Q1
Three years ago, my daughter’s death broke me beyond repair. In the end, I succumbed to depression and took my own life.
Yet, for reasons unknown, I didn’t vanish after death. Instead, I remained bound to Marvin, my husband.
And something even stranger happened: I could hear his thoughts.
“Marvin, how do I look?”
The girl in front of the mirror was dressed in a wedding gown, so pure she seemed like an ethereal being untouched by mortal
dust.
Marvin stood behind her, dazed for a fleeting moment.
I heard his thoughts, “Terra used to ask me the same thing. I miss her so much.”
The girl, unhappy with his distraction, slapped him across the face.
“Are you deaf?”
Snapped out of his reverie, Marvin smiled apologetically. “Oh, honey. You look stunning. I might even get jealous if you leave
this room,”
After some effort, he finally managed to soothe her anger. Using an excuse to grab an ice pack, he then slipped out of the
room.
The moment the door closed behind him, his expression twisted into something monstrous.
“Oh, no, no. Everyone must see your corpse. They’ll marvel at the grotesque sight of your ruined body for years to come!” he thought.
Listening to his deranged inner monologue, I could only sigh helplessly.
This poor man had lost his mind, consumed by vengeance.
Marvin’s second wedding was the talk of the town, a lavish event unlike any other.
Nearly every influential figure in Aerol City was in attendance.
Even as his deceased first wife, I couldn’t miss this spectacle.
After all, there was a time when Marvin had loved me and our daughter deeply.
His bride was his first love, Karen Boltery, the only daughter of Levi Boltery, the “King of Stocks” of Aerol City
Pampered and adored, Karen was a true princess.
Calling this a wedding was generous; it was more of a union between powerhouses.
Before the ceremony began, Levi took the microphone and gave a rousing speech.
“Years ago, I didn’t think much of Marvin. But his hard work has proven himself to everyone here! He now has my approval!”
Levi wrapped an arm around Marvin’s shoulders as he spoke, but Marvin’s smile was ice–cold.
“Soon, I’ll stab you too, you idiot,” he thought, all while responding with humble gratitude aloud.
By now, I was used to the drastic change between Marvin’s polite words and his ruthless thoughts.
Ten years ago, Marvin’s company had been a small success, but in the world of the elite, he was insignificant.
Back then, he had adored Karen, but she treated him with scorn.
“What makes you think you’re worthy of me? Look in a mirror before you even dream of it!” she had said.
Karen’s words weren’t wrong. Thus, Marvin swallowed his feelings and threw himself into his work.
Then, he met me. I stood by his side through thick and thin, and eventually we married and had a daughter.
But that was when Karen reappeared.
“You’d rather settle for this washed–up woman than choose me?” she had sneered.
Wasn’t it ironic?
When Marvin loved her, she dismissed him as a joke. But once he stopped, she came crawling back, desperate for his
attention.
My memories were interrupted by the deafening applause that followed Levi’s speech.
The grand doors to the venue opened, and Karen entered, her head adorned with a diamond crown.
She wore a trailing wedding gown covered in sparkling gemstones, each one glittering like it was meant to blind me.
The gown was more extravagant than anything I’d ever worn, even during my wedding to Marvin.
He had spared no expense this time, ensuring Karen’s wedding was unforgettable.
And it would indeed be unforgettable.
Step by step, she approached him with an air of confidence and anticipation.
The priest began reciting the vows. With her back to the audience, Karen whispered to Marvin, “See? You’re doomed to be mine”
As the priest asked the final question, Marvin’s lips curled into a smile of satisfaction.
The mole beneath his eye caught the light, and I couldn’t help but recall the countless nights I’d caressed that mole in my ghostly solitude.
It had appeared the day after my death as if the tears he had shed for me had sunk into his skin.
Then, Marvin replied with a sneer, “And you’re doomed to die.”
With that, he pulled a machete from his waistband and plunged it into Karen’s chest.
The blade went clean through, and blood gushed down, soaking her dazzling gown in crimson. “Go to hell!
Without any hesitation, Marvin struck again.
