My Mistress Ordered My Funeral While I Was Still Alive Chapter 04
The moment we stepped out of the office, Amber hailed a cab by the curb.
She slid into the back seat and barked out the address.
“Number 3, Whispering Pines Estates, The South End.”
My nails bit into my palms so hard it stung.
That was my current address.
It was the house Harrison had bought for me using his very first executive bonus.
Back then, he hadn’t secured the throne at The Sterling Group yet.
His account was practically empty, but he had searched through half the city just to find a place with a small, sun-drenched balcony.
All because I had once mentioned how much I loved the morning sun.
When we settled into our secret elopement, he didn’t dare bring me to the Sterling family estate.
So he put this property entirely under my name.
“Evelyn, I’m sorry you have to hide out here for now.”
“Once I clear those vultures out of the company, I’m bringing you home to the family.”
The taxi sped toward The South End.
Amber continued her vitriolic rant beside me.
“The more he tries to keep me away, the more I’m going to push. I want to see what kind of pathetic act she’s putting on.”
“A woman who can’t even keep a baby, still parasitic, refusing to let go of my man.”
I didn’t utter a word.
She turned her head to look at me.
“Don’t you think women like that are absolute poison? The man doesn’t even love her anymore, but she won’t let go.”
“The kid is dead, and she’s going to milk that trauma to guilt him for the rest of his life.”
I kept my mouth shut.
It didn’t take long for the cab to pull up.
Amber marched straight toward my front door, eyes glued to the address on her phone.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a key.
It was brand new.
She must have copied it from Harrison’s keychain when he wasn’t looking.
The lock clicked open, and the entryway lights flooded the space.
Amber stood in the foyer, scanning the interior with blatant disgust.
Right next to the shoe rack were the slippers I had slipped off this morning.
She looked down at it with pure disgust, kicking them viciously into a dark corner.
Then she walked into the living room, slammed her luxury purse onto the coffee table, and began aggressively tearing through my belongings.
“Where the hell is a lighter?”
She creased her brow, turning her gaze toward me.
“Go buy one.”
I stood rooted to the spot.
She yanked two hundred-dollar bills from her purse and shoved them into my hand.
“Hurry up. Get a lighter and a portable burn barrel. I’m turning this cursed trash into ash right now.”
I gripped the Benjamins tightly and walked out into the cold hallway.
As I pulled the door shut behind me, I saw her pick up my ultrasound photo.
Her sharp nails left a deep scratch across the printed date.
The corridor was deathly quiet.
The overhead motion-sensor light flickered once, then died, plunging the space into darkness.
I leaned heavily against the apartment door, frozen.
A suffocating weight settled on my chest.
This was my home.
I chose the coffee table. I picked out the curtains.
The lush green pothos plant on the media console was something Harrison had bought right after my miscarriage.
He told me that looking at vibrant things would help me heal.
Until today, I genuinely believed he loved me.
The convenience store was only a block away.
The cashier eyed the metal barrel and the lighter, asking if I was setting up a memorial service.
“A memorial for an unborn child,” I thought to myself.
She glanced at me, sensing the heavy silence, and didn’t ask another question.
Carrying the plastic bag back, I reached my floor only to find my front door slightly unlatched.
Voices drifted out through the crack.
It was Harrison.
“Amber, how many times do I have to tell you? Why can’t you just listen to me for once?”
His voice was hushed, but packed with breathless panic.
Amber’s reply came out through thick, hysterical tears.
“Don’t come here? If I didn’t come here, I wouldn’t have realized you’re still obsessed with her!”
“Harrison, tell me the truth. Do you still want her?”
I stood perfectly still in the dimly lit stairwell.
“I…”
Harrison hesitated, his tone wavering before he quickly shifted gears.
“Amber, the corporate situation right now is complicated. It’s not that simple.”
A loud crash echoed as something shattered on the hardwood floor.
Then came Amber’s furious scream:
“You still care about her! You love her!”
“I’m trying to keep your hands clean!”
Harrison’s tone grew desperate, his breathing heavily ragged as he tried to pacify her.
Amber went quiet, thrown off by the intensity in his voice.
Sensing her compliance, Harrison dropped his voice into a low, soothing murmur.
“That toxic woman isn’t worth you getting dirty over.”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to take a trip to the coast?”
“I’ll have my assistant book the flights tomorrow morning.”
“Pick whatever hotel you want. Anything.”
Amber’s sobbing cut off instantly.
“Are you coming with me?”
“I am.”
The sound of rustling clothes and muffled, intimate noises drifted out, indicating she had thrown herself into his arms.
After a few excruciating minutes, the door finally swung wide open.
Amber was leaning heavily against Harrison, tears still staining her face, but a triumphant smirk painted her lips.
Harrison had one arm wrapped tightly around her waist.
His other hand carried her luxury purse.
They stepped out, ready to leave.
Then, Harrison raised his head.
And his eyes locked right onto mine.
