Chapter 1

And for the sake of exposing the traitor in the police force, I, Adam, single-handedly charged onto the drug lord's speedboat and detonated the explosives.

But Mark, the captain I respected most, told the media I was a traitor.

My badge number was permanently blacklisted, and my parents were scorned and shunned by our neighbors.

My beloved girlfriend, Chloe, fell into Mark's arms.

They didn't know.

It was Mark who personally cut off my backup and falsely reported my defection to command.

I was blasted into the icy Mississippi River by friendly fire, leaving no trace of my body.

Three years later.

During dock dredging, deep within the sunken speedboat's cockpit, the salvage team discovered a voice recorder.

The pen was tightly wedged by the wreckage, its casing melted and deformed.

Inside, was the last call recording between Mark and me.

Mark, Chloe.

The abyss has watched, and now I'm here to collect.

The salvage boat pulled my body from the river.

Three years. My restless spirit had haunted these waters for three whole years.

Mr. Davis, an old officer nearby, spat in disgust.

"Traitor! If he hadn't betrayed us back then, those three brothers of ours wouldn't have died!"

My soul vibrated wildly in the wind.

Traitor?

Me?

I chose to take the drug lord down with me precisely to expose the traitor!

On the outskirts of the crowd, a familiar figure pierced my eyes.

Chloe, my girlfriend in life, was also there. The man beside her was Mark.

The captain I once respected most was now her husband, the youngest deputy chief at the station.

Mark solicitously adjusted Chloe's shawl, his voice doting:

"It's windy by the river, let's go."

Chloe hummed in agreement, her gaze falling on my hand bones.

"There seems to be something stuck in the bone fragments?"

Chloe's pupils contracted slightly.

But Mark spoke first, subtly stepping in front of Chloe:

"Just a pile of junk, let's get rid of it all."

Then, he actually tried to snap my finger bone directly.

But my bone had fused with the object; it wouldn't break.

A ruthless glint flashed in Mark's eyes. He was about to call for tools to force it open, when Officer Miller, standing nearby, instinctively spoke up:

"This… this looks like evidence. By regulation, we can't…"

Mark's gaze cut him like a knife, and Officer Miller immediately fell silent.

"Just dispose of this trash. Remember, don't breathe a word of this outside."

"Yes, sir!"

Mark scoffed, then wrapped an arm around Chloe and left.

I watched their retreating figures, hatred surging.

My soul uncontrollably followed them, drifting into the home I'd envisioned countless times in my dreams.

The moment I entered, my soul cried out in agony.

In the entryway hung Mark and Chloe's wedding photo, a stunning pair. It ripped my soul apart.

And this place? I'd used all my savings for the down payment, a home I promised Chloe.

We once sat on the floor here, dreaming of the future. She said we'd hang our silliest photos together in the entryway.

Now, the faces in the picture had changed.

Mark poured two glasses of red wine:

"Don't think about it. A traitor who got what he deserved isn't worth your trouble."

Chloe took the glass and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window:

"I just never thought that after three years, that boat would be salvaged."

Her voice was soft, devoid of emotion.

Mark hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder:

"If it hadn't been for Adam's savings, we wouldn't have settled into this place so quickly. Come to think of it, we should thank him."

My savings? The money I died for became their startup fund for a new life?

I saw Chloe's body visibly stiffen,

but she didn't push Mark away. She just drained her glass of red wine, her voice still emotionless:

"What's there to mention about a traitor?"

"What? You still can't forget him?"

Mark's tone carried a hint of a test.

Chloe smiled, turning and embracing Mark,

"I just hate him. He betrayed all of us, and he betrayed me."

"Luckily, I still have you."