Chapter 2

I had just ended the call when a knock sounded at the door.

Evertt walked in, wearing Dustin's face, his expression one of weary concern. The same look he' d worn for months.

A wave of pain washed over me. It was so easy for him. He had his brother' s eyes, his brother' s build. But the way he moved, the slight tilt of his head-that was all Evertt.

I used to get lost in those eyes, thinking they were a reflection of his brother' s, a painful reminder of my husband. Now, I only saw the cold, calculating man underneath.

My hand tightened around the watch in my pocket, my knuckles white. My fingers trembled.

Slowly, I pulled the watch out.

"Dustin," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "Where did you get this?"

His eyes landed on the watch, and a bitter smile touched his lips. It was a familiar expression, one I had seen on Evertt a thousand times.

"Evertt asked me to give it to you," he said smoothly. "His dying wish. He wanted you to have it."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I' m sorry, Helen. With everything going on, I completely forgot."

I looked down, hiding the fury in my eyes. I ran my thumb over the engraving. "H&E, Forever."

"Do you know the story behind this watch, Dustin?" I asked, my voice soft.

He hesitated for a fraction of a second before shaking his head. "No. Evertt didn't say."

"I climbed a mountain for this watch," I said, my voice gaining strength. "Barefoot, on stone steps. I prayed for three days and three nights at a remote temple to have it blessed. For him. To keep him safe."

I looked up, my eyes locking with his. "I did it because I loved him more than anything."

His expression flickered. Just for a second, I saw a crack in his flawless performance.

"He knew," I continued, my voice quieter now, but each word was deliberate. "He held me for a whole night after I got back, telling me I was a fool, but his eyes... his eyes were so gentle."

His throat moved as he swallowed. A flicker of panic crossed his face.

"Why would you do something so... extreme?" he asked, trying to deflect.

"Because he was my world," I said, my gaze unwavering. "And I would have done anything for him."

His breath hitched. He looked away, unable to meet my eyes. The air in the room grew thick with unspoken truths.

Then, he spoke, his voice suddenly greedy. "Helen, since it was his, maybe I should hold onto it. For safekeeping. As a memory of my brother."

The pain in my chest was sharp, but my mind was clear. He was still acting. Still lying.

I replied calmly, "No."

"It didn't work anyway," I said, a bitter taste in my mouth.

He looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"If it was so blessed," I asked, my voice laced with a chilling coldness, "why is he dead?"

I let out a small, humorless laugh. My eyes were as cold as ice.

Then, right in front of him, I picked up the disposable lighter from the bedside table.

A tiny flame flickered to life, its light dancing on my pale face.

Evertt' s eyes widened in shock. "Helen, what are you doing?"

He reached for me, but it was too late. I held the watch to the flame. The leather strap caught fire instantly.

Ashes floated down, like the remnants of our dead love.

His hand froze in mid-air, then fell uselessly to his side.

Just then, the door swung open again.

Kylee' s sweet, delicate voice filled the room. "Dustin, honey, what' s taking so long?" She wrapped her arm around Evertt' s, pressing herself against him.

Evertt' s expression shifted instantly, the shock replaced by a soft, loving look as he turned to her.

"The results are in," Kylee announced, her face glowing with joy. Her eyes swept over to me, a smug little smile on her lips.

"I' m pregnant."

She caressed her still-flat stomach, her voice dripping with sweetness. "It looks like the Martin family will have an heir after all."

The air in the room froze.

My fingers dug into the bedsheets.

Pregnant. The timing... it was just over a month since Evertt' s "death."

Slowly, I lifted my head and looked at the man I had married.

His expression moved from shock to pure joy, then to a look of overwhelming tenderness as he looked at Kylee.

He carefully guided her to a chair, his every movement filled with a new sense of purpose and care.

Kylee leaned her head on his shoulder, her voice a soft purr. "See, Dustin? This is a gift from Evertt. He' s watching over us." She shot a triumphant, sharp look in my direction.

I felt a smile curve my lips, a strange, hollow thing. "Congratulations," I said, my voice light and airy.

Evertt finally seemed to remember I was there. He helped Kylee sit down, his movements gentle.

I watched them, this perfect picture of a happy couple, and I felt nothing but a vast, chilling emptiness. My husband, mourning his own death by starting a new family with his brother's fiancée. How utterly absurd.