Death Is Where You’re Missing

He had become a renowned surgeon.

The illness that had once nearly defeated him had become a condition he could cure.

The future we had once dreamed of together had come true for him.

On the other hand, I had no future left.

His interviews were everywhere. They were on TV, in newspapers, and all over social media. Everyone praised him for his talent and bright future.

A strange, bitter feeling crept over me.

Yet, I felt a faint trace of happiness too.

At least his future was bright.

The sudden ringing of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. It was the bank.

They told me the transfer of one hundred thousand dollars had been a mistake. I had to return the money immediately. If I failed to return it, they would take legal action.

After hanging up, I lay on my bed and stared at the stained ceiling. My mouth was filled with unbearable bitterness. It was like I had swallowed something vile.

After a long while, I called Lily and asked her to help me find a job.

Roman must have done this on purpose.

Since he thought I loved money so much, he must have wanted to see me experience the disappointment of gaining it, losing it, and then struggling to pay it back.

Because of my health, I could not apply for just any job.

I was unable to handle heavy labor, nor could I endure exhaustion or stress. There were too many jobs I simply could not do.

As Lily put it, at least I still had my looks.

And so, I ended up taking a part-time job at a high-end business club.

The pay was good. It was fifty dollars an hour.

That night, I dressed in an elegant gown and stood at the entrance to greet guests.

That was when I saw Roman again.

He wore an expensive suit, which made him look even more handsome and strikingly confident.

Blake was dressed in a custom-made gown. Every movement she made was elegant and breathtaking.

Roman opened the car door for her, then took her hand and led her inside.

I could only stand at the entrance, smile, and bow to them.

At first, Roman did not notice me. But just as I lowered my head, Blake suddenly spoke.

“Bring my suitcase inside. Be careful. Everything inside is extremely valuable.”

I was not in a position to refuse.

As soon as I lifted the suitcase, I realized how heavy it was.

With my current strength, I simply could not carry it all the way to the guest room.

Sure enough, I lost my balance and fell. The suitcase burst open and spilled everything inside.

“Oh no! My Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry!”

Blake’s sharp gasp drew everyone’s attention to me.

Roman frowned as he looked at me. Blake’s eyes were filled with contempt.

Without warning, she shoved me. Her long nails dug into my skin. It sent a sharp pain through my arm.

“Where’s the manager? Is this how you treat your guests?”

She looked furious, but I could see the smugness in her smile.

Roman took a small step forward as if he was going to help me up. But he hesitated and withdrew his hand.

He raised a hand and stopped the approaching manager. Then, he raised an eyebrow and looked at me.

“That was very rude of you, Celeste.”

Blake gasped and pretended to have just recognized me. She immediately pulled me to my feet.

“Celeste, I never thought I’d see you here. Even if you’re Roman’s ex, you shouldn’t be working as a hostess. Shouldn’t you be doing something more respectable?”

Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.

The room instantly filled with mocking laughter.