Chapter 1

1.

Four years after my death, my husband tried to force me to donate a kidney to his mistress.

He showed up at my workplace clutching a consent form. But every single coworker he asked told him the same thing.

They'd never seen me.

Frustrated, he finally went to my HR Director.

"Erin? Didn't she pass away four years ago?"

"Complications from the last surgery. Coagulation disorder. The wound never healed. She bled out."

My husband didn't believe it. He turned it around and accused them of taking bribes from me. Of conspiring against him.

He jabbed a finger in the HR Director's face.

"Don't think I don't know she paid you off to lie to me."

"You tell Erin Hayes she has until tomorrow afternoon. If she doesn't show, I will use my authority as Emily's legal guardian to dump her right back into the foster system."

What he didn't know.

His mistress had already taken my little sister. Dragged her away for a live organ harvest.

Emily died on that operating table.

***

Footsteps pounded down the hallway.

I drifted above it all, watching Derek Walker storm into my company. The address he'd dug out of his phone's email trash folder. Three years old. The last trace of me he had.

He clutched a document. ORGAN DONATION was printed across the top.

"Erin Hayes. Where is she? Get her out here."

He shoved the office door open. Several coworkers looked up. Exchanged glances.

Finally, someone answered in a small voice.

"Erin? She hasn't been to work in a long time..."

"How long?"

Derek's lip curled. His gaze swept across every face.

"Don't play dumb with me. Is she hiding?"

No one dared speak. The office went so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.

Derek clicked his tongue in disgust and turned toward the private office.

He didn't knock. Breezed right in and slapped the document onto the desk.

"Hey. Where's Erin? I've got urgent business with her. Don't tell me you don't know."

Mr. Wilson looked up. His brow creased so hard it could trap a fly.

"Who are you? This is a workplace. Show some respect."

"Respect?" Derek snorted. "I've got every right to find my own wife. What the hell do I need respect for?"

"It's you people acting all shifty. Did she pay you off? Are you helping her lie to me?"

Mr. Wilson was Operations Director. Hearing someone sling that kind of accusation made his face go dark.

"Erin Hayes passed away four years ago. You're her husband, and you didn't know?"

His hand was already hovering over the security call button. Two tall guards appeared in the doorway. "Sir, you are illegally trespassing―"

The guards seized Derek's arms. He thrashed against them.

"Bullshit! Stop putting on this little show for me!"

"You think I don't know her? She chickened out over donating a piece of her liver. That kind of coward doesn't just die!"

Mr. Wilson gave up trying to reason with him. He pulled up a file on his computer. "Her termination date is four years ago. Marked as deceased."

At Wilson's signal, the guards released Derek. The instant he was free, he spun the monitor around. Scanned it. Laughed.

"Pretty convincing forgery. How much did she pay you to cover for her like this?"

"Sir, respect the facts. Erin Hayes developed a coagulation disorder after surgery. Massive hemorrhaging. She did not survive resuscitation. This is a legal hospital document. What do you mean, 'cover for her'?"

"A liver donation surgery?" Derek's brow furrowed. Then he roared. "That makes even less sense!"

"Olivia told me it was a minor procedure. How the hell could anyone die from that?"

"Enough. You pass this message to Erin. If she doesn't show by tomorrow afternoon, I will personally throw her sister back into the foster system to rot."

Even I thought that was insane. And I was the dead woman he was talking about. Mr. Wilson clearly agreed.

He shot to his feet. His voice came out tight with suppressed fury.

"Sir, Emily Hayes has been missing for a long time. You intend to threaten a dead woman with someone who has already vanished?"

Derek froze. For half a second. Then he rolled his eyes.

"Keep it up. All of you. Really committed to the act."

"Forget it. Play your games. When the deadline hits and she's not there, don't blame me for what happens."

He snatched the document and stalked out. The door slammed so hard the glass panels hummed.

I was dragged along behind him, staring at his stiff, self-righteous back. Bitterness filled my chest.

Right. In his eyes, me donating part of my liver was nothing.

Now he wanted my kidney. Still nothing.

But when Olivia had nothing more than a fever, he panicked like the world was ending. Never left her side.

I guess love versus indifference really is that obvious.

Outside, Derek pulled out his phone and called Olivia. His voice softened instantly.

"Liv, that bitch Erin is hiding again. Don't worry. I've got plenty of ways to smoke her out..."

I looked down at my translucent body. I thought of my sister Emily's desperate eyes in her final moments. A dull ache spread through what was left of my soul.

Derek, you don't know. I'm already dead.

You definitely don't know what your precious love did to my little sister.