Chapter 11
The news of our deaths blew up in the community. When word got out about Bill’s role in everything, his company’s stock tanked hard, Bankruptcy followed soon after.
But Bill didn’t care. He trailed my dad back to our hometown, showing up outside his house every day, begging to know where we were buried.
My dad, already at the end of his rope, finally chased him off with a mop.
With nowhere left to go, Bill slunk back to our apartment.
The place still reeked of decay, but he acted like he couldn’t smell it. He collapsed onto our bed, clutching his phone. Scrolling through old photos and videos, he let the tears flow.
“Rhea, it’s all my fault,” he mumbled. “I couldn’t save you. But how could you be so heartless and leave me behind?”
The pillowcase was soaked with his sobbing, but all I felt was a cold, bitter satisfaction. You cheated. You abandoned us. You let Luca suffer. And now you’re acting like the victim? ‘I stood silently by the door, Luca’s little hand in mine.
I’d made my peace. Luca and I were together now. And honestly? If he’d stayed with Bill and Ima, what kind of life would he have had?
“Daddy looks so sad, Mommy,” Luca said quietly, tugging at my hand. “Doesn’t he want us to leave?”
Before I could stop him, Luca darted toward Bill, reaching out to wipe his tears.
The second his little hand brushed Bill’s face, Luca yelped and jumped back.
“Luca? Luca, is that you?” Bill’s voice cracked as he scrambled to his feet, searching wildly. He looked straight at Luca, who dashed back into my arms. At first, he giggled nervously, but his laugh quickly dissolved into sobs. “Rhea, Luca–have you come back?”
My stomach dropped. He could see us.
I gripped Luca’s hand tightly and glared at him. “Yes, we’re here–to watch how you “Our deaths are on you, Bill. You caused this.”
die.
A chill radiated from me as pure rage took over. If I’d had a physical body, I’d have torn him apart, piece by piece.
Bill stumbled forward, tears streaking down his face. “I know I was wrong! Please, forgive
- me.
“I broke things off with Ima- I never even loved her! I was just messing around.
1/2
“That talk about divorce? I didn’t mean it. I only said it to hurt your Rhea, plenel Ghe me another chance!”
As he pleaded, Luca and I were already fading, becoming faint and translucent.
“Luca, let’s leave this place,” I said, pulling his hand gently.
“Okay, Mommy,” he replied, gripping me tighter. “But this time, you can’t leave Lucz behind.“.
Hand in hand, we drifted toward the window.
“No! Don’t leave me!” Bill screamed, lunging after us. “Rhea, come back! Don’t go!”
In his desperation, he sprinted to the balcony and jumped.
Twenty–third floor. Zero survival odds.
The moment his feet left the ground, it hit him he was about to die.
In his final moments, he caught sight of us fading away.
As he fell, he actually looked…happy? “Rhea! Luca! Wait for me!”
“Someone jumped! There’s a body down here!” a neighbor shouted, already dialing 911
“Guess he couldn’t handle the guilt after what he did to his wife and kid,” someone who knew the story muttered. “Serves him right.” The guy spat on the ground for good measure. And Ima? Oh, she laughed. Like, full–on cackled when she heard about Bill’s swan dive.
She’d schemed for years and ended up with nada- No Bill, no money, and thanks to the miscarriage, no chance of kids.
She switched cities, switched jobs, tried to hit reset, but yeah-“can’t have kids” wasn’t exactly a selling point for the guys she wanted. And the average ones who were interested? Total no–go in her book.
By thirty, she was living solo in some dingy apartment. A gas leak did her in.
