Stephen's chest made a sickening crunch. With his last breath, he spat out a curse.

"No... you bitch... you did this on purpose..."

His eyes rolled back. His body convulsed violently, limbs jerking like a puppet with cut strings.

Then his voice faded to nothing. His body went slack.

Still.

I had to be sure. I collapsed onto his chest, wailing as if my world had ended—while pressing my ear to his heart.

Nothing. Good.

The comments exploded.

[Wait, Stephen can't actually be dead, right?! Don't do this to me! I haven't even seen my precious couple have their sweet moments yet!]

Just then, an ambulance arrived.

[Finally! The ambulance is here! Stephen's saved!]

[Useless. I read the spoilers—they hired that ambulance too. There's no actual medical equipment inside.]

[Nooo, my beautiful love story! This is all Adeline's fault! If she had any conscience, she'd throw herself off that cliff too!]

The paramedics climbed out. One glanced at Stephen's body—barely a second—made no attempt at resuscitation, and draped a white sheet over him.

"He's gone. Our condolences."

Then a shriek cut through the air. A foot slammed into my back, sending me sprawling.

"Adeline Cox!" Athena Delgado's voice was raw with theatrical grief. "You vile woman! Stephen had depression, and you still pushed him like this? Now look what you've done—he jumped because of YOU! Give me back my son! GIVE HIM BACK!"

I stayed on my knees, letting out a broken sob.

"Mom, I'm so sorry—it's all my fault! But Stephen might still be saved! We need to get him to a hospital!"

"He jumped to escape you!" She loomed over me, spittle flying. "Even if he survived, as long as you're alive, he'd just try again! You're a curse. You drove him to his death! How dare you still show your face in this world?"

Oh, give me a break. Inside, I was rolling my eyes so hard they might've gotten stuck. Why shouldn't I show my face? I'm not the one who cheated. I'm not the one who orchestrated this whole disgusting scheme to steal an inheritance.

That's when Laura arrived.

She watched the ambulance disappear down the road, then closed her eyes in a performance of grief so wooden it belonged in a middle school play.

When she opened them again, she fixed me with a look of pure contempt.

"Adeline." Her voice dripped with false sympathy. "Do you know what Stephen told me before he died? He said he was exhausted. He said you were driving him insane." She paused for effect. "He asked me... if dying would finally set him free."

She stepped closer, her heels clicking against the ground.

"Stephen loved you so much. He was willing to give his life for you. If it were me..." She pressed a hand to her chest. "I couldn't possibly go on living alone."

Her eyes narrowed.

"If you're even hesitating, that proves you never loved him at all. And honestly? It makes me sick. Stephen deserved better than to throw his life away for someone like you."

Wow. They were really laying it on thick with the guilt trip.

Too bad I wasn't buying what they were selling.

"You're right," I said, my voice cracking perfectly on cue. "I know what I did was wrong. But because Stephen died for me, I have to stay alive. I need to atone. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to him—by taking care of his family."

I looked up at Athena with wet, earnest eyes.

"I'll honor his memory by being a devoted daughter-in-law to you."

Their expressions curdled.

There it was. If I didn't die, how would they legally inherit everything I owned?

Suddenly, Athena's hand clamped around my arm like a vice.

"You say you loved Stephen?" Her grip tightened, nails digging in. "Then die with him! He died because of you—you owe him this! Go keep him company! Or are you saying his love meant nothing?"

I flinched, genuinely startled.

Holy shit. When emotional manipulation failed, they were just going to skip straight to actual murder?

"Let go of me!" I thrashed against her grip. "What are you doing?! This is murder!"

The comments flew past in a blur.

[Yes! Get her! Evil women like her deserve what's coming!]

[It's fine—when the cops find her body, they'll just assume she killed herself out of guilt. Then Mrs. Delgado and sweet Laura can finally get the inheritance.]

[What is WRONG with you people?! This is literally murder!]

Police sirens pierced the air just as disaster loomed. Several officers rushed down the slope.

"Stop! What's going on here?"

Athena released me instantly, her face rearranging into innocence.

"Officers, you've misunderstood! She wanted to die alongside my son—I was only trying to talk her down!"

I crumpled to the ground, letting the tears flow.

"No! That's not true! She was trying to force me to die with him!"

"You lying little—" Athena lunged to clamp her hand over my mouth, but the officers seized her arms and held her back.

"All of you are coming in for questioning."

Before the officer could finish, two people in crisp suits approached the scene.

"We're from the Notary Office. Which of you scheduled the in-home appointment?" The lead notary glanced around, then added with thinly veiled judgment, "Forgive me for saying so, but the man just died. Calling for estate notarization this quickly seems... premature."

I blinked. I'd only called the police. I hadn't requested any notary services.

Athena's voice pitched higher, guilt bleeding through every syllable.

"Oh my, I had no idea you'd arrive so fast! Why don't you wait over there for a bit—he's not actually dead yet."

I nearly rolled my eyes into the back of my skull.

They couldn't wait a single moment. They were terrified my parents would learn of my death and come for the inheritance. They wanted everything signed and sealed before anyone could interfere.

The notary looked puzzled.

"But we just viewed the deceased's body. He's clearly passed. According to the will jointly executed by Mr. Stephen Delgado and Ms. Adeline Cox, upon the death of either party, all assets transfer solely to the surviving spouse."

He consulted his documents. "Mr. Delgado's estate includes one vehicle valued at approximately $220,000, one property worth $1,000,000, and roughly $200,000 in cash. All of this now belongs to Ms. Cox." He looked up. "Is there anything you'd like to add or amend?"

The corners of my mouth twitched upward. I couldn't help it.

Before the "accident," Stephen had pressured me into signing a mutual inheritance agreement. Perhaps to make his scheme appear less monstrous, he'd signed the same terms—upon death, everything went to the spouse. Parents, children, anyone else was explicitly excluded.

And now?

Every meticulous plan he'd made, every careful manipulation—all of it had become my wedding gift.

Athena's face drained of color.

"Wait, wait—there's been a mistake! Stephen isn't dead!"

"Mom!" I gasped, widening my eyes in theatrical shock. "What are you saying? I watched him jump off that cliff with my own eyes. How could he possibly be alive?"

She stammered, mouth opening and closing, unable to form a coherent response.

The notary studied her with growing suspicion. "If neither party objects to the will's terms, we can proceed with scheduling the inheritance transfer."

"Hold on!" Athena shrieked. "What inheritance transfer? Why should my son's property go to her?"

The notary sighed. "Testamentary succession takes legal precedence over statutory succession. If you wish to contest the will, you may file an appeal."

Laura's eyes darted to Athena. A rapid, desperate exchange of glances passed between them.

Finally, Athena cracked.

"Fine! My son... he's not really dead. It was staged. A fake death!"

"Fake death?" I pressed my hand to my chest, voice trembling with perfect confusion. "Mom, what does that even mean?"

Athena's gaze skittered away, unable to meet mine.

So I stripped away the pretense myself.

"Let me see if I understand." My voice went cold and precise. "Stephen put on that devoted husband act. He pressured me into signing that will. And then he faked his own death—all so I would follow him, so you could inherit my estate without lifting a finger. Is that it?"

"You're talking nonsense!" Athena spat. "We never thought any such thing! You're the delusional one—no wonder my son nearly died because of you!"

Something in me snapped into place. Clean. Final.

I was done performing.

My voice dropped to ice.

"No 'almost' about it. He's dead. I saw it with my own eyes."

"Bullshit!" Athena shrieked. "Don't you dare curse my son! He's perfectly fine!"

"Then let's make a bet." My voice was steady, almost bored. "If your son is alive, I'll hand over every cent I own. But if he's dead? I don't want much—just stay out of my way when it comes to his estate."

Athena's face contorted with rage. She jabbed a finger inches from my nose.

"You want him dead, don't you, you little whore? Fine! Let's bet! But I want it in writing—every last asset under your name, itemized, so you can't weasel out of it later!"

Under the watchful eyes of a notary, my assets were laid bare, line by line.

Two cars worth $800,000. A luxury penthouse valued at $1.8 million. The electronics plant, appraised at $4 million. Cash deposits totaling $430,000. Even the gold jewelry I was wearing—$210,000.

I hadn't realized I was worth this much.

No wonder they were so eager to kill me.

"Hmph." Athena's lip curled. "You drove my son into depression, and I haven't even demanded compensation for his emotional suffering. Honestly? You were never good enough for him. With his looks and credentials, he could have married a governor's daughter—someone with assets in the hundreds of millions."

She looked me up and down like I was something stuck to her shoe.

"But if you promise to serve me and my son devotedly from now on, I might consider letting you stay as a mistress."

I laughed—a cold, mirthless sound.

"Maybe check on your precious son first."

Athena's heel struck the floor. She yanked out her phone.

"I'm calling him right now! He'll come here and shut you up himself!"

The line rang.

And rang.

No answer.

Instead, more patrol cars rolled up, lights flashing.

An officer approached. "We found individuals impersonating medical personnel nearby. They were operating an unregistered ambulance." He paused. "There was a male body inside."

A gurney emerged from one of the vehicles, a white sheet draped over its still form.