My wife's lifeless body ended up being the birthday gift for my childhood friend.

When we were younger, a lapse on my part drove us apart for years. But when we reconnected, seeing my childhood friend's face—the uncanny resemblance to my wife's hit me like a revelation. The man I believed loved me was in fact captivated only by the face I wore.

For my friend’s first birthday back, my husband stood before me, his expression cold. "Alani says she's lonely and wants you to keep her company. You ought to," he commanded.

Alani broke my hand, and as I lay on the floor in pain, weeping, he coldly remarked, "A broken hand isn't the end of the world, as long as Alani's pleased."

When Alani slashed my face, my husband merely furrowed his brow. "Looks like Alani's still holding a grudge against me for finding a stand-in," he said.

When Alani tucked me into a gift box as her own birthday present, Elijah just gazed at her indulgently. "If it makes Alani happy, it is her birthday, after all."

He didn't realize that inside that box, I was already dead.

---

Elijah sat behind his large office desk, eyeing his assistant. "Where’s Thea? Still no contact?"

"Tonight’s Alani’s birthday party. What's the issue now?" At this, Griffin hesitated, tension etched across his face. "Mr. Woods, your wife is still unreachable."

A flicker of concern crossed Elijah's face, swiftly concealed as if it had never emerged.

Clearing his throat, he shifted focus to a document in front of him. "She's being irrational. I’ve told her already, it’s my fault—I owe Alani."

"She's my wife, so what’s wrong with her spending time with Alani? Alani’s just kidding around with her, why such a fuss?"

Griffin frowned at Elijah's words. "But… I'm told she was really hurt."

"She called several times yesterday, asking for you to pick her up. She said… Miss Silva has lost it."

At the word "lost it," Elijah's face turned red with anger. "What do you mean lost it? Alani had a rough patch when she was lost. She's been through a lot!"

"Alani’s just in a delicate state. She needs support and companionship. What's Thea doing spreading such nonsense?"

"Severely injured? She’s just faking it, seeking sympathy. She’s always been good at that."

"Before, maybe, but now she's using tactics to vie for attention with Alani. It's pathetic!"

Elijah spat the words, his tone icy. Griffin’s lips twitched, as if to protest, but Elijah cut him off with a wave.

"Enough, it’s insufferable. Alani’s like this because of me. Thea is my wife; isn't it her responsibility to help me support Alani?"

"She never thinks about the strain I bear, only rivalry and arguments. I’ve completely misjudged her."

"Once Alani's birthday is over, I’ll sort this out!"

Just as Elijah was speaking, Alani walked into the office. Her head was slightly lowered, teeth sinking into her lower lip, with strands of hair framing her face. There was a hint of fear in her eyes, and indeed, she looked very fragile.

Seeing her like this, not only Elijah felt a pang of sympathy—even I, a departed soul, couldn't help but pity her.

Yes, I am dead now.

The instant my heart ceased its beating, my consciousness detached from my body. Viewing myself from an outsider's perspective, my limbs were grotesquely contorted, my skin marred with countless lash marks and burns. Even my eyes were open wide, presenting a gruesome spectacle.

But most horrifying was my face, crisscrossed with scars, some deep enough to expose the bone beneath. My face was entirely unrecognizable, stripped of all original semblance.

I was crammed into a tastefully decorated gift box in a disturbingly unnatural pose. Even though it was my own body, the scene was so terrifying that I could barely look. If I weren’t already dead, it might have scared me to death all over again.

As soon as Alani Silva stepped through the door, the anger on Elijah Woods' face melted into worry and concern.

“What happened, Alani? Who got you upset?”

“It's your birthday today, so let’s not dwell on sadness,” he gently chided, taking her hand with a tenderness that aimed to soothe rather than alarm her.

Alani’s body trembled slightly as she spoke, her voice thick with emotion. “Thea said she’s your wife. She told me I shouldn’t cling to you because of our childhood memories. And she... she called me a homewrecker, said I was manipulative.”

“I lost control and ended up hurting her...” Her voice quivered as she looked up at him. “Elijah, you must blame me. It’s all my fault. I just couldn’t control my emotions. It’s all because of me.”

Alani’s pitiful demeanor only made Elijah’s heart ache even more, amplifying his disdain for Thea. “She dared to say that to you? Who does she think she is?”

“If it weren’t for her having a face that looks so much like yours, what right does she have to be Mrs. Woods?”

“She just got what was coming to her, that’s all. She deserved it. Tonight at your birthday party, I’ll make her apologize to you on her knees!”

Listening to Elijah's words, my already hollow heart was flooded with an overwhelming sadness. So, it was true. I really was just a substitute.

Deep down, I had known ever since Alani appeared. My supposedly happy marriage, my supposedly loving husband—all of it was intricately tied to the woman standing before me, tied to my face.

Yet hearing those words from Elijah still felt like a giant hand squeezing my heart, making it hard for me to breathe. I didn’t want to hear any more harsh words or witness their affectionate display.

I wanted to leave, but I was trapped. Ever since my death, my soul had been bound to Elijah, unable to move away from him.

I was resigned to watching the two of them, caught up in their world. Alani perched on Elijah’s lap, her delicate arms wrapping around his neck.

“No matter what, you won’t blame me, will you?” she asked softly.

Elijah held her waist as if afraid she might fall. “Of course not. Whatever you did, it’s not your fault. There must be a reason.”

“I’ll never blame you. More than blaming you, I blame myself.”

“If it weren’t for my carelessness back then, you wouldn’t have gotten lost, wouldn’t have had to go abroad for so long, enduring all those hardships.”

Alani smiled, seemingly satisfied with his response. She continued to press, “So even if I hurt Thea, it doesn’t matter?”

At the mention of my name, Elijah’s disdain was unmistakable. “Ha, for her to say those things to you was her mistake. You had every right to be angry!”

“She dared to insult you. Even if you had gone further, it would have been justified!”

“As long as my Alani is happy, what does Thea matter?”

I laughed bitterly. I thought souls didn’t feel emotions. Then why does it hurt so much? Every word from Elijah felt like a knife stabbing into my body, leaving me trembling in pain.

Elijah and Alani had grown up together, childhood friends. At fourteen, they went to a theme park. Elijah went to buy ice cream, and Alani disappeared. He searched the park all night but couldn’t find her.

The next day, when he returned home, he learned that Alani’s family had left for Europe. They lost contact after that.

It wasn’t until last month that Alani returned to find him. According to her, that day she was kidnapped by enemies and harmed. By the time her parents found her, she was barely alive. To ensure her safety, her parents rushed her out of the country. She had no way of contacting Elijah in her condition.

She was so traumatized by the ordeal that she stayed overseas for treatment. But the enemies didn’t give up, tracking her down and hiring assassins to kill her parents. Desperate, she returned to find Elijah.

Over the years, Elijah had never forgotten her. Upon hearing of her hardships, he blamed himself for everything that happened to her.

In his eyes, it was his oversight that led to the chain of misfortunes Alani faced. That’s why he went along with whatever she wanted.

Yesterday, Alani asked if I could accompany her. Elijah agreed without hesitation. After all, in his eyes, Alani had no friends here. As his wife, and because of his mistake, I naturally had the duty to share his burdens.

But he probably didn’t anticipate that this farewell would be forever.