When I was brutally raped and murdered by ruthless criminals, my husband, Andy Carter, was tenderly escorting his childhood sweetheart, Ruby White, to a hospital check-up.

In my final moments, I frantically dialed his number, pleading for help, only to be met with his icy indifference as he callously ended the call.

"Nora Green, unless you come here and personally apologize to Ruby, don't even think about me forgiving you," Andy had coldly declared.

Our relationship had been strained for a week, ever since I accidentally pushed Ruby during a heated argument.

Yet, that very night, Andy was urgently summoned by his captain to assist with a gruesome dismemberment case.

With a composed yet stern expression, he meticulously analyzed the scene.

"The victim was a female, aged between 24 and 27, and was approximately two months pregnant at the time of her death," he deduced.

Andy was the foremost professor of forensic medicine. No case had ever eluded his keen insight within three days.

Yet, astonishingly, it took him a full week to identify the dismembered remains as his own wife.

*****

After killing me, the murderer scattered my body parts across various locations.

A vigilant passerby alerted the police to the macabre discovery, prompting the special case team to intervene. Unable to ascertain the identity of the deceased, they reached out to Andy.

Upon receiving the distressing call, Andy frowned.

"Alright, I'll be there shortly," he responded.

As he ended the call, his gaze lingered on Ruby with palpable distress.

Due to my impulsive shove, her calf had collided with a sharp table corner, leaving a vivid bruise.

At that moment, they sat in the hospital waiting room.

Despite the seemingly minor injury, Andy insisted on a thorough examination, demonstrating his unwavering concern for Ruby.

Known for his relentless dedication to his work, Andy rarely took time off, yet he had made an exception to accompany Ruby to the hospital.

Aware of the complexity of the case awaiting him, Andy appeared somewhat preoccupied.

Ruby sensibly noticed something amiss.

She gently clasped his hand.

"Andy, it's just a bit of pain; nothing serious.

"Please don't blame Nora. Perhaps she's just envious of me, given her lack of familial love. Don't be too harsh on her..."

Her words, seemingly gentle, were laced with subtle manipulation.

As a ghostly observer, I seethed with impotent rage, my fists clenching involuntarily.

Had I still been alive, I would have undoubtedly lunged at her to unleash my fury.

Earlier that day, returning home unexpectedly to retrieve something I had forgotten, I was stunned to find Ruby lounging in our bedroom, clad in my pajamas and nestled cozily in Andy's embrace.

Enraged, I charged at her, only to have Andy's strong hand restrain me.

"Ruby's clothes were wet. It was just a temporary measure for her to use yours. Be sensible!" Andy defended Ruby dismissively.

My anger boiled over, and I retorted bitterly.

"So, if her clothes are wet, she can wear my pajamas. Does that mean if she's feeling lonely, she can share my husband openly?"

Andy turned gloomy.

"You are so unreasonable!"

His guilt was palpable as he turned away, leaving me behind.

Known for my vengeful nature, I pushed Ruby forcefully to tear off her facade of fragility and innocence.

"Andy! Ah!" Ruby cried out.

She stumbled backward, so her calf collided painfully with a sharp corner.

Worry contorted Andy's countenance drastically. "Nora! You've gone too far!"

He shoved me aside, oblivious to the fruit knife that lay in wait behind me. It found its mark with a cruel precision, embedding itself deeply into my calf.

A cold sweat broke out across my brow because the pain was searing through me like a bolt of lightning. Yet, his attention wholly focused on Ruby, who he swiftly lifted into his arms. His coat was enveloping her protectively as he strode out.

"Ruby, I'm taking you to the hospital!"

The sharp fruit knife sliced through my calf.

With a heavy limp, I staggered alone towards the clinic downstairs, desperate for a bandage to staunch the flow of blood.

But fate dealt me a cruel hand. On my way home, some shadowy figures yanked me into an empty alley.

They pinned me down to rape me.

I clutched my stomach.

With my last ounce of strength, I frantically dialed Andy for help.

Call after call, my cries fell on deaf ears.

Each time, the line went dead, a cold disconnection echoing my fading hope.

Just as my final breath was about to escape, a chilling message illuminated my phone's screen.

"Nora, unless you personally apologize to Ruby, don't expect my forgiveness."

The gang, with cold indifference, plucked the SIM card from my phone and cast it into the murky depths of the sewer.

As a ghostly spectator, I watched from the sidelines.

They dismembered my body to pack the pieces like macabre cargo and hurled them into the same sewer.

Andy would never know the depth of my despair when my calls for help were met with a brutal hang-up. Each silence was a dagger to my soul.

They would never hear my apology.

As Andy burst back into the special case team, the police were already painstakingly reassembling my fragmented body.

It began with a trail of blood, a gruesome clue that led to the discovery of my dismembered remains.

The sight was so horrific that the seasoned criminal investigators themselves were overcome by the stench and retched uncontrollably.

The assistant, Max Blake, handed over the preliminary findings to Andy.

Clad in gloves and a mask, Andy steeled himself to examine the state of the body. His analytical mind was battling the waves of nausea.

"The deceased is a female, aged between 24 and 27.

"She suffered multiple injuries, resulting in significant blood loss.

"Additionally, her lower abdomen was severely damaged, with evidence of internal bleeding..."

Andy paused and delivered the crushing revelation.

"It's likely that she was approximately two months pregnant."

The room gasped in unison, a collective intake of breath at the heinousness of the crime.

"Monstrous!" someone muttered under their breath.

"Utterly savage. Even a pregnant woman wasn't spared!"

"And this looks like a meticulously planned murder!"

All eyes were heavy with expectation. Andy's eyes lingered on my body.

His brow was furrowed in deep thought.

"It appears that she's missing two fingers on the right hand."

It was then that the team noticed the absence of my ring and index fingers.

My heart lurched.

On my right ring finger, a small black mole adorned my skin like a sinister mark of identity.

I thought, "Could it be that the murderers feared my identity would be revealed? Had they callously severed my fingers?"

I hovered nearby and observed Andy's every reaction.

Would he recognize me?