After My Death, My Wife Was Filled with Guilt

My wife, Hailey Cooper, felt sorry for her first love, Nathan Wilson, and finally had a chance to reconcile with him.

Claiming that he could not bear to see her happy, he urged me to divorce her.​

She said, "A marriage license is just a piece of paper. It won't make any difference."

I begged humbly, "No. I will die if I get divorced."

Hailey didn't believe it at all and only doted on Nathan.

As my life was nearing its end, I asked the System to allow me to die in her embrace.

A few days later, Nathan bullied someone to death, and Hailey proposed to pay someone to take the blame and erase all the evidence.

She had no idea that the scapegoat was me. Moreover, the victim's family retaliated, resulting in my death.​

She screamed in shock and actually regretted it.

*****

In our first year of marriage, Nathan casually walked into our wedding room using the key Hailey had given him.

Without changing his shoes, he stepped on my favorite carpet and jingled his key ring to signal his close connection with her.

"I heard from Hailey that you don't want to get a divorce, right?"

Nathan sneered, "Do you believe that she likes you? Open her wallet and see whose photo is in it!"

I had never met such a shameless man. I pointed at the door and warned, "This is my home. Please get out."

However, Hailey opened the door, ran towards him, and asked softly, "Why are you here?"

She glared at me and growled, "Edward, why don't you serve coffee for Nathan?"

Hailey's blatant preference sent a chill through me, leaving me heartbroken and at a loss for words.

Her assistant poured a cup of coffee for Nathan.

He gently pushed her hair aside, his voice weak.

"I just came to see where you've lived all these years. It's so cozy and inviting. You must be having a great time, right?

"Unlike you, I was deceived and ended up being alone in a foreign country with old injuries for over ten years."

It was Hailey who harmed him, so she did everything she could to make up for it.

She apologized, "Don't be sad. I will definitely fulfill your wish."

I gazed at the low health point, feeling sorrowful that all my hard work over the past ten years had been wasted in a single day.

I murmured, "I'll die if we divorce."

Thinking that I was threatening her, Hailey said impatiently, "Edward, it's just a piece of paper. It won't make any difference."

Nathan approached her. She lost her temper. "Don't push me to say something harsh. It will embarrass us. Just sign the agreement."

Hailey was my target. As long as we didn't get divorced within two years, I could revive in the real world.

She was a wealthy second-generation woman who liked smoking, drinking, and riding motorcycles in her youth. She had visited both the hospital and the police station more times endless times.

Afterwards, Hailey developed an interest in music. She formed a band and recorded demos, investing a lot of money but ultimately achieving nothing.

Her father, Kyle Cooper, regarded her as a good-for-nothing and cut off all her financial support in anger.

​She became discouraged and suffered from intense self-doubt.​

"Maybe I don't like music either, and I just want to let my dad know that I can do it."

There were tears in her eyes. "Edward, my dad said I'm worthless. Am I really worthless?"

"You sing very well!" I said without much hesitation.

"Really?" Hailey glanced up, her eyes shining.

I threw the cigarette out of her mouth and said firmly, "If we stick to it, we will achieve everything."

I made every effort to support her, writing lyrics and composing music for her behind the scenes and accompanying her to sing in bars and perform live in underground garages.

Later, Hailey went viral thanks to her unique voice and a song I wrote for her, which garnered over 10 million plays across the Internet.

I made her into a talented singer, excelling in writing lyrics, composing music, and performing.

I secretly created numerous songs for her, enabling her career to flourish even after I was gone.

Hailey was so thrilled that tears welled up in her eyes, and she hugged me, "Honey, I love you so much!"

In front of the camera, she was very sure this time. "Music is the career I cherish most in my life!"

She had accumulated a huge fortune through music. I made her famous and then calmly protected her.

We went through a period of adjustment at the start. Hailey wanted to eat a filet mignon from a specific restaurant. She got angry and insisted that I drive 186 miles to buy it.

She had back pain and asked me to massage her all night.

It was unknown to her that I was not an orphan in the real world. My mother, whose voice was very similar to Hailey's, loved singing.

Her vibrant singing always reminded me of my mother in the real world.

Once love had a cause, it began to flourish wildly.

I indulged all Hailey's willfulness and gave her all my love.

Later, I always went to that restaurant and brought back the filet mignon.

My worries about her poor health encouraged me to learn massage from a professional doctor.

It was so hard, yet I enjoyed it.

After Hailey became a popular singer, both she and Kyle were too proud to reach out and mend the situation. As a mediator, I convinced Kyle to recognize her dream.

The System chuckled, "This is the first time I've seen a player as responsible as you."

Kyle told me that only if I married Hailey could she inherit the estate, so we became a secret couple.

On our wedding night, she held the guitar and vowed that if she sang in private, it would be just for me for the rest of her life.

The System informed me that the progress bar had reached 90 percent, and I believed we were devoted to each other.

However, when Kyle passed away from an acute illness, Nathan returned to the country and revealed the truth about that year to her.

At the concert, Hailey released a song she wrote called "Miss You".

It was for Nathan.

Every performance was a testament to her affection for him.

In the audience, I heard it clearly, and a sharp pain went through my heart.

Nathan was Hailey's first love. He introduced her to racing and a wild lifestyle, as well as to the world of street thugs.

When they were deeply in love, a fight broke out between local thugs, and he blocked a knife meant for her.

Kyle would never accept their relationship because Nathan had saved Hailey. So, he drove Nathan out of the country, making her think that she was the one who had been abandoned.

​It was ten years before she learned the truth.​

Nathan's only request was to end the marriage between Hailey and me.

At first, I refused firmly. "We are already married. If you want to make amends, there are other options. He is also a musician. You can make him famous or even offer him shares of the Cooper Group instead of..."

Hailey was entirely fixated on Nathan. "How can that be possible? How can I use money and fame to insult him? He is innocent."

At that moment, the progress bar plummeted to 50%. I felt a physical reaction. My stomach always ached slightly, and my lungs hurt so much in the morning that I struggled to breathe.

Consumed by a fear of death, I lost my mind. "Hailey, if you divorce me, I will die."

Startled, Hailey punched me hard. "Don't scare me."

She threw herself into my arms. "I'm just trying to coax him. You have to stay by my side forever, regardless of whether we have a marriage license or not."

How could I not be heartbroken by her attempt to alleviate her guilt towards him by drawing on our ten-year relationship?

She wiped my tears with a distressed look. "Why are you crying? You are mine. Don't be afraid. No one can take you away!"

We hugged each other, crying.

But a few days later, I discovered a ring in the drawer while cleaning.

Hailey took off our token of love and threw our past into a corner.

How ruthless!

The atmosphere was awkward.

Nathan handed me a pen, but I knocked it down hard.

Hailey was furious. "Why are you so angry?

"How dare you? Do you really think I married you out of love?"

Hailey's words seeped into my ears like poison. I squatted down, trembling, picked up the pen, and signed my name.

I stood up and prepared to leave, but Hailey pulled me back.

Tears blurred my vision, and I could only hear her anxious yet resolute voice.

"Where are you going? You are not allowed to go yet.

"Stay here, and I'll take you to the family court tomorrow."

She pivoted around to please Nathan. "You haven't eaten yet. Let's go to Oasis Apartment, and I will cook for you."

I watched them huddling together as they walked away, feeling as though I had lost myself while they represented who we once had been.

I entered the empty bedroom in the darkness.

"System, are you there? Talk to me."

After a moment of silence, the System said, "Are you going to fail?"

I nodded. "Yes, I can't keep her."

The System couldn't stand to see me so down. "Cheer up. Love isn't that important. Don't be so depressed. You need to find a way to win her back."

I shook my head. The progress bar dropped sharply at once. I had nosebleeds all night long, and my health was worse than before.

It had been a year since Nathan's return, a full 365 days. The physical pain and emotional turmoil had left me with a diagnosis of severe depression.

I really couldn't hold on any longer.

"System, I choose to terminate the mission early."

A sharp warning sounded, and the System sounded disappointed.

"Edward, the progress bar has reached 90%, which means she truly loved you. You can employ various direct and indirect methods to win her back and preserve your marriage!

"Besides, if you give up, your doom will be miserable in this life!"

I closed my eyes. "Can you let me die for her?"

"What do you mean? Is this the punishment you chose for yourself for the mission?"

I nodded in the endless darkness. "I want to die because of her mistake."

Since my death was inevitable, I was eager for her regret.

After a long time, the System's mechanical voice sighed, "As you wish."

I developed a low fever that night. Hailey came to pick me up with Nathan.

At the entrance of the family court, I staggered unconsciously and fell forward.

After a while, I realized that I had grabbed Nathan, but the latter didn't give me time to react and immediately pushed me away.

"Ouch! It hurts."

Sitting on the ground, I saw Hailey rushing over to examine Nathan's arm carefully and then glaring at me.

"Edward, what's wrong with you? Did you do this on purpose? Why don't you apologize?"

I thought they were like a young couple.

Was Hailey feeling guilty? Or was she reluctant to leave him as her love for him rekindled?

Nathan glanced at me and raised his chin proudly.

"If he is unwilling, forget it. I won't want to force anyone for fear that you might see me as narrow-minded."

Hailey comforted him. "Take it easy."

She gazed at me. "I've read your physical exam report from last year. You're perfectly fine. Who are you trying to annoy by looking so pale every day?

"Nathan has a good temper and personality, and he is gentle and generous. Why can't you learn from him?"

I slowly climbed up against the wall. After regaining my balance, I immediately walked into the family court without hesitation.

Suddenly, the System sighed, "Don't be sad. Once you have achieved 90% success in this world, the difficulty of the next mission will be greatly reduced. You will definitely be able to return to the real world."

I covered my face to hide my disappointment, and tears welled up in my eyes. "I can handle it."

To my surprise, when I was about to die, the System still cared about me the most.

I brainwashed myself into thinking that my sadness was merely a result of the physical pain from dying. My heart had grown numb, devoid of any joy or sorrow.

In depression, I went to the bar to get hammered.

I didn't expect Nathan to be there too.

And I witnessed how vicious he was.

A little girl with a ponytail came into the bar to sell roses. Probably believing that Nathan was rich, she tried her best to beg him to buy some.

She was pretty persistent. However, she faced the reality that returning home without making any money might lead to starvation.

Nathan lost patience and finally smiled mischievously, "Okay, I'll buy some."

He grabbed a large bunch without paying and teased the little girl, causing everyone in the bar to burst into laughter.

Nathan seized the little girl's ear and lifted her up. In her panic, she struggled and bit him.

Suddenly, he picked up a stick from the floor and hit her hard, as if he had gone crazy.

I hurried over and embraced the girl, only to be hit hard on the back.

At the sight of me, Nathan didn't stop and struck me hard on the forehead.

The blow made my head bleed, and I collapsed to the floor, vomiting blood.

The girl's mother burst in just as Nathan lost control, and he knocked her unconscious immediately.

I vaguely heard Hailey's voice, and he instantly kicked me into a corner.

I saw her carefully examining his wound.

She glanced at the woman who had fainted and bled all over the floor and said coldly, "Find a scapegoat and deal with this."

Before I lost consciousness, she continued, "Handle it discreetly and ensure that Nathan isn't involved. I want him to be cleared of all charges."

I was taken to the hospital and was rescued for a whole night. Under the operating light, a nurse wiped the doctor's sweat while others administered blood transfusions and oxygen to me.

When I exited the operating room, a faint sound revealed that Nathan was also receiving treatment in the hospital.

My doctor was Hailey's friend. She noticed him and exchanged a few words with him.

I was nervous.

The doctor had seen me at a party before, so he knew who I was.

At the door of the ward, he asked, "Hailey, what are your feelings for Edward?"

Hailey seemed to be smoking a cigarette. "I get tired of him after being with him for a while. I no feelings for him."

My heart seemed to be hit hard and sank.

The doctor came in. "It seems that her attitude is not in your favor. It's best not to inform her about your condition; it will save both of you some trouble. Take good care of yourself."

He was right. How could Hailey care about me?