Chapter 2

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself floating above the ground.

My body felt weightless, and I wasn't cold anymore.

I glanced down.

The freezer was still sitting in the corner of the kitchen. The big padlock was still hanging on it.

Inside the freezer, my body was curled up in a corner. My face had turned bluish, and my lips were pale. My eyes were tightly shut, completely motionless.

It hit me. I was really dead.

The wall clock pointed to eight o'clock at night. I'd been in there for a full five hours.

Laughter drifted in from the doorway.

It was Christian's voice, along with the click of heels.

"Honey, is your wife really not at home?" Mila Brooks, in a red spaghetti strap dress, was clinging to Christian's arm. Her curly hair smelled sweet, and her nails were painted a bright red.

Christian wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. "She's not here. That fool probably wandered off somewhere.

"She's probably out messing around in the neighborhood garden, playing in the mud. Ignore her."

Mila laughed and pushed him playfully. "What if she suddenly comes back? I never want that lunatic yanking my hair."

Christian snorted. He changed into his slippers and set her high heels front and center on the shoe rack.

That used to be where my favorite bunny slippers sat.

Now, he'd kicked my bunny slippers into the corner. They were covered in dust.

"So what if she comes back?" Christian scoffed. "This is my house. I can bring home whoever I want. Besides, with her memory, she can't remember who she is half the time."

Christian led Mila over to the living room couch and sat down with her.

He turned on the TV and put on her favorite variety show.

The water I'd poured for him this morning was still sitting on the coffee table. It had gone cold.

Mila glanced at the mug with the cartoon bear on it. "This mug is so childish. Toss it."

She waved her hand dismissively. The mug hit the floor and smashed to bits.

That was Christian's first gift to me. I always kept it safe, only taking it out when he was home.

I floated over, hoping to gather up the broken pieces. But my fingers slipped right through the shards.

Christian didn't bother to look. He grabbed a bottle of red wine from the bar and poured it into two wine glasses.

"I've been wanting to toss that mug for ages. It annoys me every time I see it," Christian said. "Come on, baby, let's toast. Let's celebrate finally having this place to ourselves."

The glasses clinked together. The red wine shimmered against the glass.

They enjoyed their drinks and feasted on wagyu beef delivered from a fancy restaurant.

The steak was barely cooked, rare, red, and juicy in the middle when they sliced it open. It reminded me of the platter I once made for him.

I wanted to cook him a steak, too, but I could never figure out how to tell the doneness.

I could only manage to cut the meat into chunks and shape them into a heart for him. But he stomped on it and ruined it completely.

Mila cut a piece of steak and fed it to Christian. "This steak is pretty good, but the flavor's a bit overpowering. By the way, why does the kitchen smell so weird?"

She wrinkled her nose and glanced toward the kitchen.

The big freezer was still there in the kitchen. I was inside, too.

Christian swallowed his steak and wiped his mouth. "That idiot was tossing raw meat everywhere earlier. I already put a lock on the freezer so she wouldn't lose it again.

"We'll let the cleaning lady handle it tomorrow. No need to let it spoil our fun."

Mila giggled, "You're really ruthless, locking up the freezer like that. Aren't you worried the meat will spoil in there?"

Christian set down his glass, his gaze darkening. "If it goes bad, I will toss it. Same for that idiot. If she's messed up, I will throw her out, too."

My heart ached sharply. Even though my heart had stopped beating, the pain was still there.

It turned out that, in his eyes, I was another piece of rotten meat.

Mila set down her fork and knife, then threw him a sultry glance.

She rubbed her foot against Christian's leg, teasing him. "So, where are we sleeping tonight?"

Christian grabbed her ankle, his breath catching. "Of course, the master bedroom. That bed's big enough for us to have some fun."

That was the bed we shared as a married couple.

I'd changed the sheets yesterday, and they were embroidered with Cupid.

No way. I wouldn't let another woman sleep in my bed.

I rushed over, trying to push her away. I wanted to shout, to make her leave. But I was nothing but air.

They passed right through me, holding each other close.

Christian scooped Mila up in his arms and carried her off to the bedroom.

As they passed through the kitchen, her dress swept across the freezer door.

The big padlock jingled softly, making a faint sound.

Christian didn't stop for a second. He kicked the bedroom door closed.

Laughter spilled out from behind the door.

I floated in the living room, watching the freezer with its door shut tight. No tears would come.

Suddenly, it struck me. Maybe being dead wasn't so bad after all.

At least in that freezer, I was untouched, untainted. I didn't have to witness their sickening act. And I didn't have to listen to their mean words.

But Christian didn't know he was about to lose his wife.

The goofy wife who always warmed his hands and kept the lights on for you was gone for good.