Five Years As His Dead Lover's Ghost

Everyone in high society laughed behind my back, calling me Sebastian Pierce’s most pathetic, desperate substitute. I had played his devoted doormat for five whole years before he finally agreed to marry me. Yet on the eve of our wedding, outside our bridal suite, I heard him panting with his newest little stand-in. I pushed the door open. Harper’s cheeks were flushed pink. Sebastian was calmly fastening his cufflinks, barely glancing up at me. "Relax. The wedding is still on. You’ll still be Mrs. Pierce." "It’s just a shame you look less and less like Amber every day. But Harper... even her breathless sighs sound identical to hers." I stepped forward and slapped him across the face, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Sebastian, you're a monster!" The moment I stormed out of his sight, I slowed my pace. I daintily wiped away the fake tears and dialed Harper's number. "Good job. You made it look completely real." "After five agonizing years, I'm finally ready to pull the trigger." Oh, Sebastian. You went through so many stand-ins, yet how did no one ever warn you? Amber, the pure little angel who drowned in the ocean... had a sister who swore to make you pay in blood. Right after I hung up on Harper, my phone buzzed repeatedly. Sebastian’s texts popped up, one after another: [I'm hungry. Come home and cook.] [Don't make me wait.] My thumb hovered over the screen for a second, and a cold scoff slipped past my lips. Five years, and Sebastian hadn't changed a bit. He was dead certain I couldn't survive a single day without him, which was why he never gave a damn about my feelings. I lowered my head and texted back with my usual obedient, submissive tone: "I... I'm on my way back right now." "Your stomach is sensitive, so please eat some fruit first." When I walked through the door carrying groceries, Sebastian was lounging on the sofa with Harper in his arms. Hearing me enter, he didn't even bother looking up as he barked orders: "You're back? Make that slow-simmered chicken soup." "After all these years, only your cooking tastes like Amber's." I gave a meek nod and headed toward the kitchen. Before I took two steps, Harper’s sweet, sugary voice purred behind me: "Sebastian, I want to learn from Wendy too. That way, whenever we're having our sweet moments, we won't have to trouble her anymore." Sebastian chuckled indulgently and stroked the top of Harper’s head. "Silly girl. Your hands are meant for playing the piano. They're precious." "Some people’s hands were born to cook and serve. But she just never knows her place. She practically begged on her knees to stay with me back then, and now that she’s about to become Mrs. Pierce, she thinks she can throw tantrums." He paused, then turned his gaze toward me, frowning. "Isn't that right, Wendy?" I knew Sebastian was deliberately humiliating me, getting even for that slap. I immediately turned around, wearing the exact fearful, desperate expression he loved most. Looking at him with eyes full of fake adoration, I choked back a sob: "I'm sorry, Sebastian. I was out of line earlier. I shouldn't have hit you." I even walked over, took his hand, and pressed it against my own cheek, murmuring humbly: "If it makes you feel better, hit me back." "Just please don't be mad at me, okay? I know I was wrong." Sebastian was deeply satisfied by my submissive act. He gave my face a condescending pat and pulled his hand away. "Fine. At least you know how to behave." He looked back at Harper. "Learn if you want." "I have some business upstairs. You two... get along." With that, he walked up to his second-floor study. The moment the kitchen door clicked shut, Harper listened closely for footsteps above. Once she was certain we were safe, she pulled a micro SD card from her pocket and handed it to me. Her expression wavered with hesitation. "Everything's on here." "Are you really going through with marrying Sebastian? With what we have right now, it’s enough to bring down the entire Pierce family. You’ve endured five years of hell—you don't have to throw your own wedding into the—" I clenched the memory card tightly, cutting her off with a low, steely voice: "No! I have to marry him." "I want to tear off his hypocritical mask right at the altar, in front of the whole world! I want everyone to see what kind of filthy monsters the Pierces really are!" "My sister... will not die in vain!"Once I had that memory card, I threw myself into frantic preparations. Naturally, I grew colder toward Sebastian, using "wedding planning" as an excuse to leave early and come home late. When Sebastian returned late at night, the living room lights were no longer left on for him. There was no warm hangover soup waiting on the stove, and whenever our paths crossed, the eager smile on my face was noticeably gone. He clearly noticed the shift. He just assumed it was another one of my pathetic games to grab his attention, so he brushed it off. Until one night, when he leaned in to kiss me awake, and I turned my face away, dodging his lips. Eyes closed, I murmured indifferently: "Sebastian, I'm really tired today." The expression on Sebastian's face instantly shifted. He scowled, letting out a sharp sneer. "Total buzzkill." I kept my eyes shut, offering zero reaction. Sebastian looked suffocated by fury, yet had nowhere to direct it. He grabbed his coat, deliberately slamming things around to make noise. Before walking out, he announced pointedly: "I'm going over to Harper’s." "Don't bother making breakfast tomorrow. I'm sleeping there." He slammed the door hard behind him. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a strange disconnect. Sebastian had never bothered to report his whereabouts to me before. While I was piecing it together, my phone buzzed with an encrypted message from Harper: [He just called. Said he missed me and was coming over. I'll use feeling sick as an excuse to keep my distance.] A little while later, the screen lit up again. [Something's wrong. He paced around, downed half a glass of whiskey, barely said a word, and left on his own before I even had to fake being sick. Did you guys fight?] I paused, typing back in confusion: [No. I just turned him down in bed. He's probably pissed about my cold attitude lately.] I hit send. The "typing..." indicator on Harper’s end blinked for a long time. Finally, her text came through, laced with cautious hesitation: [That explains it. Even though he’s been hanging around me lately, his mind is always elsewhere, and his mood is completely off.] [I think... Sebastian might actually be falling in love with you.] Love? The word was so hilarious I almost burst out laughing. How could a monster like Sebastian ever understand love? He was the kind of butcher who could drown his own beloved angel in cold blood. I locked my screen, ignoring Harper's ridiculous delusion. The next morning, just as I was heading out, the butler stopped me with a slight bow: "Ma'am, here is your invitation to tonight’s charity gala and auction." "Mr. Pierce gave strict instructions that you must attend." I took the envelope without argument. Attending these high-profile galas was nothing new; he used to drag me to them all the time. But having the butler hand it to me without a single call or text was unusual. He was probably still throwing a tantrum. I didn't care. That evening, invitation in hand, I walked straight toward the VIP table labeled "Mrs. Pierce." Just as I was about to sit down, a voice cut through the air: "Wendy, that's not your seat." I froze. Turning around, I saw Sebastian arriving fashionably late, Harper clinging to his arm. He gallantly pulled out the chair in front of me and spoke softly to Harper: "Sit down, sweetheart." Once they were seated, Sebastian completely iced me out, not even sparing me a single glance. With no seat left, I was forced to stand beside them like an awkward, unwanted prop. Mocking glances flew at me from every direction, accompanied by vicious whispers: "Look at that, Mr. Pierce has someone new again. Looks like Wendy groveled for five whole years just to lose the crown right before the finish line." "She brought it on herself! One of his friends said she started acting all cold the second he agreed to marry her. A literal plaything forgetting her own place!" "At this rate, there'll be a different bride walking down that aisle in two days. Honestly, she was just a bed warmer. If she can't even do that right, toss her out!" I lowered my head, quietly taking every ounce of humiliation while clenching my fists beneath my sleeves. Still, it was a good wake-up call. With the wedding right around the corner, I couldn't let Sebastian lose interest in me at the final hurdle. My performance of "unconditional love" couldn't slip now. I looked up again, directing a pathetic, pleading gaze at him. Sebastian seemed to sense my eyes on him; the fingers tapping against his armrest abruptly stopped. He casually glanced over his shoulder at me. "Do you know what you did wrong yet?"I immediately lowered my gaze, nodding like a tame puppy. "I know. Sebastian, I was just stressed about the wedding..." Before I could finish, Sebastian waved an irritated hand to cut me off. He signaled a nearby waiter: "Bring over a folding chair for her." "Having her stand there makes me look bad!" Only then did he look at me again. "I don't have time to hear your excuses. You know I only like girls who behave." "Keep quiet. The auction is about to start." I didn't dare say another word, quietly settling into the cheap, flimsy chair. Yet I kept my eyes locked on him, brimming with desperate longing. My devoted stare clearly stroked his ego. He started bidding aggressively, claiming lot after lot. Soon, a parade of waiters stood before him holding luxury velvet boxes: "Mr. Pierce, regarding these pieces... where should we deliver them?" Sebastian didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned toward Harper, playfully tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and spoke with exaggerated tenderness: "Send them to Miss Hayes’s penthouse. Consider it a reward... for how sweet Harper’s been lately." Harper let out a gasp of flattered surprise, throwing her arms around Sebastian's neck. "Oh, Sebastian! You're spoiling me so much!" Holding Harper close, Sebastian let his gaze wander over to me, clearly anticipating my breakdown. I didn't disappoint him. My head snapped up, and I scrambled to my feet, rushing to Sebastian's side looking completely shattered. With red-rimmed, trembling eyes, I whimpered: "Sebastian... what about me?" "Please... don't stop loving me." Sebastian let out a soft chuckle. He reached up and gave the back of my neck an affectionate squeeze, like petting an eager dog. "What's the rush? The best things are always saved for last." I was so easily soothed, obediently returning to my little chair. When the final lot of the night was brought onto the stage, before the auctioneer could even open the bidding, Sebastian raised his paddle high. "Blank check! I'm buying it out, whatever the price!" The entire ballroom gasped! The auctioneer’s voice shook with pure adrenaline, pushing the atmosphere to a fever pitch: "Mr. Pierce takes the entire lot in one bold move!" "May we ask which lucky lady will be gifted this one-of-a-kind diamond necklace, the ultimate symbol of 'Eternal Love'?" After Sebastian's earlier reassurance, I played the part of someone completely convinced the necklace was mine. Under the envious stares of everyone present, I stood up with pure excitement and stepped in front of him. Eyes swimming with tears of adoration, I whispered: "Thank you, Sebastian. I knew it... I knew you loved me..." Before I could finish, Sebastian's brow furrowed in utter annoyance. "Who said this was for you?" The smile on my face instantly froze. The color drained from my skin. Sebastian scoffed. He walked right past me, picked up the diamond necklace, and gently clasped it around Harper’s throat. "Harper, you're the only one who deserves this." Somewhere in the crowd, someone let out an audible snicker. Within seconds, that laugh morphed into a tidal wave of open, mocking laughter directed straight at me. As if I truly couldn't endure another ounce of shame, tears burst from my eyes. Covering my mouth, I stumbled and ran out of the ballroom. Watching my retreating figure, Harper buried the concern in her eyes. She playfully tapped Sebastian's chest with a pout: "Sebastian, aren't you teasing Wendy a bit too hard? What if she actually runs away?" Sebastian let out an arrogant, dismissive chuckle. "Run? Where would she go?" "Everyone in our circle knows Wendy loves me so much she threw away every scrap of her pride. Making a fool out of her tonight is nothing. Even if I kicked her to the curb right now..." "She'd still crawl back to my feet tomorrow morning." Harper’s playful smile faltered, a flash of pity crossing her eyes. Sebastian noticed and frowned. "What's that look for?" "Weren't you always whining about her trying to steal me away? Why are you suddenly feeling bad for Wendy?" Harper instantly snapped back into her spoiled routine. She puffed out her cheeks. "I'm not! I'm just worried you'll scare your bride off." "If that happens... why don't I marry you instead?" Sebastian’s arm around her waist suddenly tightened with brutal force, making her wince in pain. His eyes turned dangerously cold as he warned her: "Harper, don't get greedy. The position of Mrs. Pierce belongs to Wendy, and only Wendy." He gave Harper’s cheek a patronizing pat, commanding: "Now, since you feel so 'bad' for her... take the necklace off, find her, and give it to her. Tell her it’s from me. Then bring her back inside." When Harper found me, I was sitting on a stone bench in the private garden outside the venue. My shoulders were trembling in the shadows, looking like I was weeping uncontrollably. Harper’s heart ached. She rushed over and pulled me into a tight hug. "Wendy, let's call off the wedding." "Don't marry a monster like Sebastian. Please stop crying..." Before she could finish her comforting words, I suddenly whipped around. Harper froze in shock. There wasn't a single tear on my face. My whole body was trembling from pure, unadulterated euphoria. Looking at her stunned face, I let out a wicked, triumphant smirk. "Harper, you were right." "Sebastian... he really did fall in love with me." I leaned in, my eyes glowing with venomous cold: "Sebastian Pierce is completely ruined."When I followed Harper back into the auction hall, the diamond necklace was already glittering around my neck. My face beamed with uncontrollable joy and relief. I timidly slid into the seat next to Sebastian, my eyes welling with grateful tears: "Thank you, Sebastian. I truly, truly love this necklace." "I knew you wouldn't ever abandon me." Hearing that, Sebastian smiled with arrogant satisfaction. He ruffled my hair, his voice dripping with lazy pleasure: "Don't let it happen again." I rested my head against his shoulder like a clingy, helpless kitten. Yet the moment I lowered my eyes, they were dead, cold voids. I wasn't an idiot. Sebastian’s bizarre behavior lately—I had originally chalked it up to annoyance at my sudden detachment. Until tonight. He went out of his way to crush me under the cruellest humiliation, only to turn around and toss me a golden bone at the very end. Such wildly contradictory behavior proved he wasn't angry. He was terrified. He was terrified of losing the unconditional, suffocating love I had poured over him for five unbroken years. Sebastian had genuinely fallen for me. Following that auction, as the wedding date drew near, I played my role more intensely than ever before. Perhaps my performance was too convincing. The way Sebastian looked at me grew more complex by the day. After that night, he never contacted Harper again, and the name "Amber," once constantly on his lips, was rarely ever uttered. Just yesterday, when I turned around, I caught him staring at my back, smiling warmly. How tragic, Sebastian. You should have never fallen in love with me. The day of the wedding finally arrived. Probably moved by my recent display of "unconditional devotion," Sebastian spared no expense on this wedding, pouring his entire soul into it. Practically all of New York's elite and top media outlets were invited to witness our grand union. Staring at the mirror, gazing at the bride wrapped in pure white lace, my body shivered with electric anticipation. *Buzz.* My phone vibrated on the vanity. An encrypted text flashed across the screen: [Everything is ready.] "We're all set, Miss Miller. The bride can take the stage now." The wedding coordinator’s voice chimed behind me. I gave a soft affirmation, locked the screen, took a deep breath, and walked out. Under the swelling, majestic organ music, Sebastian stood waiting at the end of the long red carpet. He watched me approach, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. Lifting the hem of my gown, I took one steady step after another toward him. He held out his hand, and our fingers intertwined. Under the blinding flashes of countless cameras, the priest offered a warm, benevolent smile and began: "Sebastian Pierce, do you take Wendy Miller to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, to love and cherish, until death do you part?" Sebastian gazed deep into my eyes, raw and undeniable love shining plainly in his gaze. He took a steadying breath and declared solemnly: "I do." The crowd erupted into cheers. The priest turned to me, repeating the sacred vows: "Wendy Miller, do you take Sebastian Pierce to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, to love and cherish, until death do you part?" The entire cathedral went dead silent. Hundreds of pairs of eyes locked onto me. I smiled. Then, with one sharp motion, I ripped the veil from my face. In that instant, every ounce of fake tenderness and adoration vanished. What replaced it was a tsunami of long-repressed, bone-deep hatred. Looking straight at Sebastian’s rapidly paling face, I spoke clearly into the microphone: "I do not."