Chapter 2
I pulled back my translucent hand and turned to float toward the glamorous banquet hall.
Under the huge crystal chandelier, the champagne tower sparkled.
Micah stood tall in a sharp black suit, his arm wrapped around Annie, who was dressed in a stunning white couture gown.
They looked like the perfect couple.
Annie flashed a shy, sweet smile as she raised her glass.
"Thank you all for coming to our engagement party. It's been a tough journey, and I'm so thankful Micah never gave up on me," she said.
Micah looked down at her, his gaze so tender it could melt anyone's heart.
"Hey, silly girl, I should be the one thanking you for coming back to me," he replied.
The room erupted in thunderous applause.
Everyone stared at them with envy, saying over and over how they were meant to be together.
No one remembered that in another corner of the city, there was a woman named Eloise who was Micah's legally married wife.
Or rather, ex-wife.
Just yesterday, he threw the divorce papers in my face and forced me out with absolutely nothing.
I hadn't even had a chance to sign them before he dragged me here to tonight's party.
He said, "Eloise, I want you to watch with your own eyes how I take back everything that was yours and give it to Annie."
And now, he had really done it.
"Wait, Mr. Gomez, why isn't Ms. Dixon here?" someone in the crowd suddenly asked.
Another voice chimed in, "Isn't she going to show up and wish you both well on such an important night?"
Everything froze for a second.
The tenderness on Micah's face disappeared instantly, replaced by a flash of irritation and chill.
"Why mention her?" Micah snapped.
He took a sip of champagne, sounding completely dismissive. "She's probably off somewhere sulking or cooking up another one of her pathetic attention-seeking stunts.
"Honestly, it's a blessing she didn't show up tonight to mess things up for us."
Annie's face clouded with just the right amount of concern as she gently tugged on Micah's sleeve.
She said, "Micah, don't be so harsh on Eloise. She's loved you for years, you know. I thought I saw her out on the terrace earlier, barely dressed for the weather.
"Why don't we have someone bring her inside? I'd hate for her to get sick."
"Get sick?" Micah sneered.
He said, "She's as tough as nails. Not long ago, she jumped into a swimming pool and stayed in the water for an hour in the dead of winter to stop me from seeing you.
"But the next day, she was full of energy, causing a scene at the company as if nothing had happened.
"She's a survivor. The type that clings to life no matter what. She won't die that easily."
I floated right in front of Micah, watching his mouth open and close as he spoke those cruel, heartless words.
I wanted to shout at him.
I wanted to say, "Micah, I wasn't faking it.
"That time I jumped into the pool, I caught a fever for a whole week, and it turned into pneumonia.
"And now, I'm dead.
"This time, I'm really dead. No more coming back to life, ever."
But I couldn't make a sound.
He hadn't believed my explanations or acknowledged my pain when I was alive. Now that I was dead, he couldn't hear me at all.
"We should still go check on her," Annie insisted, wanting to do the right thing.
"If something really happened, it would be bad luck for tonight's party," Annie added.
Micah frowned. Seemingly to placate Annie, he reluctantly waved over a waiter.
"Go see what that crazy woman's up to on the terrace. If she wants to die, tell her to do it somewhere else. Don't go dying here and dirtying up my place," he said.
The waiter nodded and left.
I watched the waiter walk away, and to my surprise, a flicker of hope actually stirred inside me.
Hurry up.
Go and find me.
At the very least, someone should collect my body.
Soon enough, the waiter returned.
He looked nervous, but when he caught sight of Micah's stormy face, he forced himself to stay calm.
"Mr. Gomez, there's no one out on the terrace," the waiter said.
"No one?" Micah's brows knitted together.
"Did she run off?" he asked.
"Looks like she left. The waiter kept his head bowed. He dared not mention that a high-heeled shoe had been left behind on the terrace, nor that the snow beneath the railing looked strangely out of place.
After all, he wouldn't want to bring bad luck or spoil the happy atmosphere on his boss's big day.
"That's great," Micah said, letting out a sigh of relief.
A flash of contempt crossed his eyes. "I knew she was putting on an act. One moment pretending to be on the verge of death, the next she's slipped away.
"Every word out of her mouth is a lie. Makes me sick."
Annie also breathed a sigh of relief, patting her chest. "Glad she left. I was honestly worried Eloise might do something stupid."
"Her? Do something stupid?" Micah said.