounds from inside.

Elise couldn’t pinpoint when her relationship with Andrew had devolved into nothing but suspicion and disdain.

Just over a month ago, Andrew came home drunk after another business meeting.

His assistant had frantically called her, saying Andrew was demanding to see her.

Flattered and surprised, Elise braved a raging storm and drove over two hours to pick him up.

In the dark hotel room, Andrew kissed her feverishly, his motions urgent and forceful.

He was clearly heavily intoxicated, as though he wanted to consume her entirely.

“Ly…” he murmured repeatedly, his voice soft and hoarse.

At the time, Elise naively thought he was expressing concern for her driving through the storm to see him.

Blushing, she told him, “As long as it’s for you, it’s worth it.”

It turned out he was calling Kimberly, and not her.

The person Andrew longed to see was never her. It had always been his one true love, Kimberly.

Elise had never realized she had become someone else’s substitute.

That night had led to her pregnancy.

Despite the bitterness, Elise tried to find solace in her misery. In a twisted sense, she even felt relieved that the child hadn’t come into the world.

If it had, knowing the truth, she wouldn’t have been able to love the child at all.

The next morning, Andrew was rudely awakened by a call from Elise's mother.

Sliding his arm out from under Kimberly’s sleeping form, he tiptoed to the living room and answered with a tone full of irritation, “Mrs. Watson, what instructions do you have for me this time?”

“Has Elise come running back to you with complaints again, asking you to pressure me?”

“This is between her and me. I’d advise you not to interfere too much.”

Elise’s tears flowed uncontrollably, her heart torn apart by a torrent of pain and regret. She had never known how rude and domineering Andrew was toward her family in private. He didn’t even bother addressing her mother as “Mom.”

Back when the Williams family faced bankruptcy, Andrew had hit roadblocks everywhere while seeking help.

Unable to bear seeing someone so proud fall into the mud, Elise had sold off the antique jewelry her grandmother left her to provide him with startup funds. She even begged her father to support Andrew in the business world.

It was only with her family’s help that the VeroVance Enterprises was saved from the brink of collapse.

After the company recovered, Andrew confessed his love to her.

Elise would never forget that day—it was the happiest day of her relationship with him.

One surprise after another unfolded on the lavender field stretching to the horizon in romantic Provence. The air was filled with pink, dreamy sweetness.

Andrew knelt on one knee, presenting the most expensive ring he could afford, and confessed his feelings.

Under the azure sky, his gaze was sincere and passionate, his vows heartfelt and full of emotion.

It was the most earnest and wellplanned gesture Andrew had ever made. He had spent a long time preparing for this confession.

However, when Elise returned home, her mother poured cold water over her joy.

Her mother warned her that Andrew’s eyes harbored calculation more than love. But Elise, completely infatuated, had already lost her sense of reason. She believed she could make Andrew truly fall in love with her over time.

Yet, as Andrew overcame the toughest years and his company grew larger, the hidden cracks in their relationship began to surface.

Andrew moved the company’s headquarters from Chicago to Los Angeles and threatened to divorce her if she didn’t come with him.

Her parents were livid, accusing Andrew of ingratitude, but Elise, blinded by years of his occasional tenderness, stubbornly followed him.

As Andrew gained more power, he became intolerant of any mention of how her father had once supported him. After arriving in Los Angeles, he even forbade her from bringing up her father in front of others.

Elise consoled herself, believing this was just Andrew’s way of proving his capabilities, dismissing any advice from others.

She was convinced that Andrew would eventually come to love her.

But she clearly failed. Before she could even file for divorce, her parents were forced to bury their daughter.

Elise wept with heartwrenching anguish, repeatedly lamenting her regret. But her mother could no longer hear her.

Her mother, already full of pentup grievances, cried out in fury, “Andrew, do you even have a heart? Elise is dead! Where were you, her husband, when it happened?”

“The police said the last call she made was to you. Why didn’t you come to see her one last time?!”

“She loved you so much, and this is how you repay her?!”

Andrew froze, his frown deepening. His voice, still tinged with morning gruffness, grew icy enough to chill to the bone.

“Mrs. Watson, Elise’s tantrums are one thing, but are you, at your age, also going to stoop to lying and stirring up trouble?”

“Your Watson family really is rotten to the core, top to bottom.”

“Out of respect for your age, I won’t argue with you. But please relay this message to Elise. if she wants to make a scene, I, Andrew Williams, am more than happy to play along!”

“She better not come crawling back to beg for reconciliation!” Andre roared at the screen.

Elise trembled with fury, unable to imagine how devastated and enraged her mother must be hearing such callous words after just losing her only daughter.

Overwhelmed by anger, she stepped forward and tried to slap Andrew, but her hand passed straight through his body.

Hatred surged within Elise—for her indecisiveness in life and her helplessness in death.

The other end of the call remained silent, but Andrew didn’t hang up.

“Drew, who’s on the phone?” Kimberly’s coquettish voice drifted from the bedroom.

Elise’s mother, trembling with rage, shouted into the phone, “Andrew, my daughter’s body isn’t even cold yet, and you… you’re already fooling around with your mistress?!”

Her accusation ignited Andrew’s fury. “Mrs. Watson, who are you calling a mistress?!”

“If it weren’t for your daughter’s scheming, Kim and I would have been the rightful pair! Your daughter is the one who used dirty tricks to force away the true partner, shamelessly climbing her way to the top as the real mistress!”

With that, Andrew hung up, wrapping his arms around Kimberly and returning to bed.

Elise stood frozen, her feet feeling like they were weighed down with lead.

So, in Andrew’s eyes, she was the mistress all along.

She let out a bitter laugh. How patient he must have been, enduring all these years for the sake of his company.

When Andrew returned to the bedroom, Kimberly’s expression shifted from joy to hesitation, then to deep regret. Her eyes filled with tears as she murmured, “Drew, about last night…”

She lowered her gaze, her demeanor full of guilt as if she had committed an unforgivable sin. “What we did was wrong. Elise is your wife. I can’t be the one to ruin your marriage.”

“Drew, from now on… let’s not see each other again.”

Her last words seemed to sap all her strength. She avoided Andrew’s gaze, tears streaming down her face as she turned to run.

Andrew caught her around the waist, holding her tightly. “Kim, don’t go!”

“You know you’re the one I consider my wife. Elise? She’s nothing compared to you—not even a single strand of your hair.”

Kimberly stayed in his embrace, her back turned to him, and softly chided, “Don’t talk about Elise like that! No matter what, she’s still our benefactor…”

The word “benefactor” slipped from her lips reluctantly, each syllable laden with humiliation and helplessness, as if she had no choice but to acknowledge it.

Andrew’s expression darkened instantly, his tone icy and cutting, “So what if she has money? In front of me, Elise is nothing but a dog, wagging her tail at my feet for a single smile.”

“This time, she’s caused such a scene—I can’t wait to see how she’ll clean up the mess! Mrs. Watson must be senile to go along with such blatant lies. Does she not fear her words might come true, that her daughter might really die?”

“If Elise doesn’t kneel and apologize to me this time, I’ll divorce that insufferable woman.”

Every word from Andrew’s mouth was a blade slicing through Elise’s heart, leaving her gasping for air, hunched over in pain.

Eight years of marriage—five years of tenderness followed by three years of distrust and contempt. No matter how Andrew treated her, Elise had never wavered.

She had poured everything she had into loving him.

But in the end, all she got in return was his relentless insults and degradation, as though he couldn’t wait to grind her into the dirt.

Biting her trembling lower lip, Elise stared at the man she had loved for most of her life.

Elise had long lost the courage to continue, leaving only endless regret.

“Drew, they clearly don’t take you seriously at all!”

Hidden from Andrew’s view, Kimberly’s eyes gleamed with malice, her face twisted by jealousy.

Even though she knew they couldn’t see her, Elise’s heart skipped a beat when she caught Kimberly’s hatefilled gaze.

A wild thought sprang to her mind—could the car accident that killed her have been orchestrated by Kimberly?

The idea was so shocking that her knees gave way, and she fell heavily to the ground.

“Kim, no one understands me like you do,” Andrew said, holding Kimberly tightly. His voice was filled with venom as he added, “You're different from that twofaced slut Elise, who pretended to love me deeply but mocked me behind my back.

“She always carried herself with that condescending attitude, as if she was doing charity work, looking at me with pity like I was some beggar."

“Who wants her damn pity?” he seethed.

Kimberly gently touched Andrew’s cheek with her delicate hand, her eyes brimming with feigned tenderness.

As their intimacy escalated, Elise clenched her teeth in fury. Yet, she had no place to hide and could only squat in the corner, staring blankly.

Her heart seemed like a barren wasteland. She had spent eight years with Andrew—helping him build his career, traveling with him from city to city, enduring hardships together. In their poorest days, they couldn’t even afford a decent meal and survived on water and plain steamed buns.

Back then, they were comradesinarms, trusting and relying on each other. During those days, Andrew often apologized to her, saying, “Elise, you wouldn’t have had to suffer so much if it weren’t for me. You wouldn’t have endured so many sneers and insults.”

The concern and guilt in his eyes were real. At the time, Elise would always smile and comfort him, feigning toughness. “As long as I can help you, it’s all worth it.

“So, knowing how hard this is for me, you must love me even more in the future. Got it?” she teased.

Andrew would nod firmly without hesitation, tears brimming in his eyes. “Elise, I swear, I, Andrew Williams, will never let you down for the rest of my life. If I break this promise, may I meet a horrible end.”

Elise had hastily covered his mouth, playfully scolding him for making such a vicious oath, fearing it might come true.

But now, squatting on the floor with her hands over her ears, she wished every word of that oath would be fulfilled.

Andrew and Kimberly spent an entire day in their sordid affair.

A full day and night had passed without any news from Elise. This unusual silence momentarily broke through Andrew’s lustclouded mind.

He grew restless, distracted even while speaking with Kimberly.

However, Kimberly was busy preparing for her upcoming art exhibition—a reward from Andrew for her devotion—and didn’t notice his unease.

Watching him hesitate, Elise saw Andrew finally open her contact number on his phone. For once, he actively called her.

The other end of the line greeted him with the same piercing busy tone.

Andrew made several calls, but no one answered. His face darkened with fury as he angrily sent a voice message. “Elise, have you had enough of this nonsense?! If you have the guts, never pick up my calls or respond to my messages! Just wait to sign the divorce papers!”

Elise stood silently to the side, her heart calm and unmoved. She now wanted the marriage to end even more than Andrew did, but unfortunately, it was no longer within her power to make it happen.

In the past, whenever Andrew abandoned her for Kimberly, she would confront him in a fit of rage. At first, Andrew would explain himself and try to coax her patiently. But the moment she demanded he cut ties with Kimberly, his demeanor would shift, and he’d threaten her with divorce.

The word "divorce" had always been Andrew’s ultimate weapon against Elise—a weapon that never failed. The moment he brought it up, Elise felt as if her throat was seized, her strength drained completely. She would humble herself, sometimes even apologize, begging him not to end their marriage.

But this time, as the seconds and minutes ticked by, her phone remained silent.

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Now, she truly wished she could sign the divorce papers Andrew spoke of so often. But she was already dead.

Andrew, enraged, grabbed the nearest object on the table and hurled it at the white wall. The loud shattering sound startled Kimberly, who jumped in fright.

The glass cup smashed against the wall, sending shards flying everywhere. One sharp fragment grazed Kimberly’s cheek, and blood instantly seeped out.

“Ah! Blood!” Kimberly cried out, trembling as she clutched her face.

Andrew froze midmotion, then quickly discarded whatever he was holding and rushed to her side, panicked. “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Since Elise couldn’t stray far from Andrew, she had no choice but to follow them into the car.

The hospital was just past the traffic lights. As they reached the intersection, Andrew’s phone suddenly rang. A flicker of excitement crossed his eyes before he quickly suppressed it.

Elise caught the fleeting expression in the rearview mirror and let out a bitter, mocking smile. Did Andrew think it was her calling him?

No wonder he deliberately let the call ring, only picking it up right before it would go to voicemail, as if doing the caller a favor.

Before the other party could speak, Andrew’s voice rang out, full of smugness and condescension.

“Hello? Have you come to your senses?”

“Elise, let me tell you, even if you beg me on your knees this time, I’m determined to divorce you.”

“You’re shameless…”

To his surprise, the voice on the other end was not Elise’s but instead the weary tone of Grace, Elise's mother.

Elise’s heart twisted painfully, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably as she choked out a single word. “Mom…”

Since relocating to Los Angeles with Andrew for his business, Elise rarely went home except during holidays.

Andrew had said he didn’t like her focusing on anyone but him, not even her own parents.

At the time, her heart had felt a twinge of unease, but Andrew’s tender kisses convinced her that his possessiveness stemmed from his deep love.

Looking back now, Elise wished she could slap herself. She finally understood the unsaid words in her parents’ eyes every time she visited home.

The signs had been there all along; she had simply been too blinded by memories of love to confront the cruel reality.

On the phone, Grace’s voice was heavy with sorrow as she continued, “Andrew, even if you dislike Elise, she is still your wife. For this final journey, you should see her off—for the sake of both sentiment and reason.”

"Elise... she's about to be cremated," Grace choked out.

Andrew froze midaction, his brows furrowing deeply in irritation. "Her final journey? You people are really putting on quite the act, aren’t you?"

"Put Elise on the phone! Or we’ll meet in court!"

On the other end of the line, Grace finally broke down, her voice trembling with rage and despair. "Elise is really dead! How is she supposed to answer your call?"

"She loved you so much, yet you won’t even show up for her final sendoff. Andrew, you heartless beast!"

Andrew’s patience snapped. Muttering a curse under his breath, he abruptly ended the call, his face dark as ink.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Kimberly hunched over, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

Andrew forced himself to suppress his frustration and offered some halfhearted reassurance. "We’re almost at the hospital. There won’t be a scar, don’t worry."

Kimberly pressed her lips tightly together and murmured a soft "Mm," lifting her head to gaze out of the window.

Her face betrayed no sign of concern. Instead, it radiated triumph and satisfaction, as though a wellexecuted plan had succeeded.

A chill ran through Elise’s ghostly form. Her earlier suspicions felt increasingly validated.

If Kimberly could orchestrate an accident to kill her, did that mean she could also harm her parents?

If her parents were gone, then everything that belonged to the Watson family would inevitably fall into Andrew’s hands.

The thought sent Elise into a cold sweat. Her jaw trembled violently, and her cheeks ached from clenching her teeth.

What could she do? What options did she have?

How could she warn her parents to beware of Kimberly?

She racked her brains, only to realize with despair that she was utterly powerless.

No one could see her. She couldn’t touch anything.

Guilt, regret, and hatred twisted together, swallowing her whole.

She hated herself—for her blindness in life, for her helplessness in death. She had not only met a tragic end but might also drag her parents into the abyss.

The traffic light turned green, and Andrew stepped on the gas. His phone rang again.

It was a call from the traffic police.

"Is this the owner of the Bentley with license plate ending in 0312?"

Andrew frowned in confusion. "Yes, that’s me. What’s the issue?"

"You can’t leave your car in the middle of the road. Please come and have it towed immediately."

Andrew’s expression shifted slightly, and he slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching against the asphalt.

"What are you talking about?"

The officer, sensing his unease, kindly explained again, "Your car was involved in a serious accident and is totaled. I understand it’s hard to accept losing a loved one, but leaving it there obstructs traffic..."

Elise’s mind jolted with realization. The car the officer was describing was the very one she had been driving when she died.

Horns blared and curses flew from the cars behind them, but Andrew ignored it all.

"Lost someone? Who died?"

Suddenly, Andrew slumped back into his seat, his face pale as a sheet. His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.

The officer, realizing that Andrew was completely in the dark, shuffled some papers before continuing,

"The deceased was Elise... a double fatality."