I Won't Bother You Anymore, I'm Already Dead

Marla’s POV

"Is it ready?" I asked, my voice cold and emotionless.

My butler, a tall and muscular man, nodded. Without a word, he moved closer, pulling away the white blanket that covered the long stretcher. As the fabric slipped off, my breath hitched. My mind went blank for a moment as I stared at the body lying there.

It was me.

My corpse.

"It’s ready, Lady Marla," he said calmly.

I stepped closer to the lifeless body, examining it carefully. The resemblance was perfect—down to every detail. My face, my hair, my features, even the butterfly tattoo on my thigh. It was all there.

I turned to the butler, my expression firm. "Good. Make sure everything is flawless. No one must ever find out about this. If the truth comes out..." I paused, my voice dropping into a lethal tone, "I will do whatever it takes to kill whoever betrays me."

The butler bowed deeply. "Yes, Lady Marla."

Without hesitation, he returned to his task, ensuring the corpse was prepared for the upcoming wake. I watched him for a moment before my gaze drifted into the distance. My thoughts spiraled back to the reason behind all of this.

I had to fake my death.

It was the only way to escape my impending marriage to Jason, the ruthless mafia kingpin of this city—and my fiancé.

I knew this might not make sense to anyone else, but to me, it was the only option. I clenched my fists, the memories of everything we’d been through flashing before me. Our union was supposed to symbolize the merging of two powerful mafia dynasties.

But everything fell apart when I discovered something—something unforgivable.

Now, I had to make sure my plan was perfect. The world had to believe I was truly dead. Only then would Jason suffer for the sins he’d committed against me.

"Lady Marla," the butler’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"It’s ready."

I straightened myself, my heels clicking against the marble floor as I walked toward him. Each step echoed with purpose, a reminder of the price everyone would pay if my plan went wrong.

Nothing and no one can stop me from carrying out my plans.

Once upon a time, I was deeply in love with him. I gave him everything. My body, my soul, my heart. Everything a woman could possibly give to a man in the name of love—I gave it all to Jason.

And what did I get in return?

Betrayal.

He cheated on me.

The audacity of that man, that motherfucker, to cheat on me. I couldn’t accept it. I still can’t. For years, I tolerated his nonsense—his excuses, his lies, his absence. But it was her, Shane, his mistress, who shattered every hope I had left.

That bitch didn’t just steal him from me. She flaunted it.

She had the nerve to send me pictures and their messages. Every word they exchanged about their secret meetings felt like a dagger to my chest. She made it sound like some grand victory, like cheating on me was her greatest achievement. And the timing—God, the timing—it was right before our wedding.

“Lady Marla, I know this is heartbreaking... but are you really sure about this?”

The voice of my butler, Matthew, pulled me out of my thoughts.

I turned to him, my gaze as cold as steel. “Don’t you dare say a word about this.”

He bowed quickly and stepped back. “Yes, Lady Marla,” he said, his voice trembling as he hurried away.

The wedding is drawing closer now. My resolve to leave everything behind has only grown stronger. I know what we built together. I know we created an empire. But that empire—and everything it stands for—is part of what I am leaving behind.

A smirk curled on my lips as I grabbed a glass of red wine. I took a long sip, the bitter sweetness warming my throat. My fingers traced the rim of the glass, absentmindedly swirling the liquid inside.

Our wedding is in two weeks.

And I know they’ll be stunned when the bride who shows up is already dead.