Chapter 4

After hearing the woman's brief, filtered version of the past, Sophia sat with her head down for a long time.

Finally, she gritted her teeth, stood up, and went to find Ethan by the restroom.

I drifted along behind her.

Ethan was leaning against the wall, smoking.

This was the first time I ever saw him smoke.

His movements were smooth and practiced; he must have smoked countless packs alone in those foreign cities.

Sophia was stunned as well.

Hearing footsteps, Ethan turned around. Seeing Sophia, he quickly stubbed the cigarette out on the nearby ash can.

He walked toward her with furrowed brows, looking as if he had made up his mind about something huge.

Yet, when he opened his mouth, he hesitated.

"Sophia, I..."

Sophia gave a faint, heartbroken smile, cutting him off before he could speak.

"I always thought you degraded Chloe because you despised her. Now I finally see it."

"Ethan... you're just in too much pain from still loving her."

I watched as Sophia tilted her head back, wiping away a stray tear.

"I'm not the kind of woman who begs for a man's pity."

"All these years, every time we talked about setting a wedding date, you changed the subject. I kept lying to myself, thinking you just wanted to build your empire first. But now..."

Her voice cracked.

"I know you're grateful to me for backing your startup. But if it isn't love, there's no point in us getting married."

"Come on. I'll walk with you to the bridal suite right now. Ask Chloe if she wants to leave with you!"

Sophia grabbed Ethan’s wrist, pulling him toward the hallway.

Ethan’s feet froze in place.

"Sophia... Chloe doesn't love me."

"Women like her only love money."

I shook my head frantically beside him, my ghostly form shivering with desperation.

I screamed with everything I had, trying to grab him:

"I love you, Ethan!"

"Chloe Adams has always, always loved Ethan Vance!"

My translucent fingers passed right through his chest. He heard nothing.

Sophia sighed, slowly letting go of his hand.

Just then, a venue coordinator rushed over, breathing heavily:

"Mr. Vance, Miss Reed, the ceremony is starting. Please take your seats!"

Ethan seemed to snap back to reality.

The vulnerable boy vanished, replaced once again by the ruthless, confident billionaire.

He looked at Sophia and said:

"You're mistaken, Sophia. There is no way on earth I still have feelings for someone like her. I want nothing more than to break her, to make her crawl on her knees and beg for my forgiveness."

"I'm going to look her in the eyes and ask if she regrets dumping me."

Sophia looked at him with rare disappointment.

"If you do that, Ethan... you will lose Chloe forever."

Ethan chuckled callously.

"Then let her be lost. If not Chloe, there will be an Emma, a Sarah, or someone else."

"She isn't that important."

Sophia said nothing more. They walked back into the ballroom side by side.

Suddenly, every light in the hall went out.

A single, stark white spotlight illuminated the center of the stage.

What filled the speakers wasn't a romantic wedding march, but a deep, mournful funeral hymn.

The guests exchanged bewildered glances, having no clue what twisted game Vincent was playing.

Until the center platform slowly lifted.

A black casket rose into view.

My casket.

Vincent, dressed entirely in black, stood beside it as my chief pallbearer.

Color drained from everyone's faces.

The officiant stepped up to the microphone, his voice echoing solemnly through the hall:

"The hour has arrived. Please rise for Mr. Vincent Sterling and the casket of his beloved wife, Mrs. Chloe Adams Sterling."

"Begin the burial procession—"