When I Died, My Husband Was Celebrating His Lover's Birthday

On the day I lost my battle with cancer, my husband was busy celebrating his mistress' birthday.

When the doctor called to inform him about my death, he dismissed it as another of my attempts to avoid divorce.

He coldly replied, "If she wants to die, let her die. At least it saves me the trouble of divorcing her."

But fate had other plans. A documentary about my fight against cancer unexpectedly went viral, and news of my death spread across the internet.

Only then did he realize the gravity of the situation and rushed to the hospital.

When he saw my lifeless body, he broke down in tears, crying, "Wendy, I'm sorry. I was wrong!"

But it was too late. I would never come back to hear his apologies.

1

Three years of marriage to Terry Shane, followed by two years of separation.

His globetrotting with Katherine Lynn made me the laughingstock of our social circle.

A month ago, we met for the last time. I told him I was unwell, hoping he'd stay.

Instead, he rushed in, tossed divorce papers at me, and left, saying coldly, "Next time we meet, I hope it's because you've agreed to divorce."

Now, I'm in a hospital bed, cancer eating away at me. The pain is unbearable.

The doctor holds a phone to my ear, pleading for someone to answer.

I listen to the cold ringtone, despair growing with each unanswered ring.

"Please, pick up," the doctor begs, voice cracking, palms sweaty.

I just want to tell Terry I'll sign the papers.

But I know it's hopeless. He's probably blocked my number long ago.

Staring at the bland ceiling, I feel the last of my hope fade.

I give up, knowing he'll never come.

The heart monitor flatlines with a long beep.

Silent tears roll down my cheeks.

Terry will probably be relieved when he hears I'm gone.

2

I jolted awake, finding myself back in the home I once shared with Terry.

There he was, the man I'd longed for, mindlessly scrolling through his phone on the sofa.

Instinctively, I called out, "Terry."

No response.

I stepped closer, only to pass right through him.

The chilling realization hit me: I was dead, yet somehow still here.

Joy or sorrow? I couldn't decide.

"Terry, this place is covered in dust. How long has Wendy been out living it up?"

A sickeningly sweet voice cut through the air. Katherine, looking impeccable, surveyed the room with distaste.

Terry rubbed his temples before pulling Katherine into an embrace.

"She's avoiding me. Don't worry, I'll divorce her soon."

Katherine nestled into his arms, smiling coyly.

My heart ached watching my husband so casually hold another woman in our home.

They kissed shamelessly beneath our wedding photo, still hanging on the wall like a silent accusation.

I wanted to flee but found myself tethered to Terry, despair growing with each moment.

As they fell onto the sofa, entangled, Terry whispered, "Happy birthday, Katherine."

So that was it.

Her birthday celebration, on the day of my death.

3

Terry and I grew up together, with Katherine as our neighbor's little girl.

Despite the bad blood between our families and the Lynns, my dad and Terry's were war buddies—my father even saved his.

Life threw us a curveball when my family hit rock bottom. We moved away, and Terry and I drifted apart.

Then came the double whammy: Dad died in a car crash, and Mom landed in the hospital. Desperate times called for desperate measures, so I ended up with the Shanes.

Terry's mom played matchmaker, and before I knew it, I became Mrs. Shane.

For a while, we were blissfully happy.

I poured my heart into being the perfect wife.

Terry opened up, admitting marrying me was his dream come true.

He'd hug me from behind while I cooked, whisper my name during intimate moments. It was everything I'd ever wanted.

Then Katherine breezed back from college abroad, and our world tilted on its axis.

She bulldozed her way into our lives.

Terry resisted at first, but a kidnapping changed everything.

When the kidnappers used both Katherine and me as leverage, my terror was a stark contrast to her cool bravery.

Watching Terry rush to her side, I swear I heard my heart crack.

"This is payback for what you owe Katherine," he said, before camping out by her hospital bed.

Soon, he was sneaking off with her.

I'd never seen him so carefree, like a teenager again, living it up with Katherine.

I confronted him, tears streaming, desperate not to lose him.

His response? Anger and accusations of overthinking.

That day marked the beginning of the end.

Soon, he stopped hiding his feelings for Katherine and asked for a divorce.

My love for him was bone-deep, maybe fueled by stubbornness.

I clung to our fractured marriage like a lifeline.

Only now do I see how spectacularly wrong I was.

4

The sofa creaked with hushed gasps.

I watched Terry's rough hands glide over Katherine's pale shoulders, the sight twisting my gut.

Closing my eyes, I retreated, my heart too numb to break again.

A shrill ring cut through their moment.

Terry answered, annoyance etched on his face.

"Mr. Shane? City Hospital here. Your wife, Wendy Lowe, succumbed to cancer at 10 AM. We need you to come collect her remains."

"What?"

Terry's grip tightened on the phone, sparking a foolish hope in me.

Would my death affect him at all?

The doctor repeated himself.

Terry's frown deepened, his voice sharp.

"Another trick? Don't team up with Wendy to con me. She'd cash in on a divorce, but this game gets her nothing."

I heard the doctor's stunned pause, clearly blindsided.

"Mr. Shane, please. Wendy is really gone."

Despite the doctor's insistence, Terry refused to believe.

His final words chilled me to the bone.

"Fine. Tell Wendy if she wants to play dead, let her. Saves me the divorce papers."

5

The line went dead, plunging the room into silence.

Katherine, who'd overheard everything, avoided eye contact, clearly hiding something.

Still, she draped her arms around Terry's neck and murmured.

"Wendy's getting crafty, huh? First the cancer excuse to bring you home, then those frantic calls, and now faking her own death?"

"You're not buying it, right?"

Terry's doubts evaporated as he processed Katherine's words.

Stroking her hair gently, he replied, "Of course not. She's playing with fire, using lies like that."

Invisible and heartbroken, I hovered above them.

I'd never lied to Terry; he just refused to believe me.

If loving him meant death, so be it.

Terry stared at our wedding photo, his forehead creased in thought.

Finally, he sighed, "How did she change so much? She used to be kind and genuine."

He dialed my number repeatedly, met only with silence.

With each unanswered call, his conviction grew – clearly assuming I was dodging the divorce.

His patience wore thin; he looked ready to have me dragged back to sign the papers.

Katherine, oddly enough, was the voice of reason.

"Terry, we need to make Wendy face her mistakes. Her sick mother in the hospital – that's her weak spot."

"Cut off the medical payments, and she'll come crawling back to apologize."

6

I stared in disbelief at Katherine's cruelty.

Watching the conflict in Terry's eyes, I prayed he would remember our years together and not act so ruthlessly.

"Terry, Madam Lowe's been in treatment for so long. A day or two won't make a difference," Katherine persisted.

I couldn't understand why she hated me so much that she'd even target my mother.

But what happened next plunged me into despair.

After a moment's contemplation, Terry locked eyes with Katherine and said, "You're right. It's time she learned her lesson."

Without hesitation, he called the hospital and cut off my mother's medical funding.

I watched in horror, falling to my knees, begging.

But he couldn't see or hear me, blind to my tears and deaf to my pleas.

Panic and despair consumed my soul.

My mother had recently been in critical condition, barely pulled back from the brink. She needed proper care now more than ever.

But Terry had never paid attention to these details, seemingly bewitched by Katherine.

I had stayed with Terry not just out of love, but because the Shane family covered the steep medical bills.

I couldn't risk losing that.

But their actions now hurt more than death itself, breeding hatred in my heart.

In our youth, the Lowe and Shane families were close. My mother had treated Terry like her own son.

How could he be so heartless now?

Satisfied with the outcome, Katherine's smile grew smugger as she coaxed Terry into my bedroom.

When he wasn't looking, she even removed our wedding photo from the living room wall, tossing it into the storage room.

But none of that mattered to me anymore.

My mind raced, consumed with worry for my mother's safety.

7

I watched Terry and Katherine's blissful moment, feeling numb. Even in death, the pain in my soul left me restless.

Terry seemed to have forgotten about me and my critically ill mother entirely, lost in his romance with Katherine as they shopped for wedding dresses.

At the Shane Group's bridal shop, the staff eagerly greeted Terry.

"Mr. President, choosing a gown for your wife? We haven't seen her in a while. How's her health?"

I smiled bitterly. Even this stranger knew about my illness, while my husband thought I was lying.

The irony was painful.

Everyone knew who "wife" meant, and Katherine's face darkened.

Before she could react, Terry frowned.

"Did Wendy put you up to this?" he asked the confused assistant, cutting her off before she could respond.

"Whatever trick she's using, remember who really runs Shane Group."

He stormed out, dragging Katherine along.

My heart ached, though I was already numb to the pain.

I felt worthless, but with my mother in the hospital, I had no choice but to endure.

As they approached another store, Terry's phone rang.

He brightened, probably hoping I was calling to apologize.

Seeing it was his mother, he looked disappointed.

He answered, and Linda Shane's angry voice came through.

"Terry, what's going on?"

"The doctor says you've cut off Wendy's mother's medical funding."

Terry chuckled, unconcerned.

"So what? How long will you hold that old debt over me? Isn't marrying her daughter enough? Want to burden me for life?"

I stood there, stunned, as if I'd never known this man.

Linda's voice grew more furious.

"You monster! Wendy's mother is critical. Get to the hospital now!"

8

Terry finally grasped the gravity of the situation and rushed to the hospital.

I followed, my heart racing.

At the hospital, Linda unleashed her fury on Terry, berating him harshly.

Katherine's attempts to defend him were swiftly shut down.

"Where's Wendy?"

Linda demanded, clearly unable to reach me and visibly irritated by Katherine's presence.

Terry sneered, "Wendy? She's the ungrateful one, abandoning her own mother to avoid our divorce."

"I didn't!"

My soul cried out in vain, wracked with an indescribable pain.

Why was I still tethered to this world?

As Linda raised her hand to slap Terry, a young doctor burst in.

"Are you Wendy's family?" he asked.

Terry nodded, confused.

"Ms. Lowe passed away from cancer yesterday morning. We need her family to claim the body," the doctor explained solemnly.

Terry's breath hitched, but his voice remained cold.

"Impossible. I saw her a month ago."

"Stop this charade and bring Wendy out now, or you'll regret it!"

Terry's threat fell flat. My death was irrefutable.

The doctor, now visibly annoyed, replied, "If you don't believe me, sir, her body is in the morgue downstairs."

A tense silence filled the corridor. Terry's composure finally cracked.

Abruptly, he released Katherine's hand and bolted downstairs.