I've always had a deep, unexplainable connection with my pet cat, Snowball.

When I told my husband, Maximiliano, about this strange bond, he was oddly pleased to find a new way to control me. Whenever his beloved Melany needed him and I begged him not to go, he would torment Snowball, making me faint from shared agony.

On our anniversary, I planned everything down to the last detail—a final effort to keep Maximiliano with me. Yet, he still chose to hurt Snowball, taking her along to celebrate Melany's birthday. Maybe, in a desperate move to quiet my pleas, he went too far and accidentally caused her death. Maximiliano thought our connection was broken, sighing with relief at losing his hold over me. Little did he know, I followed Snowball into the void.

Two weeks later, returning from Melany’s house, he found my lifeless body and descended into madness right there.

I am dead.

I died on our second wedding anniversary.

I drift aimlessly, suspended in air, staring at my own body lying in a pool of blood. My remains are broken, twisted, and hideously distorted. It’s a gruesome sight.

I try to reach out, to close those eyes that are wide open in terror. But my fingers slip through, leaving nothing behind. Still, the pain I feel is hauntingly real. The whip marks, the burns, watching my insides spill from my stomach, every bone shattered to pieces. Finally, collapsing silently, like a broken doll, inside this house.

One day passes, then another.

Decaying, rotting away.

I can't help but think how pitiful it all is. My death was indeed tragic.

Because of Maximiliano's disdain for me, the household servant, Baylee, too, ignored the situation. My decomposing body was overlooked until its stench became impossible to ignore.

How absurd.

I didn’t die in the wilderness, nor did my body fade into obscurity.

I died in my own home.

But of course, no one ever truly cared.

I chuckle bitterly.

Crouching in the corner, I watch as new maggots wriggle over me. My mind wanders aimlessly, wondering if Maximiliano knew I was dead.

Would he be happy?

I drifted toward Maximiliano Reyes.

He was in an opulently decorated mansion, standing tall and imposing by the window. His sharp features were directed toward the horizon before shifting back to the silent phone beside him. After a moment, impatience got the better of him. He dialed a number, only for the call to be instantly disconnected. His brow furrowed, and the tension in the room thickened.

Crash!

In a fit of rage, he hurled the phone to the floor, shattering it into pieces.

"Elisabeth Turner, what game are you playing now? Ignoring my calls, have you grown a backbone?"

Maximiliano let out a derisive laugh.

"Playing hard to get, or is this some other trick? Do you really think I'd come back for this? Pathetic. Even if you kicked the bucket, I wouldn't bother with your remains."

Is that so? Does Maximiliano truly despise me this much? Even though I had known for some time, hearing it straight from his lips still made my heart tighten involuntarily.

I couldn't help but give a bitter smile, whispering softly into his ear.

"As you wish, I'm really gone now. Right there at home, so you won't have to deal with my remains..."

Maximiliano couldn't hear me, yet he suddenly stepped forward, crushing a dark shape under his foot.

My heart sank, a deep sense of dread engulfing me.

That was...

Grasping my collar tightly, my breath caught.

Maximiliano's voice, as cold as ice, echoed:

"Useless creature, died so quickly. Serves her right, now I've lost my leverage over her."

"Snowball!"

I screamed, throwing myself onto that “thing” with overwhelming grief consuming me.

Snowball. My Snowball. The ragdoll cat that had been my companion for years, pure white and incredibly perceptive. Its blue glassy eyes were its most endearing feature.

But now it lay discarded here. Its fur matted and stained with blood, turning dark and stiff. Its belly caved in, the body twisted grotesquely.

Snowball, who once would flee at the mere sight of Maximiliano, was now lifeless despite his repeated kicks.

"Stop! Enough!"

I remembered. I remembered everything.

Snowball was gone. It died because of me. Because I shared a bond of suffering with Snowball, and Maximiliano, wanting to control me, didn’t hesitate to torment Snowball into this state.

Whip marks, burns, organs removed, bones shattered… All inflicted on Snowball, then transferred to me.

Yes, I should have known better. I’m already gone—how could Snowball still be living?

But my soul lingers here.

And what about Snowball?

The surroundings felt empty, missing the little furball who used to wag his tail and curl around me for affection. I closed my eyes, allowing the pain to seep in.

If I could turn back time, I would never have crossed paths with Maximiliano.

The man I always chased brought me nothing but endless sorrow. From start to finish, his heart held only Melany.

The Reyes and Turner families were old friends. Maximiliano and I grew up together, childhood companions without a hint of suspicion. Everyone expected Maximiliano's future wife would naturally be me. I secretly thought so too.

But that all shattered with Melany's arrival.

"Elisa, I've fallen for someone," he said.

It was the first time I saw Maximiliano smile with such genuine joy. His eyes were bright, locked onto the girl holding the camera. Melany, like Maximiliano, was part of the photography club. Their connection was immediate and spirited. According to Maximiliano, it was love at first sight, a soul-stirring experience.

"Elisa, you'll wish us well, won't you?"

I remember that day clearly: the sky was a perfect blue, with the scent of freshly baked gingerbread filling the air—a rare, beautiful day. My legs felt like they were made of lead as I stood there, staring at the perfect couple before me. The words in my heart transformed into a single phrase on my lips. "Congratulations."

For the next four years of college, I chose to fade from Maximiliano's life, only daring to watch from a distance at the happiness that wasn't mine. At that time, I thought I would always be alone.

But I hadn't foreseen Melany ending things with Maximiliano. She left abruptly for a study-abroad program, making a clean break. Maximiliano only found out after she had flown away. That was the first time I saw him completely lose control.

He caused a scene at the airport and was taken away by the police. The Reyes family was furious and decided to arrange a marriage for him immediately. And the bride they chose for him was me.

Marrying Maximiliano was something I was willing to do. At the time, I felt incredibly lucky. After all the twists and turns, I was still the one by his side.

But it was only later that I understood. Happiness that is borrowed isn't meant to last.