Chapter 1

When the lab caught fire, no one noticed me trapped in the compartment.

I watched my husband Leonard Nash rush Jenna Lane, his childhood sweetheart, to safety. He never once looked back for me. Not even as he disappeared from sight.

Lying there in the smoke, I remembered the day he lashed out at me, his voice sharp with disgust. "I regret ever meeting someone as scheming as you."

So he never loved me. It was all just wishful thinking on my part.

And just like he wanted, I died in that fire. Now he could finally be with Jenna out in the open.

Later, when Leonard finally uncovered the truth, he clutched my ashes and broke down in tears, confessing how wrong he'd been.

*****

I died in the blaze that followed a hydrogen explosion in the lab.

Right before the accident, I was alone in the compartment, reviewing some research notes.

Out of nowhere, a deafening bang shook the room. The sharp scent of burning chemicals filled the air.

"Fire! Get out, now," someone yelled from outside.

I heard the shout and bolted for the door, but the flames were already licking at the entrance, blocking my escape.

I quickly covered my nose and mouth, desperately searching for Leonard in the chaos.

In the next instant, another explosion ripped through the room, the force hurling me straight toward the inferno.

The flames engulfed me in an instant, searing my skin with a pain beyond words. I could even smell the sickening stench of my own flesh burning.

Smoke billowed everywhere, the fire raging all around. Through the haze, I caught sight of Leonard. I screamed his name, my voice raw with desperation, "Leonard, help me!"

But he didn't even pause. He just kept running, Jenna in his arms.

I watched Leonard and Jenna walk away, my heart shattering in utter despair.

When I opened my eyes again, I was just a spirit hovering above everything.

The fire had been put out, and firefighters were doing their final check of the lab.

"I've got someone here," one of them shouted.

I watched as they carefully pulled my body out from under the cabinet. It was burned so badly, blackened and twisted, that there was no way to even tell if it had been a man or a woman.

Someone at the scene just collapsed, retching uncontrollably. The sight was just that horrific.

Out of nowhere, a blinding white light swept over me and dragged me away. Before I could even process what was happening, I found myself somewhere else.

"Leonard, I'm so scared," Jenna whispered, her voice trembling. She lay pale and still in the hospital bed, eyes red from crying, clinging to Leonard's hand like her life depended on it.

Leonard's face softened with a tenderness I hadn't seen in ages. He spoke softly, trying to comfort her, "It's okay, Jenna. It's all over now. The fire was just an accident. No one wanted it to happen."

Jenna gazed at him with obvious affection, and then casually asked, "Hey, what about Emily? I didn't see her earlier. I'm a little worried. Maybe you could give her a call and check in?"

Leonard went quiet, his expression turning cold. "Who knows where she is? She's a grown woman. If something went down, she'd be the first one to save herself."

I floated above, watching everything play out. I let out a bitter laugh. So this was it. He never loved me, not even a little.

Back when Leonard said, "I'll take responsibility. Will you marry me?" Seven years of crushing on him, and I finally got what I wanted. I really thought I was the happiest girl alive.

Well, I guessed some things just weren't meant to be mine. Still, I never expected him to be so cold. He left his own wife and let me die like I meant nothing.

Even now, with all the doctors and nurses rushing around, he wouldn't show any trace of care. If anything, he was colder than ever.

"She's your wife, after all. I worry something might've happened to her," Jenna said, sounding all concerned on the surface.

I caught that little glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes.

She bit her lip, her voice barely audible. "It's all because my health is so bad. Leonard, I know you promised my dad you'd take care of me, but I don't want my issues to come between you and Emily."

Suddenly, tears spilled down her cheeks, like she was the one suffering. "I'm afraid the colleagues will think I'm the homewrecker. You know I've never done anything like that, but they still gossip about me behind my back."

Leonard looked genuinely worried, reaching out to gently ruffle Jenna's hair. "Don't worry. I've got your back. No one will dare say a word about you. If anyone does, I'll fire them on the spot.

"As for Emily, she's so jealous. Keep your distance from her. She'll throw a tantrum for a few days, but she'll come crawling back to me eventually."

I watched him, so smug, completely wrapped around Jenna's finger.

He was dead set on believing that I was the one causing drama, spreading gossip, and stirring up trouble. And he actually thought I'd cave and come running back, apologizing first like I always did.

Too bad for him. He was dead wrong. I was already gone. That foolish woman, who loved him with everything she had and would've done anything for him, had burned to ash in that fire. I would never come back to him again.