Chapter 4

Brandon's ghost stared intently at the phone screen.

For the first time, a bewildered, fractured expression appeared on his translucent face.

"No... impossible..."

"This is fake! You fabricated it!"

He lunged at me, but again passed straight through my body.

He screamed in despair, "You're lying! Chloe isn't like that, she's pure and kind, she said she'd only ever love me!"

I retrieved my phone and took a sip of red wine.

"Brandon, you're truly pathetic."

"You thought you found pure, untainted love. In reality, you were just another fish in her pond."

"And one that was about to be discarded."

I leaned back on the sofa, watching him with calm composure.

"Do you know who the man who picked her up was? Dylan Stone, the young heir of the Stone Group, just returned from overseas. Richer than you, younger than you, and more capable of making her a huge star."

"And you, a man nearing forty, whose career is starting to decline, and who can't even get a divorce because of me—what advantages do you think you have?"

"You're lying! You're talking nonsense!"

Brandon roared wildly, beginning to belittle me, something he excelled at during our ten years of marriage.

"Stella, you're just jealous! You're jealous Chloe is younger and prettier than you, jealous that I love her and not you!"

"Look at yourself now, you look like a bitter old wife! No wonder I didn't even want to touch you!"

"Chloe is different, she's so wonderful, so innocent. Her eyes were full of adoration and love for me! She willingly endured the pain of not having a title just for me!"

"She said, once I divorced you, she'd have my child!"

He spoke with such sincerity, trying to convince me, and himself.

I listened to his grating words, my heart completely unmoved.

I'd heard such things too many times in the past. Now, I just found it noisy.

"Are you done?" I asked.

He froze.

I stood up, picking up the bag of ashes.

"Since your Chloe is so amazing," I said with a smile, walking towards the back door, "then you should know she's currently at a celebration party Dylan Stone is throwing for her, celebrating landing a major international endorsement."

"And you," I paused, "you don't even qualify for a black and white memorial photo on her Ins."

Brandon's ghost completely stiffened.

He watched me push open the back door and walk towards the septic tank in the corner.

He seemed to sense something, his ghost trembling more violently than ever.