Chapter 4

As soon as the call connected, an impatient voice rang out. "Sophia, why are you acting like you've disappeared? If you're so bold, don't pick up—"

Linda cleared her throat and interrupted, "Hello, Mrs. Hawthorne is sleeping. Who is this?"

"Wow, Mrs. Hawthorne is so careless, still able to sleep," the voice on the other end sneered. "Tell her Michael won't be coming home tonight. She knows who I am."

It was Vivian. Her favorite thing was to call me and rub it in my face after stealing Michael away.

Whenever she tried to prove she mattered more to Michael than I did, she always came out on top, no contest.

I looked down at my body, which would never move again. I sighed. This time, I felt nothing at all. There was no pain and no tears.

Linda sounded confused as she said, "Mr. Hawthorne said he'd be back soon to watch a movie with Mrs. Hawthorne."

"What?" Vivian let out a mocking laugh. "Alright, let Mrs. Hawthorne wait. Let's see if she'll actually get to see him." With that, she hung up.

Linda set the phone down next to me and called out a few more times, "Mrs. Hawthorne, wake up. It's cold here. If you fall asleep, you'll catch a cold. Mr. Hawthorne would feel so bad for you."

I scoffed inwardly at the thought of Michael feeling sorry for me. If he'd cared about me, he never would have left me all alone on that mountain top.

But none of it mattered anymore. My spirit would fade away before long.

Linda couldn't wake me up, so she gave me a gentle push. When she touched my arm, she realized it was getting colder. "Mrs. Hawthorne, you're freezing."

I still didn't respond. The color drained from my face.

Linda sensed something was wrong. She quickly checked my breathing and pulse.

After checking, she froze in place. She shook her head in disbelief and then checked once more.

Almost immediately, Linda called for emergency help. After reporting the address and symptoms, she called Michael right away. "Mr. Hawthorne, something terrible has happened. You need to come home right now. Mrs. Hawthorne isn't breathing anymore."

Michael's voice was cool. "Linda, is Mrs. Hawthorne throwing a fit again? Are you going along with her drama? I've dealt with her being spoiled for so long, and now she's pulling the life-or-death card?

"I told you, I've got something so important going on here. Can't she act mature for once?"

Linda blurted out, "Mrs. Hawthorne is not faking it. She is really not breathing. It's life or death here. The ambulance is on the way. Please come home right now."

"Linda, I seriously can't leave now. Tell her to quit faking it. It's not gonna work." Michael let out a weary sigh and added, "I'll come back when I'm done.

"You should cook her favorite pasta this evening and help pack our stuff. She has been nagging me about that concert tour abroad. I'm really tied up. Linda, help me deal with Sophia, alright?"

Linda stomped her feet anxiously. "Mr. Hawthorne, Mrs. Hawthorne is on her last breath. Who would risk their life to throw a silly fit?"

She was so restless that the floor felt like it was on fire beneath her feet.

My soul drifted beside her, wanting to tell her to give up. But no one could hear me.

Right then, the System suddenly chimed in. [Host, your soul hasn't faded away because Michael still has some lingering feelings for you. There is real affection.

[I put in a request, and the higher-ups said if Michael rushes back to see you one last time, your mission will be completed.]

That bit of affection was so faint that I could barely notice it.

It kept me trapped for ten years, and now, it still wouldn't let me go. But I didn't have the slightest hope left for Michael anymore.

I shook my head, telling the System to give up. "He's not coming back."

[He will.] The System paused. [Because Michael doesn't dare to take the risk.]

As soon as the System finished that, the wailing siren of an ambulance started echoing from outside, getting louder and louder. The sound was so sharp that even Michael caught it through the phone.

Michael's heart skipped a beat. "Linda, are you serious? You're not lying to me, right?"

Linda curled her lips as she urged, "Mr. Hawthorne, you need to come back right now."

"Okay." Michael was so flustered that he could barely think straight, repeating the same word over and over. "I'm coming back."