Gone Gray: My Husband After My Fake Death

After confessing 101 times to my childhood sweetheart, Morgan Lambert, he marries his first love, Cassandra White. With my heart in ruins, I leave him behind and marry his younger brother, James Lambert, who has pursued me relentlessly from the start. After marriage, James dotes on me to an extreme. His love is bold and intense. Everyone says I am unbelievably lucky to have married such a devoted man. As Cassandra and I sink into the water together, I can only watch as James dives in recklessly. He struggles through the water toward her, giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I thrash and struggle in desperation, begging him to look at me even once. He never does. His entire focus is on getting her to shore, leaving me behind to be swallowed by the sea. While I am unconscious, I hear him and Morgan fighting violently in the hospital, arguing over who gets to stay by Cassandra's bedside. He roars in anguish, "I sacrificed myself by marrying Elsa so she wouldn't stand in the way of you and Cassie's happiness. Can you at least let me see Cassie once?" That is when I finally understand that none of them has ever loved me. I immediately arrange to fake my death, preparing to vanish from their lives completely. Yet after hearing the news of my so-called death, James—who's always calm—loses control. He pushes Cassandra aside, bends over, and coughs up blood. Overnight, he seems to age decades. Chapter 1 "Ms. Granger, your purchase of our staged death service is successful. When the time comes, we will erase your identity and arrange a death that meets your expectations so that you can leave without worries," the staff member on the other end of the phone said politely. I responded with a flat hum. "Set it for three days from now. I need time to pack my things." After hanging up, I dragged my aching body back toward the hospital room. I had barely reached the door when I ran into my husband, James Lambert. The moment he saw me, concern flooded his face as he hurried over. "Darling, you just fell into the water. You haven't recovered yet. How could you get out of bed on your own? Come on, lie back down." He helped me onto the bed, carefully tucking the blanket around me. Once I was settled in, he pulled a small box from inside his thick down jacket and gently placed it in my hand. It was still warm. "Here. Your favorite pastries," he said softly. "I caught a flight to Ashville to buy them for you and rushed straight back. Eat them while they're warm." Ashville? That was several districts away from Stonegate, practically on the other side of the city. Before I could process it, the patient in the neighboring bed let out an envious sigh. "Your husband is incredible. He braved the snow and traveled over a thousand miles just to buy you pastries, and he even kept them warm inside his coat!" Another patient added, "Ever since you were admitted, he's been taking care of everything himself. He helps you wash up, feeds you, and never leaves your side. He even brings you jewelry just to make you smile. I'm honestly so jealous." Hearing that, I couldn't help but look at James. With snow clinging to his hair and the cold tinting his nose red, he looked at me with pure tenderness. In that moment, he was nothing like the cold, untouchable James the world admired. And yet, it was precisely those loving eyes that fooled everyone, including me. Over the years, everyone knew how deeply James doted on me. Even when I merely twisted my ankle, he would worry endlessly. I thought he loved me too, right up until everything was laid bare. When I fell into the water, he swam to Cassandra White without a second thought and kissed her beneath the surface. Later, he even fought his own brother, Morgan Lambert, just to stay by her side. By the time I heard the truth slip from his lips, I finally understood who he had loved all along. Chapter 2 James had married me only to stop me from interfering with Morgan, so that Morgan and Cassandra could be together. It was ridiculous. Years of what I had believed was a happy marriage had been nothing but an illusion. Looking down at the pastries in my hands, I suddenly lost all appetite. "I'm not hungry." Just as I was about to set them aside, James reached out to stop me. "What's wrong, darling? Are you upset because I saved Cassandra before you that day? I'm sorry. I truly made a mistake. I didn't realize it at the time. That's why I went for her first." James's apology sounded sincere, but all I felt was a hollow ache. A mistake? Really? Even if he had saved the wrong person, what about that kiss underwater with Cassandra? Was that a mistake too? I realized I had been deceiving myself for far too long. I forced a bitter smile. "Yeah, I understand." Thinking he had soothed me, James relaxed and said gently, "What do you want to eat? I'll have the chef make it for you." He pulled out his phone to call the chef, but then his expression shifted slightly as if he had noticed something. "Darling, something urgent came up at work. I'll come back later. Tell my assistant what you want, and he'll bring it to you." Before I could protest, he left in a rush. The moment he was gone, Cassandra sent me a message. "Follow him. There's a surprise for you!" My subconscious screamed that going would only lead to heartbreak, yet I couldn't resist and took a cab to follow him. As expected, James went straight to Cassandra. The door wasn't fully closed, and I could see everything through the crack. On the couch, James held Cassandra's hand delicately. She had a tiny cut, but he looked like it hurt him more than her. "How could something as simple as cutting an apple end up hurting you?" He fetched a first-aid kit, carefully cleaned and bandaged the cut, and even started peeling an apple for her. "What would you do without me?" he said helplessly. Those were the same words he had always said to me, but now they were meant for Cassandra. Even knowing that our marriage had been a lie, watching him treat someone else with such tenderness made my chest tighten painfully. Cassandra pulled her hand back, pretending to resist. "James, Elsa is your wife. You shouldn't be taking care of me. She deserves your love more than I do…" James held her hand firmly. "She'll never find out. I've kept it a secret all these years. I just want to protect you and spend more time with you… By the way, I got those Ashville pastries you wanted—your favorite, chocolate-filled." He produced an elegant gift box, packed full of pastries. My eyes stung. He had bought two sets. Cassandra's was in the fancy gift box, while mine had come in a plain takeout container. Clearly, mine had been an afterthought. In his heart, I wasn't even a replacement for Cassandra—maybe not even that. Before I could fully process it, James cupped Cassandra's face and leaned in to kiss her. She initially pretended to resist, but gradually gave in, and they kissed with a passion that refused to break. Chapter 3 My heart felt like it had been pierced straight through by a blade, the pain so sharp it stole my breath. I clamped both hands over my mouth, forcing myself not to cry. I couldn't bring myself to keep watching, so I turned and ran. Unfortunately, I slipped in the process and crashed to the ground, eating a mouthful of snow while my skin tore open and blood flowed freely from the wound. The searing pain finally broke the dam. All the grievances I had bottled up over the past few days surged out at once, and my tears fell in heavy drops. After I cried until I had nothing left, I dragged my exhausted body back to the hospital. Not long after, James rushed in. "Darling, my assistant said he couldn't find you when he came to bring your meal. Where did you go? Don't scare me. I'll lose my mind if I can't find you." Would he really? I glanced at the scratch marks on his chest and felt nothing but irony. Looking away, I replied calmly, "I felt suffocated, so I went out to watch the snowfall for a bit." Only then did James notice my reddened eyes. "Why are you crying? This is my fault. I've been too busy with work and ended up hurting you. Our fifth wedding anniversary is in three days. I'll throw you a grand celebration then and make it up to you properly, alright?" I smiled when I heard that. James took it as forgiveness and smiled back. What he didn't know was that I was smiling because three days later happened to be the day I had scheduled my staged death. When the time came, I would give him a surprise he would never forget. … The next day, I checked out of the hospital. James drove me home. As I got into the passenger seat, I immediately felt something was off. The seat was lower than usual. When I looked closer, it had indeed been adjusted downward. That was when I noticed strands of brown hair tangled around the seatback. My hair was blonde, while Cassandra's was brown. She was also half a head shorter than I was. Evidently, she had been sitting there. James noticed my pause and looked where I was staring. When his eyes fell on the brown hair I held, they twitched for a moment before settling back into calm. "Darling, don't get the wrong idea. Morgan is away on a business trip. Before leaving, he asked me to look after Cassandra, so I've been driving her to and from work. That's why there's some hair left behind." Hearing that only made my heart grow colder. He had once told me this seat belonged to me alone and that no one else was allowed to touch it. There had even been a time when a scheming coworker tried to use the chance to get close to James and sat in the passenger seat before I did. James had kicked her out without hesitation and said, "This seat is for my wife only." And yet, he let Cassandra sit there, abandoning the rule he had strictly followed for me. If he genuinely wanted to avoid suspicion, he could have sent a cab for her. Instead, he drove her himself and allowed her to take the passenger seat that had always belonged to me. On top of that, two cartoon figurines sat pressed together on the dashboard in front of James's seat, marked with the initials JL and CW. Cassandra had quietly taken my place, making herself the woman of this car without me even realizing it. I swallowed the bitterness rising in my chest and quietly fastened my seat belt, pretending nothing had happened. I would be leaving soon, and whatever affection James and Cassandra shared was no longer my concern. Chapter 4 Maybe because I had been unusually quiet, James kept trying to strike up a conversation, but I replied curtly every time. Not long after, his phone rang. He deliberately angled himself away while replying, but through the reflection on the car window, I still caught a glimpse of the screen. Sure enough, Cassandra's bunny avatar appeared the moment I looked. "James, a pipe burst at home, and I'm soaked. Can you come over?" After reading the message, his throat bobbed visibly. Mindful that I was still there, he quickly turned off his phone and smiled at me, trying to cover up the flash of guilt in his eyes. From then on, his mind was clearly elsewhere. He nearly ran a red light more than once. Halfway through the drive, he suddenly slammed on the brakes and looked at me with an apologetic expression. "Darling, something urgent came up at the company. Why don't you take a cab home first? I'll come back to keep you company once I'm done, okay?" It sounded like a question, but he clearly was not offering me a second option. Before I could respond, he had already opened the door, helped me out onto the roadside, and sped off in a hurry. As the exhaust faded into the distance, I felt a bitterness that I couldn't put into words. James must have forgotten that this was the outskirts of town. With the snow falling, there was no way to get a cab. I had once believed he was my salvation. After all, he had broken three ribs fighting for me. He had drunk himself into a stomach bleed to shield me from alcohol. He remembered every one of my cycles. His social media was filled with nothing but me. Even his friends mocked him for being hopelessly devoted to me alone. I never imagined that my savior would become the one who pushed me back into the abyss. Everything that happened in the pool that day had been Cassandra's setup. She pulled me under and screamed that I had pushed her. I thrashed in the water, trying to explain myself over and over, but all I got in response was James's icy stare and the determined look on his face as he swam straight toward Cassandra. His betrayal cut deeper than even Morgan's indifferent rejection ever had. With no way to get a cab, I was forced to trudge home through the biting wind and falling snow. … The moment I got home, Cassandra sent me a private message. There were countless photos of James asleep, along with all kinds of intimate pictures of the two of them. "Elsa, so what if you're pretty? A substitute is still just a substitute. You only deserve whatever scraps I don't want." Her every word dripped with provocation. Even though I had braced myself, actually seeing those photos still made my eyes burn red as a wave of grief swallowed me whole. I forced myself to look through every message Cassandra sent. After rubbing my aching eyes, I turned off my phone and went inside to pack. There was a lot to deal with. It took me two full hours to finish sorting everything. In the end, I packed only a few changes of clothes into my suitcase. Everything else went straight into the fire pit. Among the items were ninety-nine handwritten love letters he had written for me. Even in the raw, unpolished scrawl, his love shone through. There were also the Elarian pearls he had spent a fortune winning at auction, meant to symbolize a lifetime together. … After that, I lit the fire and burned everything to ash. Since I was going to fake my death and leave James, I would erase every trace of myself from this place. Chapter 5 When the time came, I wouldn't leave James with anything but a fake corpse. Just as I finished burning the last of it, James walked in and caught sight of the flames. "Darling, what are you burning?" His eyes narrowed sharply when he saw the remnants of jewelry in the fire. "Aren't these yours? Why are you burning them?" I gave him a calm look. "I didn't like them anymore, so I burned them." It wasn't only the things I had grown tired of. It was him as well. I thought James would be angry at my words. I never expected that instead of getting upset, he tenderly tapped my nose. "If you don't like them, burn them. I'll bring you to buy new ones tomorrow. We can also pick out your dress for the anniversary gala at the same time." He wore that same warm, tender smile that used to make my heart race. Now, all I could do was sneer inwardly. James must have forgotten our agreement. We had promised long ago that if either of us wanted to separate, words would be unnecessary. All we had to do was destroy our shared memories. Now I was doing exactly that, and he didn't flinch. He had clearly forgotten about this promise. Perhaps he was simply overconfident, believing he had covered his tracks so well that I wouldn't suspect a thing. It didn't matter anymore. With our shared memories gone, we were finished. Before I could fully process it, James suddenly wrapped me in his arms, burying his face in my neck. "Darling, I've made you suffer these past few days. That's on me. Once things settle down, I'll make it up to you properly!" If it weren't for the faint, cheap scent of Cassandra's perfume lingering on him, I might have believed his words. I stifled my disgust and forced a faint smile. "Okay." I took his phone and set an alarm for 2:00 pm, two days from now. James looked up at me. "Darling, what's this for?" I smiled slightly. "When the alarm goes off, you'll finally see the surprise I've been preparing for you." James's eyes brightened instantly. He scooped me up and spun me around, holding me close. "Darling, is this my anniversary gift? I can't wait to see it!" I looked at him. "I can't wait either." What I was really looking forward to was the moment he saw my body and completely lost his mind. Early the next morning, James got me up and took me out for a date of shopping and a movie. He stayed glued to my side the whole time, trailing me like a devoted shadow. When we went to pick out dresses, the salesperson complimented us on our looks, saying we were a perfect match, and even brought out the store's most prized gown for me to try on. The gown was dazzling, studded with pearls and diamonds. Even I, who had seen my fair share of rare and exquisite treasures, couldn't tear my eyes away from it. The salesperson beamed as she began her pitch. "This gown is stitched with gold thread and ten-million-dollar pink diamonds. There are 9999 pink diamonds on it, which is why this dress is also called Eternal Love. The price is 90 million dollars." Before she could finish, James pulled out his black card. "I'll take it for my wife." The salesperson smiled as she accepted the card, looking at me with envy. "Mrs. Lambert, Mr. Lambert really cares about you." Chapter 6 James looked at me with a bright, indulgent smile. "It's only a dress. If my wife asked for the moon, I'd still find a way to give it to her." He handed me the dress and urged me to try it on. That was when Cassandra happened to walk into the boutique as well. The moment James saw her, his fingers tightened until his knuckles turned pale, and his gaze drifted instinctively toward the entrance. They had been this obvious all along. Why was I only seeing it now? Looking back, the signs had been there for a long time. At every family dinner, James's eyes lingered on Cassandra more than they ever did on me. Once, when Morgan was away on a business trip, Cassandra stayed at our place. A thunderstorm broke out that evening. James sprang out of bed instantly and rushed straight to Cassandra's room. He covered her ears, pulled her into his arms, and soothed her gently. What he forgot was that I was afraid of thunder too. While he was with her, I spent the night awake, curled up alone in the dark. James always cut my apples into little rabbits. Back then, I thought it was sweet. Later, I realized the truth. Cassandra liked them that way, and I was never the only one eating them. He always split the apples and gave her half. I was nothing more than a convenient cover he used to disguise his feelings for Cassandra. While I was lost in thought, Cassandra noticed the gown in James's hands and exclaimed in surprise, "It's so beautiful! Can I try it on?" James took two steps back and placed the dress directly into my arms. "I'm afraid not, Cassie. I bought this gown especially for El." Cassandra froze for a moment, then smiled. "I was only joking. You took it so seriously. I wouldn't go so far as to fight Elsa over a dress. Still, James, you and Morgan really are alike. Both of you dote on your wives in the same way." She paused, then added lightly, "I won't disturb you two any longer. I'll go look around elsewhere." With that, Cassie shot me a provocative look and walked away in her heels. James didn't pull his eyes away until she was gone, and for a brief moment, reluctance showed plainly on his face. When he noticed me watching him, he slipped back into his usual smile. "Wait for me downstairs. I'll go upstairs and have the staff wrap the gown for you." He returned empty-handed. Before I could react, he said, "Darling, the assistant was clumsy and scratched the fabric while wrapping it. I couldn't let you wear something imperfect. Don't worry, I'll find something even more beautiful and expensive for you." What a coincidence. Right after Cassandra praised the dress, something just happened to go wrong with it. I understood James's intentions perfectly, but I simply looked at him in silence and said nothing. After a long moment, I nodded. "As you wish." It didn't matter anymore. I would be leaving soon anyway. James's eyes flickered. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but before he could, his phone rang. A message had come in. There was no need to guess who it was from. Sure enough, he immediately made an excuse and said he had something urgent to deal with. This time, I didn't stop him either. I watched him walk away without a word. The moment he turned his back, my own phone rang. It was a call from the staff handling my staged death. Chapter 7 As I answered the call, I accidentally put it on speaker. The staff member's voice carried through the room. "Ms. Granger, everything is ready. We're just waiting for your signature. Once that's done, you'll be free to leave without any worries." James stopped mid-step and turned back, grabbing my hand. "Leave? What do you mean by that? Darling, you're leaving?" I smiled. "Don't overthink it. My best friend is going abroad. I'm just helping her handle some paperwork." Hearing that, James let out a sigh of relief. He gave me a long, unreadable look, and after a moment of hesitation, he still chose Cassandra over me. The truth was, if James had asked more questions or even glanced at my phone, he would have seen that I wasn't handling any travel documents at all. Unfortunately, he did neither, which was fine by me. That way, I could leave without a single burden. After they left, I took a car to the fake death service center. When I saw the silicone body, crafted to mirror me exactly down to the skin texture and most minor details, I couldn't help but be impressed by their skill. While I was still staring, a staff member handed me a contract. "Ms. Granger, we've booked your flight to Milanos and wiped all your identity records. The replacement is ready. On the day you chose, we'll make it fall from the banquet hall rooftop exactly as instructed. "From that moment, Elsa Granger will no longer exist—only Faith Winslow. Sign here if you're ready." Faith Winslow was the name I chose for myself, symbolizing self-redemption and the hope of finally shining like a star on my own. Just then, Cassandra posted an update on her social feed. "All it took was me saying I wanted it, and he got it for me." The photo displayed the very gown James had insisted was long gone. I smiled coldly and signed the contract immediately. … Before long, our fifth wedding anniversary arrived. James and I were going through the motions of the ceremony when he suddenly clutched his stomach and left midway, claiming he felt unwell. The next second, Cassandra sent me a message. "Come to the changing room." Since I was leaving anyway, there was nothing left to worry about. I went. Through the narrow gap in the door, I saw Cassandra wearing my gown, kissing James as if no one else existed. "These past few years, you've really suffered for my happiness," she said softly. James's ears flushed red. "As long as it's something you want, I'll give it to you." I watched coldly, taking out my phone to record everything in silence. After saving the video, I checked the time. My flight was coming up soon. I changed out of the gown and handed it to the fake death staff so they could dress the body. Then I took a taxi home, placed the prewritten suicide note, the divorce papers, and the printed screenshots of Cassandra's taunting messages neatly on the table. When everything was done, I grabbed my luggage and left without looking back. The moment I arrived at the airport, news of my "death" hit the headlines. In the footage, James's face turned ashen the moment I fell. I let out a cold laugh, switched off my phone, and boarded the plane. From now on, there was no Elsa, only Faith. This time, I would be my own salvation. "James, I hope our paths never cross again."