Chapter 5
"Anna, don't do that! Ethan may act tough, but you're the one he cares about most. He's head over heels for you!" Mary pleaded, her voice trembling with urgency.
She darted over to Anna, clutching her arms tightly, desperate to make her reconsider.
"You taught yourself psychology and stuck by his side day and night, just so you could talk him through things whenever he needed it. You love Ethan too, don't you?" Mary pressed.
"If you love each other, you should be together! Besides, you know exactly what kind of person Melissa is. Are you really going to just let her take Ethan away from you?" Mary's voice was full of disbelief.
But the truth was, Ethan never needed her to give him up to anyone.
Sadness welled up inside Anna, spreading through her like a shadow.
Jack hurried over too, adding his voice to the plea. "Yeah, Anna. Ethan's just a bit stubborn. Once you two get married, things will only get better for you both."
Anna felt as if a hole had been torn right through her chest, leaving her hollow and frozen to the core, her blood running cold.
In her previous life, everyone had pleaded with her just as earnestly, trying to convince her.
"Ethan's heart belongs to you," they'd insisted.
"You two will definitely grow old together," they'd promised.
Everyone had made solemn vows, filling her with endless hope and longing.
So, clinging to her rosy dreams of love, she held onto her fantasy and went through with marrying Ethan.
But reality came crashing down, leaving her reeling. No matter how much she bent over backwards or swallowed her pride, all she got in return was Ethan's cold resentment.
The moment Ethan passed away, everyone's attitude did a complete 180. Suddenly, they all wished they hadn't pushed him into marrying her.
Even Anna couldn't help but regret ever being so stubborn herself.
Seeing how stubborn his parents were, Anna was frantic. She only had 19 hours left to help Ethan fulfil his last two wishes.
No matter what, she had to help him talk his parents around. At the very least, she wanted to make sure his family wouldn't stand in the way if he chose to be with Melissa.
"Ethan never really cared about me," Anna said, taking a steady breath and gently holding Mary's hand in return, her tone firm.
"Last night, I had a terrible dream," Anna continued. "In that dream, Ethan and I were married, but he hated me so much he wouldn't even look at me.
"He locked himself away at work day after day, ran himself ragged, and ended up with a messed-up stomach that never got better."
"That can't be true..." Mary gasped, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
"Mary, please hear me out," Anna interrupted softly, her voice gentle but resolute.
Anna added, "He wouldn't even glance at the soup I carefully made for him, and when he was sick, he flat-out refused to let me look after him.
"He would always say I brought him more pain than happiness. And then, when he turned thirty, he died in a car accident just because he was trying to save me..."
As she spoke, Anna turned white as a sheet, her breathing growing rapid and shallow like she'd been thrown straight back into that nightmare.
Mary started rubbing her back, concern written all over her face. "Anna, you're just stressed out. It was only a dream..."
"Mary, sometimes it's better to believe a warning than to ignore it," Anna said, her voice steady but laced with concern. "Dreams can be omens. I'd rather not be Ethan's wife if it means he'll stay safe and live a long life."
Anna managed a bitter smile. "He's already risked his life for me twice. If there's a third time... I don't even want to think about what might happen."
Jack and Mary were struck speechless, thinking about their son's stubborn nature.
Anna's story was so detailed and real, it sent chills down their spines just hearing it.
If their boy really ended up dying so young...
Seeing the change in their eyes, Anna didn't miss her chance and kept going. "If you really think about it, the signs have always been there."
She said, "Ethan's true love is music. He's never cared about running a business, and he can't stand being told what to do with his life.
"If he hadn't injured his hand saving me, he'd probably be famous by now, playing piano on the biggest stages.
"It's the same thing now. If you hadn't pushed so hard, he never would've wanted to marry me."
She took a deep breath, putting all her pain out there for them to see.
"You can't force love, Jack, Mary. I'm the reason for all of this. Ethan's always been so loyal. He'd follow whatever you told him, even if it meant swallowing his own feelings. But I don't want to keep making the same mistake."