“Ouch…” Sarah suddenly winced, her brow furrowed in pain.

Ethan was instantly at her side.

“What is it, Sarah? Where does it hurt? Do you need to lie down and rest?”

She shook her head, putting on her best damsel-in-distress face, which just made Ethan’s heart ache for her even more.

“Ethan,” she said, her voice dripping with false concern, “maybe you should go check on Chloe. She’s hurt, too.”

The fact that she was “worrying” about me even in her “critical” condition only made Ethan more furious with me.

“See? This is your problem,” he said, his voice full of adoration. “You’re too good, too considerate. That’s why you always get hurt.”

A flicker of triumph crossed Sarah’s face, but she quickly hid it.

“Don’t be mad at Chloe,” she continued. “It’s all my fault. I’ve been taking up so much of your time lately. That’s probably why she got so upset.”

Watching her manipulative performance, I was furious.

Floating above them, I wanted to scream, but being dead, I couldn’t make a sound.

This must be how she did it, how she wrapped Ethan around her little finger with all her sweet-talking lies.

“Don’t even think that,” he said, his voice resolute. “You just moved back to the country, you don’t know anyone. Of course I’m going to help you. She’s the one who’s just looking for trouble.”

“And after what she did to you, she has the nerve to have her mom call and lie about her dying? Please. She can save the act. I’ve seen her for what she is: a venomous, evil woman.”

I had dedicated years of my life to him.

If not for love, then at least for the effort.

To hear him talk about me like that…

And to think, just a short while ago, I was begging him not to divorce me.

Suddenly, I felt like the biggest joke in the world.

Just as the two of them were lost in their own little world, the door flew open.

My best friend, Maya, stormed in and slapped Ethan right across the face.

Maya was my rock, the sister I never had by blood.

She never liked Ethan, always said he didn’t treat me right.

She especially couldn't stand how close he was with Sarah and was always ready to fight my battles for me.

Last week, when she found out he was divorcing me for Sarah, she’d gotten into a huge fight with him over it.

Ethan’s face flushed with anger.

“What the hell is your problem now?” he snarled. “Are you two ever going to quit?”

Maya’s voice was a roar.

“Chloe is dead, you asshole! Did you know that? She died in the crash! And you’re in here, at a time like this, messing around with this homewrecker!”

“It was her drunk driving that killed Chloe! How dare you pin it all on her?”

Seeing Maya’s hysterical rage, Ethan became unnervingly calm.

“Dead? Good,” he said with a dismissive sneer. “She brought this on herself. Now get out. Don’t disturb Sarah’s rest. I don’t have time for your drama.”

Maya was shaking with fury.

She knew exactly how I’d spent years caring for Ethan, and she couldn’t believe he could be so cold-blooded.

She grabbed the collar of his shirt.

“I’ll say it again. Chloe. Is. Dead. Do you understand me!?”

Ethan shoved her away forcefully.

“Is that what you want? For her to be dead?” he shot back. “Look at what she did to Sarah! Can’t you people just leave us in peace for five minutes?”

Seeing that Ethan was completely brainwashed by Sarah, that nothing she said was getting through, Maya gave up.

She slammed the door on her way out.

And Ethan? His only concern was whether Sarah had been frightened.

He was already gently patting her back, comforting her.

Watching them, a sad sigh escaped my ghostly form.