Chapter 13
“Nathaniel!”
Scarlett’s eyes widened in horror. She rushed back, desperately trying to stop him.
“You’ve finally broken free from your past chains-why not live the life you want? Didn’t you say you wanted to go horseback riding, to sail across the ocean? How can you do that if you’re dead?”
She didn’t care whether Nathaniel could hear her or not, frantically saying whatever came to mind.
Nathaniel lowered his eyes, lost in thought. After a while, he seemed to reach his own conclusion, putting the knife down and returning to bed.
Scarlett frowned at him, wondering why she was so anxious. She was a spirit; Nathaniel couldn’t see her. Even if she were here, she could do nothing.
she took a couple of steps toward the door, only to see Nathaniel pick up the knife again and test it against his neck.
Scarlett hurried back, but before she could speak, Nathaniel put the knife down again.
She furrowed her brow and walked a few more steps toward the exit. Nathaniel picked up the knife again.
Scarlett was silent for a moment. She floated to Nathaniel’s side, staring into his eyes: “Can you actually see me?”
she watched his face intently, trying to detect even the slightest tell. But he remained silent, his cold, handsome face as expressionless as ever, carefully examining the knife in his hand.
Though he said nothing and supposedly couldn’t see or hear her, Scarlett somehow read a clear message in his unchanging expression: “If you leave, I’ll kill myself.”
she sighed, wanting to leave but fearing his suicidal tendencies. She decided to stay, muttering, “Can you actually hear me? If you can, hurry up and send me
home.”
She wondered if her parents had become spirits too. If she went home, maybe she could see them.
Looking at Nathaniel, she asked: “Can you hear me? I miss my parents.”
Nathaniel’s eyelashes trembled slightly. He put down the knife and lay down again.
Scarlett pressed her lips together, deciding he probably couldn’t hear her after all.
That afternoon, Nathaniel was discharged. The doctor advised: “You should stay in the hospital a few more days.”
Nathaniel shook his head: “No need. I have something important to do.”
Scarlett followed behind him, watching as he went straight to the medical facility after discharge. He collected her ashes and death certificate, then boarded a light back to America that evening.
Following him onto the plane, Scarlett felt overwhelmed: “I never thought I’d return.”
At the time, believing no one would take her back, she had purchased a burial plot in Switzerland.
She looked down at Nathaniel: “Thank you.”
Nathaniel’s fingers tightened slightly. He pressed his lips together, about to say something when a voice interrupted him.
“You were really going to leave me alone in Switzerland?”
Scarlett looked up to see Riley approaching. She sat next to Nathaniel, her eyes red as she looked at what he was holding.
“Now you’re playing the devoted lover? Where was this devotion before she died? She was so pale-even I could tell something was wrong. Did you notice? Did you ask her once if she was okay? She clearly didn’t want to be in our wedding, couldn’t you tell? But you still went after her and forced her to be my bridesmaid!”
Nathaniel’s lips grew pale.
Kiley’s tone grew sharper: “Yes, she was your world. But what did you ever give her? If she’d never met you, maybe she could have enjoyed Switzerland’s
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Chapter 13
beauty before dying. But meeting you, all she experienced before death was the pain you brought!”
The air fell silent.
Nathaniel lowered his gaze, then began to cough violently, as if he might expel his internal organs.
Riley was frightened. Scarlett remembered his respiratory condition.
She instinctively reached out to pat Nathaniel’s back, as she had done so many times before.
Though she expected her hand to pass through him, it landed solidly on his back.
Nathaniel’s body suddenly stiffened.
Scarlett froze, quickly trying to withdraw her hand, but Nathaniel caught her wrist.
Her heart leaped. She looked up to meet Nathaniel’s dark eyes.
