Chapter 2

2

A sweet-looking girl suddenly burst through the crowd. The moment she saw Caleb, she wrapped her arms around his in an intimate display of affection.

I recognized her instantly. This was Scarlett Emerson, the woman Caleb had called his fiancée.

The moment Caleb looked at Scarlett, his eyes softened significantly.

I stood there, paralyzed. That look used to belong only to me. Caleb had once promised me that he would never have eyes for anyone else.

How could everything change so much in just six years?

I sniffed, forcing another small smile. I was the one who broke our vows. I should be happy for him.

Caleb didn't hide his affection, holding Scarlett's hand as they walked through the terminal. It was as if he wanted the whole world to know that she was his true love.

Suddenly, Caleb's gaze shifted toward a distant corner. I followed his line of sight and saw a girl's back that looked remarkably like mine.

Caleb reflexively shook off Scarlett's hand and began running toward that figure.

I saw Scarlett's smile freeze on her face.

I hadn't seen Caleb lose his composure like that in a long time.

The last time he had looked so panicked was right after our breakup. He had run into me at the hospital while I was having an episode.

Back then, seeing how pale I looked, his face held the exact same expression of terror it did now.

He had grabbed my hand, frantically asking what was wrong. I had coldly shoved him away.

"What does it have to do with you? We're over. You look pathetic when you act like this."

I couldn't remember how he responded. I only remembered walking away while my heart shattered, never daring to look back.

I was afraid that if I saw his broken expression, I would run back and sob in his arms, telling him how much I loved him.

But my logic told me I couldn't do that.

"Aria Vance! You regret it, don't you? You're secretly stalking me now? This desperate behavior is so..."

Caleb's voice snapped me out of my memories. He didn't finish his sentence.

When he finally caught the girl and pulled her around, she looked at him with utter confusion. Caleb let go immediately, standing frozen as the realization hit him.

I laughed at myself. For a second, I actually thought he still cared about me.

In reality, he just wanted to use those same cruel words to humiliate me.

If Caleb wanted me to regret it, he got his wish. I could never forget him. I did regret it.

When Caleb finally snapped out of it, he noticed Scarlett's stunned expression and reached out to ruffle her hair affectionately.

"Caleb, do you... do you still have feelings for her?"

Scarlett asked the question directly, even though it was clearly a sensitive subject.

Caleb paused for a moment before letting out a mocking laugh.

"Not a chance. Even if Aria Vance came crawling back on her knees to beg for my forgiveness, I wouldn't even give her a second glance."

The light returned to Scarlett's dull eyes.

But my heart felt like it had been stabbed again. If I had known Caleb would hate me this much, I would have just told him the truth.

Instead of letting him live in a world of hatred for six years, maybe telling him I was dying would have allowed him to grieve and move on.

I bit my lip hard, wanting to reach out and smooth the frown from his forehead like I used to.

But my hand passed right through his body. I realized once again that I was dead.

The successful Caleb, the beautiful woman by his side―this was the life he was meant to have.

I followed Caleb as he walked out of the airport.

As a ghost, I had nothing but time. I didn't know why I couldn't cross over after all these years.

Other spirits told me that maybe if I watched the person I couldn't let go of, I would finally find peace.

So, the moment I heard Caleb was back, I rushed to the airport to wait for him.

But seeing him pull Scarlett into his arms to comfort her made me want to run away.

I hadn't floated very far when I bumped into a middle-aged man. He spat on the ground with a vicious look on his face, muttering under his breath.

"That cursed brat. She died without leaving me a single cent. I should have sold her off to someone when she was sick. I could have made a fortune."

My soul trembled with fear. This man was none other than my father, Arthur Vance, a hopeless gambler.

When I was sick, he would often get drunk and beat me, screaming about why I had chosen a poor kid like Caleb. He said I should have hooked a rich man instead.

He never even showed his face when I was on my deathbed.

When Arthur spotted Caleb, his eyes lit up. My stomach turned with a terrible premonition.