The eighth floor of the Haequinn Hotel was home to a private club known as the Golden Den. It was a popular gathering place for Accanne's wealthiest socialites.

After dinner, Seraphine and Jack headed upstairs.

I hadn't intended to follow as I didn't want to see them being lovey-dovey, but my soul moved on its own, trailing them helplessly.

When we reached the eighth floor, they happened to run into Seraphine's friends and a few men drinking in one of the private rooms. Without hesitation, Jack pulled her into the room with him.

The deafening bass thumped through the walls as Jack draped his arm casually around her shoulders as if announcing to the world that she belonged to him.

The ladies laughed, clinked glasses, and filled them again just as quickly. Before long, Seraphine was too drunk to stand on her own.

Her world spun as she squinted at her watch and muttered, "It's midnight already. I need to go home. Hayden never lets me stay out late. It's annoying how controlling he is!"

Jack, who had stayed close to her all night, clearly caught her slurred complaints. His expression darkened slightly, but he kept his arm around her waist, gently saying, "Seraphine, you're divorced now. No one's holding you back anymore, so you don't have to follow anyone's rules. You can drink, stay out late, and do whatever you want."

"Divorced?" Seraphine closed her eyes and gave a bitter laugh. "Right. We're divorced now. We're divorced…"

Yes, we were divorced, and she looked so happy now. I loved her for so many years, and not once did she ever return even the slightest bit of that love.

She swayed as someone handed her another drink, and she downed it in one go. A bit of the liquor trickled from the corner of her mouth, sliding down the curve of her neck.

Jack's eyes darkened as he stared at her, eyes burning with desire. He swallowed hard at the sight of her. "Alright, that's enough," he said, finally stepping in to block more drinks being pushed her way. "She's had too much. I'll take her to bed."

With that, he helped Seraphine out of the room.

She didn't resist, following him in silence as they rode the elevator up to the 60th floor.

"Here, watch your step." He guided her to the door of one of the rooms, pulling out a room card that he had clearly prepared in advance.

"Go on in," he said.

Was I really about to watch them getting intimate, right in front of me? That felt far too cruel.

Inside, Jack helped her onto the bed and bent down to take off her coat. However, just as he reached out, Seraphine suddenly sat up and pushed him away. Her clear eyes were unreadable.

He froze before asking carefully, "What's wrong?"

"I'll get another room," she said, rising to her feet. Her head spun, and she staggered, nearly losing her balance. She stumbled to the door and happened to bump into the floor manager in the hallway.

After the quick word, the manager got her a room. Without looking back, she walked into the new room alone and shut the door behind her. I didn't understand what she was doing. Wasn't this the moment she had been waiting for?

Across the hall, Jack's warm gaze turned cold and then simmered into a quiet rage.

He muttered under his breath, "She's already divorced, and she's still keeping herself untouched for him?"

The next morning, he had composed himself, wearing the same polished smile he always did. He wrapped an arm around Seraphine and escorted her down to the lobby from the 60th floor.

As soon as they stepped into the hotel lobby, they ran into a familiar face.

The hotel lobby shimmered, bustling with people moving in and out.

Jack and Seraphine stood side by side with smiles on their faces as they looked toward a man across the room.

It was the lobby manager. He was someone I had grown up with and my closest friend since childhood, Zedd Fletcher.

I instinctively tried to run over, wanting to warn him not to get involved. However, my soul passed straight through his body. Only then did it hit me again. I was dead.

He stood tall in a black tailored suit, posture stiff and sharp. His gaze, cold and cutting, landed squarely on the couple standing together.

Zedd sneered, "Ms. Evans, you really know how to play, huh? A man is waiting for you at home, and you have a whole parade outside. You're having the time of your life, aren't you?"

Seraphine's eyes dimmed, but she said nothing.

Jack's smile faded. He stepped forward, instinctively shielding her like a protector. "Zedd, whatever happens between the three of us is none of your business.

"Five years ago, it was Hayden who used his family's influence to force Seraphine into marriage. If it weren't for him, she and I would've never been separated. And look at him now. What's he got left? He's nothing but a man living off a woman."

Zedd's gaze sharpened as he glared at Seraphine. "Living off a woman? Don't talk crap. I've never met anyone like Hayden, who gave up his entire career for a woman."

"Shut your mouth!" Jack's face twisted with anger as he stared at Zedd. "You don't know anything about Seraphine. I won't let you insult her like this!"

"You won't let me? Who the hell are you? A homewrecker?" Zedd snapped.

Jack snapped back, "I knew Seraphine first. Hayden is the one who came between us. He's the homewrecker."

Zedd scoffed. "Funny. I remember how you ditched her to chase some rich lady overseas. You left her first."

Jack's eyes darted to Seraphine, guilt flickering across his face. "If Hayden hadn't stepped in, I wouldn't have left Seraphine.

"You've got the timeline backward," Zedd said flatly.

Five years. Even a dog would learn to wag its tail for someone who treated it well in five years. I gave Seraphine my heart, my soul, and all of me. Still, she never once looked at me like I mattered.

Zedd looked her dead in the eye. "You better hope you don't end up falling for him. Because when you realize what you've lost, it'll be too late for regrets!"

He was the first person to see my body at the hospital, the first to fall apart when the news broke. Now, he was the one still standing up for me. I wanted to tell him to stop, to not waste his breath on someone who didn't care.

However, Zedd looked like he wanted to tear them both apart with his bare hands.

I knew he was furious. He was furious at me for being such a fool and furious at her for throwing everything away.

Seraphine finally looked him in the eye, her voice cool and steady. "I don't love him."

Zedd laughed coldly. "I hope you remember what you said today. And I hope it doesn't haunt you for the rest of your life."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away with his fists clenched tight.

Seraphine returned to the office after her night out, as busy as ever.

The hangover left her with a dull ache in her head. After a morning of meetings, she allowed herself a short break and asked her assistant to bring in an extra-strong coffee.

While waiting, she reached for the private phone that had stayed quiet all night and flipped through the screen.

I floated over to glance at it. Jack had messaged her, asking if she wanted to have dinner that evening. She replied with a simple line, saying she had something on tonight and that they could meet another time.

After that, she scrolled through all her texts and missed calls. It was like she was looking or waiting for something.

Her eyes lowered slightly as she remained silent. Just then, Helen entered the room with a cup of coffee. "Your coffee, Ms. Evans."

"Thanks." Seraphine glanced once more at her phone, then looked up and asked, "Did Hayden call?"

Helen froze for a split second, then quickly replied, "No, he didn't."

Seraphine looked down again and said nothing. Helen seemed confused.

Seraphine probably had never asked about me. After all, I was always the one who showed up.

After finishing the coffee, Seraphine set her phone down and dove right back into her work. At noon, Helen brought her a boxed lunch.

Seraphine took a few bites, but quickly frowned. "Where did this come from?"

"A new restaurant," Helen said, pausing before asking, "Is it not to your liking? I can order something else if you'd like."

"Is it the same place as before?" Seraphine asked again.

"No…" Helen replied hesitantly.

"From now on, stick to the old one," Seraphine said.

Helen gave her a careful look but remained silent.

Seraphine glanced at her. "Is that a problem?"

Helen hesitated, clearly torn, then said the truth. "The previous meals were all brought by Mr. Carter."

She added nervously, "For the past few years, your lunch was always delivered by Mr. Carter. Rain or shine, he was never late. He even told me not to let you know they were from him, in case you refused to eat. That was why I never told you.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Evans. I shouldn't have kept that from you."

Yes, no matter how hard I tried, she would never touch any food from me. Ever since then, I had been careful when I wanted to do something for her. I never asked for her to love me, only that she would let me love her.

Maybe she had just grown used to it now. Now that the taste had changed, she couldn't get used to the difference.

Seraphine said nothing and only waved her hand for Helen to leave. She stared down at the meal, her expression unreadable. I looked too. It was decent and neatly packed. My meals were never extravagant, but they always felt like home and were made with love and care.

She unlocked her phone again to check, and there was still nothing from me. She set it aside and got back to work. By the time she wrapped up for the day, it was late.

She looked at the time before driving home. The house had been quiet for two days.

The staff kept the villa spotless in our absence. When she walked in, the housekeepers were visibly relieved to see her. "Mrs. Carter, you're back. I'll have the kitchen start on dinner."

Seraphine shrugged off her coat and handed it to a maid. Then, turning to the housekeeper, she asked, "Is Mr. Carter home?"

The housekeeper shook her head before asking in a worried tone, "He drove out yesterday morning. He hasn't come back since."

"Alright. Have dinner prepared, then," Seraphine said.

"Yes, Mrs. Carter," the housekeeper replied.

I had been gone for two days. Did she not notice that?

Seraphine climbed the stairs and headed into our bedroom.

She walked around the room and noticed how empty it was. Everything I owned was gone. My clothes, my shoes, and my belongings were all gone. The man who had waited five years for her to come home every day was no longer there.

Only now did she realize that I had really left this place and her.

She looked at the empty room, and her heart felt unexplainably empty. She sat down slowly on the sofa, her eyes falling on the wedding ring shining under the lamplight, the one matching hers.

She picked it up, her eyes flickering with something unreadable. She held the ring tighter, and she seemed to be lost.

Maybe the fact that I was really gone finally hit her.