I felt as though I was lost in a dense fog until a faint glimmer of light ahead helped me see my surroundings clearly.

Then, I saw Jacob had just walked through the door, but he didn't notice me. He just passed straight through my body. How could this be?

Startled, I looked up. The wall clock showed it was nine in the morning. So, it was already the next day.

I remembered now. Last night, that vagrant dragged my son and me into the alley, reaching for the necklace around my neck.

But this necklace was the very one Jacob gave me when he proposed. For three years of marriage, I had worn it every single day. I clung to it desperately, refusing to let go. After that, the vagrant stabbed me dozens of times before the final blow killed me.

My little boy instantly slipped from my arms and fell lifeless to the ground. Meanwhile, I lay in a pool of deep, glaring crimson, watching helplessly as the homeless man took the necklace, unable to utter a single word.

It turned out I was already dead and so was my son. Did Jacob know we were both dead?

I found myself automatically following Jacob. The moment he entered the door, he rushed toward the bedroom, calling out. "Josephine."

However, the empty room gave no response.

Jacob's expression gradually turned anxious, tinged with a barely perceptible panic. He dashed through several rooms, but couldn't find me or our son. It made his confusion and uneasiness grow more pronounced.

Just then, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Natalia. [Jacob, you spent last night taking me home. I hope Josephine wasn't upset with you because of that.]

Seeing Natalia's message, Jacob instantly forgot about me and our son. He sat down on the sofa and started chatting with her.

[No problem. She loves me to death and would never dare to upset me.]

[Josephine is so good to you. Jacob, do you really like her?]

Jacob visibly froze before quickly replying.

[She's been with me all these years. It's like keeping a pet—after so long, you develop feelings.]

[What about me?]

[You're different. You're the one I truly care about.]

I still floated in the air as I read every message Jacob sent. My heartless chest now felt no pain; only numbness remained. I should have known long ago that I couldn't compare to Natalia.

When she wasn't around, I was just Jacob's faithful pet, there to entertain him and keep him company. All he needed to do was give me a little attention and affection and I would convince myself that I was special to him.

During our first year of marriage, Jacob left early and returned late every single day. When I asked why, he always said the company was too busy and he had meetings.

Once, worried he might forget to eat amidst his work, I specially prepared his favorite dish and went to the company to find him. Just as I reached his office door, I heard a woman's soft moans and a man's passionate voice calling out, "Natalia."

I froze in place, my heart pounding with dread. When did Natalia return?

Their voices only grew louder. I bit my lip, shut my eyes and pushed the door open.

Jacob was shoving a disheveled woman down onto the desk. When he saw me standing in the doorway, he hurriedly straightened up, his face flushed with unease. "Josephine, I ..."

I looked at the woman. Her side profile was nearly identical to Natalia's.

Jacob tried to explain that he'd merely been momentarily blinded by her face, insisting I was the only one in his heart. Still, all I could think about was the scene of him with her just moments ago. In my panic, I rushed out of the office, only to be hit by a car.

As my eyes closed, I heard Jacob's heart-wrenching cries behind me. "Josephine."

Fortunately, I woke up quickly.

The driver wasn't going very fast, so I was just startled and had some scrapes on my limbs. But the moment I opened my eyes and saw Jacob, tears spilled uncontrollably down my cheeks.

Seeing me awake, Jacob looked tense. "Josephine, how are you? Anywhere hurting?" he asked.

I shook my head, but the tears wouldn't stop.

Jacob wiped my tears with a pained expression, his eyes filled with guilt and unease. He took my hand and pressed it tightly against his cheek. "Josephine, I was wrong. I promise to be completely devoted to you from now on. Please don't ever do something this foolish again, okay?"

I finally stopped crying and spoke through sobs. "Really?"

Jacob nodded, raised his palm and swore with utmost sincerity. "I promise to treat Josephine Nelson wholeheartedly from now on. If I break this vow, may I never see Josephine again."

From that day on, Jacob seemed like a different person, tending to me with the greatest care in the hospital every day.

I thought he had finally realized his true feelings and that he loved me, too. But when the truth was revealed, I realized how foolish I had been. It was all just wishful thinking on my part.

Jacob had never changed. In his heart, there had always been only one person: Natalia.

By the time I came to my senses, Jacob was already getting ready to leave.

He answered a call from a friend in the car and the person on the other end stammered for a long time.

Jacob grew impatient and raised his voice. "What is it?"

"Jacob, are you okay?"

Confused, he snapped back, "What's wrong? Of course, I'm fine."

The voice on the other end seemed stunned, pausing for several seconds before speaking. "We heard the news that Josephine and your son are gone. Jacob, we're so sorry for your loss!"

Jacob slammed on the brakes, a sudden wave of panic washing over him. His tone turned sharp. "What nonsense are you spouting? Josephine and my son weren't home. She must be upset because I went to pick up Natalia yesterday."

"When she gets back, I'll just cheer her up. Don't mess with me! If Josephine finds out, I'll make you pay."

Before the other person could respond, Jacob hung up.

The veins on the back of his hand bulged as he gripped the phone. With a heavy sigh, as if steeled in resolve, he dialed my number. Unfortunately, a mechanical female voice announced the phone was turned off.

He refused to accept it. However, I never turned my phone off, let alone ignored his calls. I must have been furious at that time.

Jacob thought that if he just bought me gifts like before and sweet-talked me, I'd calm down. I had always been obedient and compliant with him, no matter what.

He dialled the number repeatedly, but it remained switched off.

My son and I had disappeared, but where could we have gone?

Suddenly, his phone rang. His expression brightened as he hurriedly lifted it, but the smile on his face froze when he saw Natalia's name on the screen before he finally pressed the answer button.

"Jacob, there's thunder. I'm scared of being home alone. Can you come keep me company?"

Strangely, Jacob didn't feel his usual excitement after hearing Natalia's voice. Perhaps it was because he still hadn't found me and our son. Yet for the first time, he felt a hint of irritation toward Natalia, thinking she was being overly delicate.

After he married me, he had once asked me if I was afraid of thunder. At that time, I had looked at him with amusement and said, "What's there to be scared of? I'm not some fragile woman."

Suddenly, Jacob found himself missing me. It felt like ages since he'd seen my smile, heard me call him Jacob, or experienced my unique way of caring for him.

"Jacob, are you listening?" Natalia's voice rang out once more.

Jacob glanced at the phone still pressed to his ear and hurriedly replied, "Natalia, I'm busy right now. I'll hang up first."

On the other end of the line, Natalia froze upon hearing the disconnected beeping sound.

When she finally came to her senses, she slammed her phone against the wall, gritting her teeth as she muttered, "Josephine, even in death, you refuse to rest peacefully."

In the same car as Jacob, I was stunned to hear his conversation with Natalia. I couldn't believe he wasn't worried that she might be scared of thunder and just hung up on her.

The Jacob of the past wouldn't let Natalia suffer the slightest injustice, even abandoning me countless times for her sake. Today, he seemed different. But why would he worry about me?

Back when we were fighting and on the brink of divorce, he even complained that I lacked the grace and elegance of Natalia. Now, I could only look at Jacob's darkened expression, utterly confused about what was wrong with him.

Then, in the very next moment, he redialed Natalia's number. "Natalia, let me take you somewhere."

I, who had no physical body, habitually curled the corners of my mouth. Jacob truly couldn't let go of that woman.

After getting in the car, Natalia still looked fragile, clinging tightly to his arm. "Jacob, it's so late. Where are we going?"

However, Jacob seemed unusually distracted as he replied absentmindedly, "You'll see when we get there."

Looking at the familiar house before me, I realized he had driven to my home.

Natalia frowned in surprise. "Jacob, whose place is this old house?"

"Josephine's," Jacob said as he strode inside without waiting for her.

I clearly saw a flash of resentment and bitterness cross Natalia's face before she reluctantly followed.

The person who opened the door was my mother. Her once jet-black hair had turned completely white. My eyes stung with pain and I lunged forward to embrace her, only to grasp at thin air.

The moment my mother saw Jacob, her pallid face twisted in fury. "You heartless monster! Look what you did to my daughter! I'll beat you to death today and avenge Josephine!"

She grabbed a stick from behind the door, then swung it at Jacob. He didn't dodge; he even took the blow straight on.

Blood instantly streamed down his forehead, but he didn't wipe it away. Instead, he shouted towards the room. "Josephine, come out! I know you're in there!"

My mother froze, then quickly erupted into curses. "What the hell are you talking about? My Josephine is dead!"

Jacob refused to believe it. He grabbed Natalia beside him and continued shouting, "Josephine, come out! If you don't come out now, I'm leaving with Natalia."

Still, there was no reply.

His expression grew increasingly anxious, but he didn't give up. "I'm really leaving with Natalia. I'll never come back for you," he barked.

Overcome with fury, my mother stormed into the room, grabbed a newspaper and flung it at his face. "Look for yourself! Josephine is dead. That bastard stabbed her dozens of times. He's utterly heartless."

Jacob's eyes locked onto the blood-soaked photograph in the newspaper, his face turning pale by the second.

The woman in the picture lay in a pool of blood, her face riddled with countless cuts, making her almost unrecognizable. Lying beside her was a tiny baby.

Jacob could vaguely make out the blood-soaked clothes; they were the very ones his son had worn at his one-month celebration.

He collapsed to his knees with a thud, burying his face in the paper and weeping uncontrollably. "I don't believe it. Josephine loved me so much, she wouldn't have left me like this! This must be a trick you all set up!"

Unable to bear the sight of Jacob's state, my mother wiped away tears and cried out in anguish, "How ridiculous! You signed the form to claim Josephine's body and now you're denying it!"

Jacob flinched, suddenly feeling a splitting headache. He clutched his head and slumped to the ground, his eyes staring blankly ahead.

He finally remembered. He had witnessed the horrific scene himself. Both our child and I were dead for real.