My parents were in a car accident, their survival uncertain. I had a sudden asthma attack, and my life was hanging by a thread.

My wife was downstairs, entangled with her first lover.

She threw away my medication for fun, letting her lover insult me as she said, "Stop pretending. If you were going to die, you would've been dead by now! Jayden, Noah's dog had an accident, but you're not as valuable as his dog. Why don't you just die already? If you die, we'll all be free!"

Later, she acted like she had gone mad, saying she loved me and would tear the world apart to find me.

She didn't know I was already dead.

...

"Freya, my parents were in a car accident and are in the hospital! They urgently need a blood transfusion. You have the same rare blood type as them. I'm begging you to go to the hospital, or it'll be too late!"

I was on my knees. My whole body was cold, wrapped in despair.

The pride and dignity I once had turned into helpless pleading.

Freya stood before me, wearing a custom-made dress with a smile.

"What do your parents have to do with me? They're not going to die in the hospital.

"Noah, let's go save Victor."

The man next to her glanced at me, his eyes filled with sympathy and pity.

"I know you still like Freya. Now that you're married, I won't interfere. But a dog is a life too, Jayden. You shouldn't stop us, okay?"

I looked up at Freya, my breathing becoming more and more rapid.

"Freya, no. My parents had a car accident and are bleeding heavily in the hospital! They're your parents too! I'm begging you, Freya..."

Freya looked down at me coldly, frowning.

"Enough, stop pretending! You don't like Noah! You just want to beg me to stay, don't you? Stop using such pathetic excuses!"

Noah had a look of sorrowful compassion on his face the entire time and sighed helplessly.

The little dog in his arms whimpered, its white fur stained with red blood.

The man held Freya by the waist. "Let's go. It's a life, too, Jayden. You're still the son of a wealthy family. Why are you acting like this? Isn't Victor a life in your eyes, too?"

I stared hard at Freya, trying to move her. Even if it cost me my life, I had to make her stay!

"Freya, please! You can call the hospital. You know... I was adopted, my blood type is different from theirs. I'm begging you!"

As I said this, I didn't care whether she agreed or not. I slammed my head hard on the ground, and blood stained the floor red.

Freya hesitated momentarily, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.

She spoke mockingly, "Jayden, you're pathetic! Your parents aren't as important as a dog, and you're even less important! Victor, let's go. I'm taking you to the vet..."

"No, Freya!"

I roared, grabbing her clothes, standing up in desperation.

Even if I had to force her, I had to take her there!

My parents adopted me from an orphanage and treated me with endless kindness. I couldn't just stand by and watch them die!

"Freya, today you must... Even if you kill me, I'll still take you there!"

Freya's wrist hurt as she looked at me coldly, like she could see right through me.

"What are you faking now? Noah just came back today. Why are you jealous? You'd even make up lies like this just to stop me!"

Freya violently pulled her hand away. Just as I tried to move forward, Noah kicked me aside.

In an instant, I fell backward, crashing into the edge of a table. My throat felt like it was being squeezed, my face turned pale, and I clutched my chest as I slumped down in a miserable state.

Freya turned to look at me. Her hand hovered in the air but then withdrew, her eyes filled with disgust.

"What kind of new trick are you pulling now? An asthma attack? Do you really think this will make me stay? Ridiculous!"

"My medicine... Freya, my parents..." My hands started shaking uncontrollably. In an instant, I was drenched in sweat, crawling towards the medicine bottle on the floor.

Just as I was about to reach it, Freya kicked it away.

"Stop acting! You're disgusting, Jayden. If you're really going to die, why not die right now? At least that'll prove you were telling the truth!"

Freya stood tall, with not a shred of pity or compassion in her eyes, not even a hint of hesitation, just pure disgust and loathing.

The little dog in Noah's arms whimpered twice, barely hanging on.

"Freya, Victor can't hold on much longer. Jayden's an adult. He shouldn't be bullying the weak."

Freya gave me one last glance before turning around and leaving without hesitation.

I watched the two of them walk away. I wanted to shout. My throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and no words came out.

In the end, I managed to rasp out, "Save me... My parents... Freya... I'm begging you..."

Freya paused at the door, not even turning her head as she cursed, "It'd be better if you died. In fact, I hope you die today!"

The next second, my phone rang.

I saw the caller ID and used the last of my strength to answer the call.

The doctor's voice came through with a hint of blame.

"Mr. Turner, where's the blood? If it doesn't arrive soon, we really can't do anything! Please hurry!"

I couldn't hear the rest of what he said. All I felt was an indescribable pain spreading from my heart to every inch of my body.

The news of my parents' death felt like the final straw. It was like the air was blocked from entering my body.

I looked at the medicine bottle in front of me and used every last bit of strength to crawl toward it.

I couldn't die yet. At the very least, I had to give my parents a final farewell.

When I struggled to take the medicine, it had no effect. My vision blurred, and my lips turned blue. In excruciating pain, I used the last of my strength to dial Freya's number.

In the end, I lost consciousness to the sound of the unanswered call ringing in my ears.

I died, but I don't know why.

My soul stayed by Freya's side. I was unable to leave and move on.

I followed Freya to the animal hospital, watching her and Noah cry over the little dog's surgery.

Noah gently pulled her into his arms, comforting her. They looked like a perfect couple.

I knew all along that Noah was the one she loved.

They had been together since they were young. Back then, Noah said he wanted to study medicine to save lives and become a doctor, so he went abroad.

A year later, Freya's family hit hard times, almost going bankrupt. Her parents practically sold her off for some business deal.

I still remember the night we got married. She glared at me with pure hatred and said, "You only married me to be a blood bank for your parents! Your whole family disgusts me!"

I tried to explain. I told her maybe her parents didn't love her as much as she thought.

My adoptive parents only took me in because they had lost a child.

I told her they were her real parents.

I told her that I was the one who truly loved her.

But she didn't believe me.

She never believed me, just like she doesn't believe me now.

Today, I fulfilled her wish. I died.

My soul followed her as I watched Victor die despite the efforts to save him, and then I watched her get back into the car.

Noah sat next to her. He grabbed her hand and placed it over his heart, almost swearing an oath.

"Freya, I still love you."

He kissed her, ignoring everything, and Freya froze in place.

The next second, Freya pushed Noah away. Her eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

"Noah, what are you doing?"

Noah hesitated for a moment, then raised his head. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Victor's gone, and you're all I have left... Freya, let's take him home and let him rest in peace, okay?"

"It's laughable and ironic. My parents' bodies remain unclaimed at the hospital.

Yet the dog gets a grand burial."

In the car, Freya kept glancing at her phone, looking a little impatient.

I get it. Back when we argued, it was always me who calmed down first and apologized.

But today... it's been an hour.

Noah noticed her fidgeting and gave a bitter smile.

"Freya, what are you doing? Trying to call Mr. Turner? I get it... He said all that to make you stay today."

Freya didn't argue this time. She pulled out her phone and made a call.

When no one answered, her face darkened, and she quickly hung up.

"What happened? He didn't pick up? It's only natural for Jayden to be angry. You're a couple. Don't let someone like me come between you. Freya, go home. I'll handle Victor myself..."

"I don't care if he picks up or not. Jayden is full of lies. It'd be better if he were dead!"

Freya looked annoyed and threw her phone to the side.

The next second, her phone rang again.

Freya smirked triumphantly. "Still pretending? Now he's having people from Union Hospital call you. He's something!"

After saying that, she hung up and blocked the number. She stared out the window, lost in thought.

Suddenly, a car sped past them.

Freya glanced at the hearse's license plate. For some reason, she felt a little uneasy.

In the next second, Noah's hand moved in front of her.

"If it bothers you, don't look. No one wants to face death. That car probably belonged to someone's family..."

I was trapped beside Freya, helplessly watching my parents' hearse drive farther away.

I wanted to struggle, but it was useless.

Of course, Freya was right there beside Noah.

How could my parents expect to get help from her?

After spending the whole day dealing with Victor's burial, Freya suddenly felt like something was off.

I figured she probably remembered that by now, I would have called, asking her to come home and pleading with her not to stay out.

Today was so quiet that Freya stared at Victor's gravestone, feeling something wasn't right.

After everything was settled, Freya stared at her phone. She was lost in thought as she noticed nearly ten missed calls.

At that moment, another call came in.

She let out a laugh and quickly stepped aside to answer it.

There was a brief pause on the other end, like they hadn't expected her to pick up.

"Jayden, what kind of game are you playing? You think calling from someone else's phone will make me give in? Dream on! Let's get divorced if that's what you want! Your whole family is disgusting!"

My soul floated around her. Hearing her angry words, all I felt was sadness.

"I'm already dead. How could I still be bothering you?"

The person on the other end hadn't even said a word before she unleashed her rage, and their tone quickly turned cold.

"This is the crematorium, Ms. Carter. Please contact Mr. Turner as soon as possible. His parents have been cremated according to their final wishes, and he needs to handle the arrangements."

The person spoke quickly, waiting for a response.

Freya's hand trembled as she held the phone, then she started yelling again, "Is this your idea of a joke, Jayden? Using your parents' death to put on a show? It's disgusting!"

"Ms. Carter, we're not getting involved in your issues with Mr. Turner, but we haven't been able to reach him. Please come as soon as you can. We'll send the address to your phone."

The person clearly wasn't interested in dealing with this any longer.

Freya stared at the message on her phone.

She stood there, staring at it. She suddenly felt her throat go dry.

"Freya, why would Mr. Turner joke about something like this?"

Noah had overheard the conversation.

Then he spoke gently, trying to reassure her, "Don't worry, I'm still here with you."

I wanted to stop her. Noah wasn't as kind as Freya thought. He was just a master of pretending.

Back when he went abroad, it was with Freya's family's money.

And now he's pretending to be her perfect love?

It's ridiculous!

There's nothing I can do. I'm dead, my parents are dead... Freya should be happy, right?

Freya turned to look at him. Her lips trembled slightly as she avoided his outstretched hand.

"I'll go on my own. You take care of Victor's arrangements."

With that, Freya staggered forward.

Noah stood behind her, reaching out to take her hand.

Freya didn't look back. She walked away quickly.

Back in the car, I watched as her expression turned to fear, and she frantically started dialing my number.

I knew Freya had finally realized.

She must've figured out that I would never use my parents' death to trick her.

My parents adopted me from the orphanage and treated me like their own.

Even if I died, I'd never make a joke out of their lives...

Freya's hands were shaking. She stared at her phone, biting her lip hard before finally calling her assistant.

"Gavin, can you... can you go to the villa and look for Jayden?"

After saying that, it seemed like she used up all her strength. Her whole body slumped.