“The victim is a woman, about twenty-six years old,” the medical examiner began. “She was subjected to severe abuse before the bomb detonated.”
A heavy pause. Then the final blow.
“And she was two months pregnant.”
The room went silent.
Abused. Blown up. Pregnant.
Each word landed like a punch, the kind you feel deep in your chest.
I stared at Charles, stunned. My thoughts raced as his voice played in my head. Pregnant?
I was pregnant?
The child was so small, so fragile. I never even knew it existed before it was taken from me, before it was taken from this world.
Tears streamed down my face.
Charles sighed, completely unaware. “Poor soul. Let’s catch whoever did this and bring them to justice.” He glanced at David. “I just wrapped up another case. I’ll join the investigation.”
I let out a bitter laugh, my chest hollow.
If he knew the victim was me, would he still sound so detached?
After the autopsy, Charles looked grim as he stepped outside to smoke with David.
David, trying to lighten the mood, said, “Charles, couples fight all the time. If Lily’s upset, just apologize and make it right.”
Charles’s laugh was cold, almost cruel. “Make it right? She thrives on drama. Today, she called me at work with some ridiculous threat. Next time, she’ll probably fake her death just to get attention.”
I stood there, unseen, my spirit hovering as his words hit like a dagger.
He didn’t know I was already dead.
I wondered if he’d regret saying that when he found out the truth.
But honestly? I didn’t care anymore. All I wanted was to sever every connection to him, in life and beyond.
David sighed, shaking his head, and they returned to the office.
For days, the investigation went nowhere. Charles and David combed through missing persons reports, hoping to find a match. Nothing fit.
Late one evening, Charles’s phone buzzed. It was Sophia.
“Charles!” she chirped, her voice light and teasing. “Where have you been? I couldn’t find you all day.”
Even with exhaustion etched on his face, Charles smiled. “I’m working a case. Once it’s over, I’ll come back to keep you company.”
Sophia’s voice turned soft, almost pouty. “But I want to watch a horror movie, and I’m too scared to watch alone! You always used to watch with me.”
Charles chuckled, his voice warm and patient. “I’ll take some time off when this case is done, and we can go on a trip. How does that sound?”
“Okay,” she said, her tone brightening. “What’s the case about?”
“A young woman was kidnapped and killed by a bomb,” he explained, his tone casual. “We think the suspect had a grudge against her.” He added with a soft laugh, “I won’t give you the details. You’d just scare yourself and lose sleep.”
Watching the scene unfold, I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.
He had all the patience in the world for Sophia, and time to soothe her fears, to reassure her.
But me? He didn’t even wonder where I was.
After hanging up, Charles returned to the office, going over the case with David. By the end of the night, they had nothing.
David, staring at my body on the table, finally suggested, “Let’s release the victim’s description to the public. Someone might recognize her.”
Charles nodded, and within minutes, my information was broadcast citywide.
It didn’t take long for his phone to ring.
The voice on the other end shattered the silence, jolting me from my daze.
It was my father.
“Charles,” he said, his voice trembling with panic. “Lily’s been missing for days, and the description the police released… it matches her.”
