Chapter 3 Missed Call

• Kenneth stared at the missed call, a faint sense of unease creeping in.
• We had been together for six years, and no matter where he went, I always asked about every little detail. But tonight, after rejecting my call, he didn't hear a single word from me.
• Before the thought could settle, Camelia's soft sigh cut through the air. "Rachel probably just lost her mind for a moment. We were all young back then. You should let her cool off on her own."
• Her gentle voice made Kenneth pause in silence for a moment.
• He must be thinking that if I hadn't stood in the way, he and Camelia could've been together by now.
• "I misjudged her."
• He thought to himself, If I hadn't asked Rachel to deliver that love letter back then, would things have turned out any differently?
• Those words from Kenneth chilled me more than the cold night air.
• Misjudged? No, I'm the one who misjudged you. I chose a man who'd believe a few careless words from someone else without even giving me a chance to explain.
• This was the man I had chosen as my fiancé.
• "You've had enough to drink. Don't bother taking me home, just head back early. Rachel's probably still waiting for you."
• Camelia, ever so considerate, draped her jacket over Kenneth's shoulders and casually hailed a cab.
• "Camelia..."
• Kenneth's hand hovered in mid-air, as if to stop her, but Camelia had already slipped into the car before he could react.
• The hesitation and regret in his eyes mixed together, a sight I found pathetically laughable.
• Are you regretting so soon, Kenneth?
• So, the six years I spent fighting by his side were nothing but a cruel joke.
• In Kenneth's heart, Camelia would always be irreplaceable.
• After Camelia left, Kenneth wandered off aimlessly before flagging down a cab of his own.
• I watched him the entire way, noticing every subtle shift in his expression.
• He had once called me his salvation. Now, he was probably already starting to doubt that.
• Eventually, lost in a daze, he dragged his heavy steps home.
• The moment he walked into the pitch-black house, his brows furrowed.
• Did he finally realize I wasn't home?
• Ever since I quit my job to become a housewife, there was always a light left on for him no matter how late he returned.
• I thought, He'll notice soon enough. Then maybe he'll come looking for me.
• I watched as Kenneth searched every room, only to find nothing.
• He sat on the edge of the bed, exhaustion weighing down his features. He pulled out his phone but, after a long hesitation, didn't make the call. Instead, he placed the phone aside and went straight to sleep.
• I couldn't help but laugh bitterly at the sight.
• He couldn't even bring himself to make a single call. Even now, Kenneth hadn't realized something had happened to me.
• A sudden curiosity struck me. When he finally finds out that both our child and I have fallen victim to someone's malice, will he feel regret? Or will he feel relieved, knowing nothing stands between him and Camelia anymore?
• For the first time without Rachel by his side, Kenneth tossed and turned for hours before finally falling into a restless sleep.
• I stared coldly at his peaceful face, my eyes filled with nothing but emptiness.
• Then, a sharp ringtone shattered the silence of the night.
• Kenneth, startled awake, thought it was me calling. But as soon as he answered, it was Camelia's trembling, tear-choked voice on the other end.
• "Camelia? What's wrong? Don't cry. Tell me what happened."
• Her sobs were so heavy she could barely breathe, and the panic in Kenneth's eyes became unmistakable.
• Without thinking, he shot up from the bed, threw on his coat, and headed for the door.
• "I'm coming to you right now."
• One minute after ending the call, Kenneth rushed out the door.
• A single phone call from Camelia was enough to send him running.
• At least Camelia could still cry.
• By now, my body was probably already cold.
• I was forced to follow Kenneth, silently trailing him all the way to the hotel where Camelia was staying.
• The moment he walked in, Camelia threw herself into his arms, her tear-streaked eyes red and pitiful.
• "Kenneth, Rachel sent me some messages just now. I was so scared..."
• I had been calm, eerily so, until that moment.
• I sent her messages? I'm dead. Who's using my phone?
• Kenneth took the phone from her, his brow tightening into a deep furrow as he read through the barrage of vulgar insults.
• The messages were filled with hateful curses, blaming Camelia for revealing an old truth that had supposedly left me humiliated.
• The final message was a threat of suicide, one last promise to take Camelia down with me.
• But the sender's number was nothing more than a random, virtual line, an anonymous user anyone could find online.
• And yet, Kenneth immediately assumed it was me.
• Is this whole performance just an act by Camelia? Is she playing innocent in front of him, or trying to make it seem like I'm still alive?
• "Rachel's gone insane!" Kenneth's face darkened with anger as he finished reading.
• He probably couldn't fathom the idea that I, always so gentle and considerate, could ever send something so vile.
• To him, those messages only confirmed everything their friends had said.
• I was just a spiteful, jealous wreck.
• I could see every thought running through Kenneth's mind.
• "Rachel's too timid to actually hurt you," he said, pulling Camelia closer. "It's just an empty threat. I'll stay with you tonight. There's nothing to be afraid of."
• He didn't pull away from her hug. Instead, he held her close, the familiar scent surrounding him, pulling up old memories.
• Neither of them realized I was right there, standing beside them.
• Camelia lowered her head, hiding a small, satisfied smile, but I saw it clearly.
• A man and woman, alone in a room...
• Maybe that had been her plan all along, to turn vulnerability into intimacy.
• Her tear-stained eyes shimmered as she suddenly tilted her head upward, her breath heavy with the scent of alcohol, lips brushing close to Kenneth's.
• The moment her lips neared his, Kenneth froze.
• Even though I had already lost all hope in him, I still shut my eyes.
• I didn't want to see them rekindling their old flame, not even in death.
• "Stop, Camelia. You're drunk."
• Kenneth turned away from her kiss, though the desire in his eyes was clear, barely restrained.
• Camelia quickly pulled back, embarrassed, retreating from his arms.
• "I'm sorry. I was just scared..." she whispered, but behind Kenneth's back, her eyes flashed with cold malice.
• Late into the night, Kenneth sat on the couch, not daring to touch her again.
• I stared at him from afar, his face sometimes familiar, sometimes like a stranger's.
• For a moment, I couldn't even recognize him.
• Why does he resist her? Is it guilt over me, or is he just afraid of ruining Camelia's reputation? This is ridiculous.
• "Kenny, look at this!"
• Camelia's sudden gasp cut through the silence. She sat up in bed, holding her phone in front of him, her face full of panic.
• Kenneth leaned over to see.
• It was a video on her feed. A woman was standing at the edge of the Chadston River, ready to jump, surrounded by a growing crowd.
• "Look at her dress, Kenneth. Doesn't it look like the one Rachel bought last week?"
• The woman's hairstyle, silhouette, and even her clothes all resembled mine.
• If I weren't already dead, even I might have doubted what I was seeing.
• Kenneth, lying right beside her, took the bait instantly.
• Watching the video of the woman resisting every attempt to stop her, his eyes filled with panic.
• "Rachel made a mistake, and now she wants to end her life?"