Chapter 4

Hailey sat down, picking up a fork.

Suddenly, my brain kicked into gear. I lunged forward, grabbed the plates, and threw everything into the trash can.

"Don't eat that!"

"I... I didn't make this."

Hailey blinked, confused. "Then who did? Only Chloe cooks this well. Ethan... did Chloe come back?"

She stood up and wrapped her arms around me. "Is she... really back?"

Seeing the strange, testing look in Hailey’s eyes, my body went rigid. I pushed her away. "Chloe lost her mind, screamed at me, and ran away. Who knows if she's ever coming back?"

I couldn't let anyone know Chloe was dead. Not even Hailey.

I kept up the lie that we had a fight and she ran away.

To cover my tracks, I had dropped hints to the police that Marcus Sterling was behind her disappearance, which threw off their investigation. No one should have been able to find her.

I should have been safe.

But...

The horror of the car crash and tonight's feast kept looping in my head.

I dug my fingernails into my palms to keep myself calm and took Hailey out to a restaurant.

I was too terrified to be alone, so I didn't go back to my place. I stayed at the apartment I had bought for Hailey.

But that night, I dreamed of Chloe again and woke up drenched in cold sweat.

I couldn't keep running.

The dinner on the table proved that these occurrences weren't in my head. My sanity was intact.

"Chloe" was back.

She wanted revenge.

She wanted to punish me.

She wanted to strip me of everything and torture me.

On top of the psychological horror, my company was suddenly facing aggressive, expensive attacks from a rival, causing our stocks to plummet.

The next day, I gathered my courage and went back to my apartment alone.

I didn't turn on the lights. I just sat on the sofa in the pitch black, waiting.

As expected, she came.

The front door creaked open. Then came Chloe’s voice. "Sweetheart, didn't we agree to take our wedding photos today? Why are you sitting in the dark?"

My heart leaped into my throat. Controlling my terror with every ounce of strength, I secretly sent a text to Hailey.

"Gosh, ignoring me again..."

Chloe’s melancholic voice seemed to echo from every corner of the room, swallowing me whole.

Her footsteps sounded clearly behind me, drawing closer.

Suddenly!

A cold hand touched my shoulder. The icy temperature sent goosebumps breaking out all over my skin.

"Sweetheart, it's me. Why are you shaking?"

"Hehe, what are you afraid of?"

In a split second, I grabbed her wrist and snarled through gritted teeth, "Stop playing games! You’re not Chloe! You’re her best friend, the one she helped study abroad, aren't you?"

"Did you think getting plastic surgery to look like her would fool me?"

Staring at her pale face, I wrapped my other hand around her throat. "Tell me! What the fuck do you want?!"

She squinted, looking confused. "Sweetheart, what are you talking about? I’m your fiancée."

"Still playing dumb?"

I squeezed harder. "The night of the crash, why did Marcus Sterling just happen to be there? Because he’s my rival! He’s the only one who would help you!"

"He helped you act, pretending he couldn't see you. He’s the one funding the attack on my company to make me think Chloe’s ghost is coming for me!"

Hearing the front door unlock, I let out a vicious laugh. "Hailey is here. You worthless bitch, let’s see how long you can keep up this act!"

The door swung open, and Hailey stepped in.

I yelled immediately, "Hailey! Call the cops! Catch this fucking imposter!"

But Hailey didn't move.

After a few seconds of silence, she shrank into the corner, trembling. "Ethan... stop scaring me! There's no one else in here but us!"

Then, Chloe began to laugh, a chilling, high-pitched giggle.

"Sweetheart, looks like your little mistress can't see me either~"