Chapter 3
I didn't even bother looking at him, just dug out a condom from my bag.
"Here. Use this to keep her safe when you two do it," I said flatly.
"No need to thank me, that's just what a wife's supposed to do," I tossed in with a mock smile.
Without caring about their reactions, I went straight back to my room to pack up my stuff.
After dinner, Emily tugged Michael into the bedroom.
"Don't you think Melissa's being super weird? She never used to act like this," Emily whispered, eyes darting suspiciously.
"Have you felt her skin? Is she even warm right now?"
Michael interrupted her.
"You're seriously starting to sound insane," he said.
"She probably just figured we're happy together and decided to move on," Michael said, sounding casual.
"Just focus on having the baby. If you need anything done, just boss her around," he added.
After Michael left, Emily sat motionless on the edge of the bed for a long time.
Finally, she grabbed her phone and punched in a string of numbers.
"Listen, you guys, go dig up Melissa's body and make sure it's still there," she murmured, her voice low and urgent.
On the other end, there was pure shock.
"Are you seriously messed up? She's dead; what do you even expect to see?" the guy blurted out.
"The grass is so tall now; if we start digging, people are definitely gonna get suspicious," he added, sounding totally freaked.
Emily wasn't having any of it.
"Cut the crap! Just do it," she shot back.
"You have to dig it up. And you better do it yourself," Emily snapped, her voice sharp and demanding.
If she hadn't made that call, I probably would've forgotten I still had to handle those idiots.
Those two had been Emily's loyal simps ever since college.
I showed up this time. They were definitely going to make a move.
The door swung open again, and Michael walked in, holding a glass of milk.
"Who were you calling? And what's this about digging something up?" he asked.
Emily flinched, nerves instantly on edge.
She hastily hid her phone behind her back, then got up and took the milk from him.
"N-nothing," she mumbled, trying to sound casual.
"My friend's just going to the beach, so I told her to try and dig up some shellfish or something," Emily replied.
She lifted the glass to her lips, ready to drink.
In an instant, the milk morphed into a vivid, bloody red, right in front of her.
The glass slipped from her fingers and shattered everywhere.
Emily lurched backward, tumbling onto the bed.
"There's blood in my milk." Emily stammered, her voice shaking.
"It has to be Melissa. She's screwing with me again," she cried out, panic all over her face.
Michael had endured a whole afternoon of Emily's jumpiness.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"I poured that milk myself; she never touched it. Seriously, what kind of crazy are you on?" Michael snapped.
Seeing Michael get fed up, Emily shrank back, head down, looking like she'd just been scolded.
"Sorry. I'm just super nervous," Emily whispered.
Watching her look so pathetic made me snicker.
When I was alive, I tried everything to win those two over, and all I got was getting trashed and put down.
Now, I don't have to do a damn thing.
Funny how now, Michael finally knows what's right and what's wrong.
Once Michael left for work, Emily shoved her phone in my face and started recording me.
"So, where the hell have you been these last three months?" she grilled me, eyes full of suspicion.
"Do you even remember the last time we saw each other?" she threw out, sizing me up.
I just cocked my head at her, looking totally lost.
"Wasn't yesterday the first real time we met?" I said.
"Oh, I just took off for a while, crashed with some friends out of town," I replied.
Seeing me brush off anything that happened three months ago, Emily's face went paper-white.
She bolted for the bedroom and practically shouted into her phone.
"You guys need to dig it up today. Get a DNA test; make sure it's really Melissa Grant!
"I don't care about the money. I'll pay whatever it takes!" Emily shouted.
Emily was terrified I'd come after her again.
Two hours later, Emily had people install dozens of cameras all over the house.
But she still kept getting hurt.
While she was eating, her tooth suddenly dropped out mid-bite.
When she went to drink water, she'd spot squirming maggots crawling inside the glass.
Even with Michael by her side at the prenatal checkup, the ultrasound showed the baby grinning at her with a mouthful of razor-sharp fangs.
At first, Michael would actually try to reassure her, telling her everything was fine and she shouldn't worry.
But as it kept happening over and over, Michael just started getting really pissed off.
"Maybe I should take you to see a psychiatrist. If there's something wrong, we'll catch it early. Don't want to mess up the baby!" Michael said.
The look of disgust on his face was exactly the same as the way he used to stare at me.
Emily noticed it too.
She went crazy online shopping, buying tons of adorable tiny outfits and a whole box of little toys.
Emily came right up to me on her own.
"I've got movie tickets. Go see a movie today and don't come back," she said.
I barely glanced at her anxious, withdrawn hands and just got up and walked out.
"Alright," I replied.
Just on the other side of the wall, Emily stripped off her top.
She slipped a belt around her neck and handed the other end straight to Michael.
It had been forever since they'd gotten this close, so Michael grabbed Emily and pulled her tightly into his arms.
Their lips were practically touching, just a breath apart.
I swung my hand and slapped Michael, hard.
A bright red mark bloomed across Michael's cheek.
His eyes went wide in shock, but I didn't give him a chance to recover. I slapped him again.
"Michael, you seriously make me sick."
No skills, no cash; how did I get stuck with you? I've wasted lifetimes serving you, and now I'm stuck raising your child, Emily snapped sharply.
"So gross!" Emily yelled, voice trembling with fury.
Everything she'd bottled up for ages exploded out.
Michael's face went red.
Emily dropped to her knees, clutching Michael's sleeve.
"Michael, it wasn't me. You gotta believe me," she muttered.
"I swear, I didn't say all that nasty stuff! I love you. Why would I ever hit you?" she pleaded.