Chapter 3
In the hotel room, after taking a shower, Edward opened the necklace box and stared at it, deep in thought.
At last, he seemed to make up his mind and opened his contacts.
His thumb paused right over my name.
I felt my nerves tightening again.
Was he really going to call me?
If he tried and couldn't get through, he'd know something was off.
But in the end, he locked his phone and set it aside.
Why? He obviously wanted to call me, but he held back at the last second.
Maybe he just didn't love me enough after all.
*****
Early the next morning, Claire, who had just come to after her surgery, called Edward.
She asked if he could swing by the hospital and help her get her medicine.
Edward didn't say no.
Once he handed her the medicine, he was ready to leave.
But before he left, he also left the box with the pink diamond necklace in Claire's hospital room.
When he came back, Claire had just opened it.
"Wow, it's so beautiful," she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "Thank you, Edward. I love it."
Edward narrowed his eyes at her.
He said, "It's not what you think. This necklace—"
Right then, the secretary ended the phone call.
"Mr. Foster, all the shareholders are there waiting for you," the secretary said.
Edward nodded and walked out.
Just before leaving, he turned back and said something quietly to his secretary.
After wrapping up his business meetings that afternoon, Edward told his secretary, "Go to Seaview Manor and bring me a file."
"Yes, Mr. Foster," the secretary replied.
But Edward paused and then added, "You stay here. I'll get it myself."
When he got home, Edward unlocked the door with his fingerprint and looked around the quiet living room. His brow furrowed deeply.
"Still out shopping?" Edward grumbled.
Then he went into the study and took out a file.
As he walked past the kitchen, he gave it a quick glance.
Was he going to notice?
It had been a week since I died, and all the food I'd bought was already rotting away in there.
If he actually went into the kitchen, he'd instantly know something was wrong.
Sure enough, he came to the kitchen doorway.
But just when I was hoping he'd actually go in, he turned around and left.
Of course. Edward had always hated the smell of cooking and avoided the kitchen whenever he could.
With the file in hand, he headed straight back to the office.
Halfway there, he suddenly pulled over at the exact spot where I was buried.
Something seemed to catch his attention. He got out and walked toward the roadside.
Several stray dogs were gathered there, sniffing the ground.
As soon as they saw Edward approaching, they started barking at him.
His presence startled them. After barking a few times, the dogs scattered in all directions.
Edward stared at the patch of bare earth where the grass had not grown back. His face was heavy with thought.
In the end, he checked the time, got back into his car, and drove away.
He probably thought there was something buried there—maybe a dead animal.
But never for a second did he think it could be me.
Later, at a downtown café, Edward paused his work and looked out the window at the street.
"Mr. Foster, what are you looking at?" his secretary asked.
"Doesn't that guy look like the one selling a diamond ring last night?" Edward nodded toward the street.
"Yeah, that's him. Why does he look so jumpy?" the secretary said after a closer look.
"And what's in that black plastic bag?" the secretary added. "He looks like he's about to bolt."
I followed their gaze and recognized him at once. It was the man who killed me.
Was he about to sell my bag and watch, too?
His eyes were sharp and alert, scanning the crowd as if searching for a buyer.
Edward's expression darkened.
"Did Grace really throw away her wedding ring? That's cruel," he said under his breath.
I remembered crying to him once. "Edward, you always take Claire's side. Maybe I should just throw this ring away. Being Mrs. Foster in name only is exhausting.
Edward shot to his feet. "Go stop that guy. I need to talk to him," he ordered urgently.
But before the secretary could move, the killer slipped into the crowd and disappeared.
Edward was left momentarily stunned.