Chapter 1

On the day of my grandfather Herbert Simpson's funeral, Claire White, my husband Edward Rivers' secretary, burst into the funeral home in tears, desperately begging me.

"Sure, your grandfather was a prominent man, but am I completely worthless? Please, I'm begging you. Show some mercy. Just let me go. Don't force me to get buried along with this old man!" Claire sobbed desperately.

Edward flew into a rage and punished me by making me work at the funeral home so I could reflect on my actions.

Three months later, he showed up to take me home.

When he saw me carefully tending to the body of a departed soul, he gave an approving smile.

"Looks like you've finally shaken off that stubborn streak and mellowed out. Come home with me," he said.

I simply lowered my eyes to the corpse, with a small, wistful smile on my lips. "Hon, hurry and wake up. Let's go see the spring flowers together, shall we?"

Edward's face turned stormy. "I only had you work here for a few months, and you dare talk like I'm dead already?"

Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over me, and I hunched over, retching dryly.

I guided the cold, stiff hand to my stomach. "Be good, baby. Let Daddy feel you. Don't make Mommy sick, alright?"

*****

When Edward showed up at the funeral home to take me home, I was drenched in sweat from all the hard work.

"Hazel, Claire is kind and generous. She's already forgiven you for dragging her into that burial mess. We came here just to bring you home. So, do you realize you were wrong yet?" Edward said.

I didn't respond.

The hearse pulled up outside, bringing in another body. I quickly set down what I was doing and ran over to help.

Edward's eyes lit up with real satisfaction as he saw how skillfully I handled things.

"You've still got that stubborn streak, but I can tell you've really changed," he said with a little laugh.

"Come home with me," he added, opening his arms wide to me.

But I just walked right past him and sat down, starting to knit a scarf, not sparing him a second glance.

Claire couldn't help but giggle, linking arms with Edward.

She said softly, "Three months have passed, Hazel. How are you still so willful? Edward cleared his whole schedule and canceled several key meetings just to come pick you up. You're really breaking his heart, you know."

At her words, Edward's handsome expression soured, and he glanced at me, his patience clearly running thin.

Just then, I held up the scarf and sized it up against myself, completely absorbed.

"Hon's so tall. I wonder if this scarf's even long enough. Maybe I should have him try it on," I mused out loud.

Edward found himself smiling, striding over and bending down so I could measure it against him.

But I ignored him completely, clutching the scarf as I headed straight for the morgue.

Edward was stunned for a moment before rushing after me. "Hazel, I'm your husband. Where are you even going?"

With everyone watching in disbelief, I gently wrapped the scarf around the neck of a body.

Even though the guy was lying there motionless, one could tell he was seriously ripped. Those eight-pack abs were hard to ignore.

I measured it against him. It was just perfect.

As the scarf touched his skin, it almost seemed to bring a hint of warmth. Satisfied, I tapped the tip of his nose.

"Hon, come on, wake up for me, okay? When you do, we'll go see the spring flowers—just you and me, lounging on the grass in the sunshine," I whispered, almost like I was in a dream, more to the corpse than to anyone else.

Edward looked like he could explode, his face going livid as he stared at me—every muscle tensed, his voice tight with barely-suppressed anger.

He roared, "You've been cursing me like this for three whole months? Hazel, if you don't get it together, I swear, I'm walking out that door and leaving you for good!"

He used to throw threats like that at me all the time, so sure I'd always come crawling back. Every time, I'd break down instantly and bow my head, begging him to forgive me.

But now? I just tuned him out completely, keeping my eyes lowered as I calmly worked my hands over the body in front of me, focused and unfazed.

The guy's muscles were seriously shredded, and after my massage, they actually seemed way less rigid, almost like I was coaxing him back to life.

Seeing me like that, Edward just totally lost it. He rushed over to the funeral home staff, his voice rising as he demanded answers.

He asked, "I specifically told you to take care of my wife and only let her do the easy stuff. Now look at her. How did it get to this point? What on earth happened here? What did you do to her?"

His angry shouting filled the room, and the manager ducked his head, shifting nervously.

The manager said, "We really haven't let Mrs. Rivers do any work for the past three months. She was totally fine until just a few days ago, and out of nowhere, she started jumping in and trying to do everything herself..."

Edward was still wavering when Claire suddenly spoke pleadingly, sobbing.

Claire cried, "So that's it, Hazel. Please, stop with the act. Stop upsetting Edward like this. The staff didn't make you do any work, but you started acting all strangely on purpose as soon as you learned we came to take you home. Isn't it all just to make Edward feel guilty?"

She went on, "I know you've always hated me, Hazel. But if you'll just get back together with Edward, I swear I'll disappear from your lives forever."

Saying that, she sobbed more intensely.

Edward's face twisted with worry as he took her arm. "Claire, you belong with me. Nobody can make you leave."

Then he shot me a look so icy and dark, it was like that heavy sky right before a storm broke.

"Oh, playing games now? Hazel, figures you couldn't learn anything decent, but these pathetic schemes you surely picked up fast. Go ahead, keep pretending!" Edward spat.

He stormed over, ripped the scarf right out of my hands, and grabbed my wrist with an iron grip, hauling me toward the door.

I shrieked, my voice raw with desperation, "Give me back my scarf. I'm not leaving my husband, never!"

When fighting him off did nothing, I didn't hesitate. I plunged the metal knitting needle deep into his arm.