The Death of My Best Friend and Me

Ethan shook his head as if he hadn’t heard his assistant and repeated,"What wife?What wife are you talking about?"He had released Vera,but his fingers were trembling uncontrollably.

The assistant’s eyes reddened,and he mustered the courage to hand over the report,his voice softening."Ethan,I’m sorry for your loss."

Ethan’s breath hitched,and in a violent gesture,he swatted the report away as if it were something vile.

"Condolences?Why the hell should I accept condolences?My wife is alive and well.What kind of condolences do I need?"

He stepped back,and suddenly,realization struck him."Did my wife bribe you to play along?!"Ethan’s scarlet eyes bored into his assistant as he gripped his lapel."You’re my assistant!Are you fooling around with her?Where is she?Is she hiding nearby,waiting to see how I fall for this trap,laughing at my stupidity?"

He laughed bitterly,threatening in a low voice,"Call her out right now,or I’ll fire you."

The assistant,shaken and unable to move,was met with Vera crouching to pick up the report from the ground.As her eyes landed on the name of the deceased—my name—an involuntary flicker of joy flashed across her face.

She feigned sadness,pulling him closer."Ethan,I’m sorry,but he isn’t lying.The report truly says that the identity of the body is your wife,Star.Don’t worry;you still have me now that she’s gone."

"Get away!"Ethan shouted,pulling back from her touch."Don’t touch me!My wife is nearby;she never liked you.If she sees you pulling at me,she’ll only get angrier."

The man who had proposed so affectionately moments ago was now severing ties with Vera,leaving her to choke back tears.

"So you’re all lying to me?Then I’d better go to hell."

Of course,she had no intention of actually ending her life.

Ethan seemed deaf to her pain as he staggered,laughing and crying uncontrollably."Impossible!She won’t die!She’s just angry with me and hiding.There must be a mistake somewhere.My wife—how could I not know?"

He grabbed the assistant again,clutching him like a lifeline."My wife’s left pinky finger is different from others;it is—"

His words trailed off abruptly.

He had personally examined my hand;every finger was unique,every detail distinct.

"No!It’s all wrong!"He stared at his hand in disbelief,and in the next moment,he clutched his chest in agony,suddenly spewing a mouthful of blood.

Doctors rushed in,their frantic movements colliding with the chaos.

Meanwhile,Evan tugged at his assistant’s arm,desperation in his voice."One body is my Sister-in-law’s;who’s the other?It’s not Emily,right?"

The assistant’s heart sank,and after a long silence,he spoke,his voice heavy with sorrow."Evan,I’m sorry for your loss."

"Impossible!I don’t believe it!"Evan growled,his face twisted in anger.He forcefully snatched the report from Vera’s hands.The sheer force of his action caused her to stumble backwards.

He trembled as he turned to read another page.When Emily’s name met his gaze,he froze,his jaw quivering.

He lost all sense of reality,retreating two steps and knocking over a medical cart.Scissors and medicine bottles clattered to the floor,some scraping against his skin and drawing blood.Yet,he felt nothing;he was like a robot,wooden and devoid of pain.He touched his neck,finding it empty,a cold realization settling in.

Eyes darting toward the window,he muttered,"The peace charm...my peace charm..."

Suddenly,he dashed downstairs like a madman,consumed by grief and panic.