Rage consumed me. I lunged at them, my fists flying, my screams filling the mall. But they fought back, and with one vicious shove, they sent me tumbling down the stairs. I felt my body break as I hit the ground, and felt life drain from me.
When I opened my eyes again, I was no longer lying broken on the mall floor. I was back—back to the day before William’s accident, before my life unraveled into a nightmare.
I shot up in bed, drenched in cold sweat, my chest heaving. The other side of the bed was empty—William, who should’ve been next to me, was nowhere to be found. The familiar surroundings of our luxurious villa came into focus. My hands trembled as I ran barefoot to Emily’s room. I threw the door open, and there she was—safe, sound, still breathing.
I had been reborn.
But the memories of my death, the betrayal, and the loss of my daughter were all too real. The grief and anger were still raw, coursing through me like fire.
How could I have been so blind? William had seemed like the perfect husband—charming, devoted, reliable. We had fallen in love fast, right after university, and married just as quickly. Our daughter was the culmination of our love, and my company thrived, giving us the prosperous life I thought we deserved. Every time we went to reunions, I was the envy of everyone. I thought I had it all.
But that perfect world had shattered overnight.
Less than a week after William’s "death," debt collectors had swarmed our home like vultures. They shoved papers in my face—papers I’d never signed but bore my fingerprints nonetheless. No matter how much I protested, no one believed me. The court ruled I was responsible. The life I had worked so hard to build was stripped away in the blink of an eye.
And then, as if that wasn’t enough, my sweet Emily fell ill. Kidney failure. My world tilted as I faced the possibility of losing her too. I did everything I could, but without money or support, there was no way I could get her the care she needed. I went to my in-laws and begged them for help, but they turned me away with sneers, saying it was my punishment for coming into my husband’s life.