Chapter 2

My tears fell as I watched, not for Johnny, but for myself.

I gave everything to such a disgusting person.

It wasn't worth it at all.

While I stayed awake all night worrying about his safety, he was staying at my place with his so-called good friend, maybe even sleeping in my bed.

I gripped the edge of the table tightly, trying hard not to cry so much that I struggled to breathe.

The phone tossed in the living room started ringing.

I wasn't in the mood to answer, but the person on the other end seemed determined not to give up, calling over and over again.

I took a deep breath and walked into the living room.

When I saw the caller ID, I froze for a moment, then quickly answered, "Bently, what is it?"

"Johnny is alive," Bently Bowen said.

Then, he sent a video.

I clicked it open and saw Johnny sharing a toast with Evelyn. Their eyes were so entangled that I could almost see the connection.

My breath caught. My fingers trembled uncontrollably, and even my voice quivered as I spoke.

"I know he's not dead."

Bently seemed surprised, then started laughing.

He asked, "Then why did you help prepare his funeral?"

"Everyone told me he was dead, so I believed it. That's why I thought I should arrange the funeral," I said.

Bently was silent for a moment. "Widowed?"

I responded with a faint affirmative.

Bently was Johnny's uncle by marriage, not by blood, and I'd barely interacted with him.

He was the first to tell me Johnny wasn't dead, and I owe him for that.

"Bently, if you have time, you may also come to the memorial in seven days," I said.

"I will."

Soon after, he sent another video.

Someone next to Johnny showed him a phone, and he suddenly smashed his wine glass.

Evelyn, standing nearby, was startled; then she gently put her hand on his chest, seeming to offer words of comfort.

The bar was loud, so I couldn't hear very clearly.

But I saw Johnny's expression soften almost instantly, even burying his face in Evelyn's shoulder.

Johnny must have been furious because of the group message I sent, and I hadn't expected Evelyn's few words to calm him down so quickly.

In the past, when he got mad at me, he always made me reflect alone for a whole night before I could apologize, and only then would he grudgingly forgive me.

I shut my sore, aching eyes and saved these two videos.

I was about to put my phone away when a call from Evelyn came in.

I answered, and the noisy music suddenly exploded in my ear.

Evelyn shouted, "Janessa, are you really going to hold a funeral for Johnny? Are you out of your mind?

"I'm warning you. Cancel it right now! Otherwise, when Johnny comes back, you'll be sorry!"

Before she finished, I decisively turned off my phone, grabbed a blanket, curled up on the sofa, and went to sleep.

It was the soundest sleep I'd had in three months.

Early the next morning, I took my documents and canceled Johnny's household registration.

After finishing the process, I went to Evelyn's home.

Evelyn's door was tightly shut. I rang the doorbell again and again before I finally heard the sound of someone opening the door

She leaned against the door frame in a camisole robe, with ambiguous marks spreading from her neck to the areas hidden beneath her clothes

"Oh, it's you. Why are you at my house?"

My gaze shifted from her neck to her face, meeting her disdainful eyes.

"I hope you can attend Johnny's funeral, since you were his closest friend," I said.

Evelyn rolled her eyes and said sharply, "Janessa, you are Johnny's wife! He's missing—neither alive nor dead. Not only aren't you out looking for him, but you want to hold a funeral?

"What if he's still alive? Aren't you just cursing him? What kind of wife does that?"

I pulled the death certificate just issued by the Household Registration Office from my bag and let out a short laugh. "Buried in the snow for three months. I couldn't find him. He's already been deregistered.

"Didn't you all encourage me to move on back then?"

When the bad news first arrived, I blacked out instantly

When I opened my eyes again, it was already the next morning. All of Johnny's closest friends were gathered around my bed. They all comforted me.

"Janessa, the place where Johnny disappeared is extremely dangerous and hard to reach. Maybe you should give up searching?"

"Yes, that's right. That area is so risky. You really shouldn't go there."

I struggled to get up, bought a ticket, hired a rescue team, and rushed into the snowy mountains.

For half a month, I searched day and night without rest.

At the time, I didn't realize why Johnny's so-called good friends showed no concern in their eyes.