Chapter 3

Ryan looked at my body with pity and muttered, “Westhaven Lake is so isolated. There’s barely anything out there. Her age, the time she died… It’s strange. It lines up so closely with when Claire disappeared.”

Ethan’s brow tightened, and fury crossed his face. “I never want to hear that bitch’s name again! A vicious, cheating woman like her is probably living better than either of us. She’d never let herself die! She just wants to punish me and humiliate me!”

My eyes went dead.

We had spent more than a year together, day in and day out. Everything he knew about me, everything I had given him, meant less than one lie from Vanessa.

Ryan obediently shut his mouth and turned back to examine my remains.

Then, as though he had made a major discovery, he called out, “Ethan! The acid didn’t destroy the skin on her feet. There’s still material under her toenails. It could lead us to the killer. And on the sole of her foot—”

My heart tightened with sudden hope.

Ethan had once teased me that a woman with a mole on the sole of her foot was destined to follow her husband everywhere.

If he saw that mole, would he realize something? Would he know it was me?

Ethan cut Ryan off, sounding exasperated. “All right. Put it in the report. I’ll look later. It’s my wife’s birthday today. I need to get home early.”

Ryan nodded. “Then go celebrate with her. I’ll find out who this poor woman is. Hopefully, she’ll be reunited with her husband soon, too.”

At that, Ethan took a long look at my ruined body.

There seemed to be pity in his eyes. Regret, perhaps. But not a trace of love.

He hurried home in his car, carrying my spirit along with him.

When Grandma had given me that old house, she had wanted me to have something of my own to fall back on.

The foundations were still there. But the old house had been remodeled into a new home.

Vanessa greeted him with her daughter, smiling as she accepted his roses and cake.

Ethan kissed her cheek and whispered, “Happy birthday, Vanessa. I hope our daughter and I get to spend every birthday by your side. I love you.”

I floated behind them, tears streaming down my face.

Why was the woman who murdered me and my babies still free to enjoy her life?

Why was my husband with her? Why did they have a child?

And why was I nothing but a lost ghost with nowhere to go?

How could anything be so cruelly unfair?

By candlelight, Ethan and the little girl sang “Happy Birthday” to Vanessa.

A deep sadness settled over me.

It was my birthday, too.

As far as I could remember, Ethan had never bothered to make the slightest effort.

He had only snapped at me impatiently. “You’re not a kid anymore. What difference does it make if I remember your birthday? You know I’m not romantic.”

Now I understood. It wasn’t that he didn’t know how.

He simply hadn’t wanted to do it for me.

A knock at the door interrupted the celebration.

Then came a woman’s urgent cries. “Open the door! Please, open up! It’s my daughter’s birthday! I know she must have come home!”

My eyes stung. Mom had never stopped looking for me.

Ethan glared at her. “How many times do I have to tell you? She ran off with another man! This is my house. My home! Stop bothering us!”

Vanessa rushed over and roughly pulled Mom away. “Like mother, like daughter! Your daughter runs off with men, and you’re probably no better. My husband told you to leave, so get out before I make you!”

She grabbed a broom and swung it hard at Mom.

I threw myself in front of her, screaming for Vanessa to stop. But every blow passed straight through me and struck my mother.

Mom couldn’t get out of the way. She fell against the steps and coughed up blood.

Someone raced over and kicked Vanessa, sending her stumbling backward.

Ethan helped Vanessa up and shouted, “Enough! You think you can assault someone right outside my home? Get over here and apologize to Vanessa!”

The young man gave Ethan a contemptuous look. “You can barely father a child, and you think you get to order me around?”

Vanessa screamed like a madwoman. “I’m calling the police! I’ll have you scum arrested!”

The young man shrugged. “Go ahead! Tomorrow’s headline can read: ‘First Love Murders Wife and Unborn Twins to Steal Infertile Husband!’”

“Here’s another one: ‘Man Abandons Wife and Children to Raise His First Love’s Affair Baby!’”

“And the tagline? ‘Two Pieces of Trash, a Perfect Match!’”

His eyes were red as he glared at Ethan. “She didn’t even spare the twins your wife was carrying! They were the only biological children you would ever have!”