20:22
My sister’s dying wish was to marry my…
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Chapter 3
Yoseph clearly knew how biased my parents were. He knew the unfair treatment I suffered as a child, and he knew how desperately I wanted him to choose me with certainty.
And yet now, he had completely casted me aside because he was determined to be Sonia’s savior.
This study held so much of my hard work and dreams; every moment of success still echoed in my mind. But
twas
disappearing bit by bit as it was being slowly devoured.
Soon, the study ceased to exist and was replaced by a brand–new walk–in closet–just like my life, which was gradually being overtaken by Sonia.
A small photo of me was left behind in the corner of the study.
Upon seeing that, Yoseph quietly walked over, picked it up, and carefully placed it into his wallet.
Back at the office, an employee told Yoseph that I hadn’t come to work for several days and hadn’t submitted a single design draft for the signed project.
Yoseph’s expression immediately darkened with fury. He pulled out his phone and angrily tried to call me, only for the calls to go unanswered.
1/7
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Chapter 3
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He lost his temper in front of his employees for the first time. He suddenly stood up and swept all the documents off his desk.
Ultimately, he fired me for “unexplained absenteeism” and appointed Sonia–who had never studied design–to take my position.
At the office, Yoseph eventually gave in to Sonia’s seduction.
They held each other tightly, kissing passionately like a couple madly in love. They were tangled together on the desk and the chair.
I stood to the side, watching as a strong wave of nausea rose in my chest. I subconsciously touched my belly, feeling a deep sense of worthlessness.
I was one month pregnant.
I had planned to surprise Yoseph. But now, both my unborn child and I had ended up dead.
Over the following days, Yoseph, like a lunatic, sent message after message asking where I was.
Perhaps he’d sobered up from the thrill of the affair–his tone in every message was humble, pleading for me to come back.
But how could I possibly reply to him?
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Chapter 3
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“Honey, what are you thinking about?” At some point, Sonia had walked over.
With her radiant, glowing face, she didn’t look like someone suffering from a terminal illness.
Yet, Yoseph seemed blind to it all.
Upon hearing Sonia’s voice, Yoseph panicked like he’d been caught doing something wrong. He hurriedly exited our chat.
When he turned around and raised his hand to embrace Sonia, he suddenly noticed the necklace around her neck.
“Isn’t that Freya’s necklace? Why do you have it?” he asked.
“Huh? Really? What a coincidence. I saw it online and bought it because I liked it.”
Yoseph frowned. That was a necklace he had given me in college. It wasn’t expensive, but I always wore it and never took it off.
A flicker of panic flashed in Sonia’s eyes, and she quickly changed the subject, “Honey, we have to celebrate the pregnancy today. My parents have already made dinner and are waiting at home. Let’s go, okay?”
As I watched their backs as they walked away, I instinctively reached for my bare neck.
3/7
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Chapter 3
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That necklace had been taken by the attacker after I died. And now, an identical necklace was on Sonia’s neck.
How could I possibly believe it was just a coincidence? Could my death have something to do with Sonia?
“Yoseph, Nia is risking her life to bear you a child. You’d better treat the child well!”
“You have to be good to Nia…”
At the dinner table, my parents teared up at the sight of Sonia’s slightly thinner face.
Yoseph smilingly nodded, readily agreeing.
No one at the dinner table mentioned my disappearance to keep Sonia happy.
Just then, a series of urgent knocks sounded at the door.
Yoseph’s previously dim eyes lit up instantly. He rushed to the door ahead of everyone else to open it.
He was full of hope, thinking that after learning Sonia was pregnant, I would let go of the past and come home so the whole family could celebrate joyfully together.
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Chapter 3
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But when he opened the door, the person standing there was not who he expected.
It was my best friend, Rebecca South.
Rebecca stood with her arms crossed, eyes sharply scanning Yoseph from head to toe. She asked bluntly, “Where’s Freya?”
Rebecca and I grew up together. She had a rough childhood. After her mom divorced and remarried, she was left to live with her alcoholic dad.
That environment made her grow up like a tough boy, blunt and fiery. But with me, she was always gentle. She never hesitated to charge ahead and shield me from harm whenever it came to me.
“She’s not here. If you’re looking for her, try somewhere else.” Sonia stepped out from behind Yoseph and spoke, trying to shut the door.
But Rebecca was quick. She stopped the door with one hand, then shoved aside the people in front of her and barged into the house, calling out loudly as she walked, “Frey? Are you home?”
“Get out! That idiot isn’t even here!” Sonia screamed and rushed at her, trying to push Rebecca out of the house.
The two of them started fighting, creating chaos.
“Rebecca, calm down! Freya isn’t home!” Yoseph pushed
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Chapter 3
Rebecca hard as he tried to shield Sonia.
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Seeing Yoseph still defending Sonia ignited Rebecca’s rage. She suddenly raised her hand and landed a heavy slap across Yoseph’s face.
The forceful slap turned Yoseph’s head to the side and instantly left a visible handprint.
“Yoseph, have you no shame? You ditched Freya on your wedding day and married Sonia instead. Freya loved you wholeheartedly, and this is what you did in return!
“You and Sonia are filthy scums! And her biased parents! I hope karma finds all of you soon!”
Trembling with anger, Rebecca continued to roar, “If anything happens to Freya, I swear on my life I’ll drag you all to prison!”
Everyone in the room was stunned by her outburst and crazed
actions.
No one dared to stop her. They could only watch as she slammed the door and stormed out.
That night, Yoseph finally managed to coax Sonia to sleep. He then sat in the living room with my parents.
Still worried, he uttered, “Mom, Dad, Freya’s been missing for days. Could something bad have happened?”
6/7
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Chapter 3
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My parents kept their heads down in silence. They knew deep down how unfair everything had been to me. But with things having gone this far, all they could hope for was that I’d come home soon, and they’d try to make it up to me later.
What they didn’t know was that I no longer needed any kind of apology.
My corpse had been decomposing in the rented apartment, reeking, until a neighbor finally discovered it.
At dawn, Yoseph received a call from the police.
“Hello, is this a relative of Freya Quade? She was found dead in a rented apartment a month ago. Please come to the station to identify the body.”
רוד.
