No More Mr. Nice Husband

Jacob refused to accept that Hannah was gone. He had only been on a business trip for three days. Before the trip, they had talked about their future together and imagined the life they would build as a family of three.

When he learned the truth from his parents, he wiped his tears and quietly arranged the funeral with me.

No one thought to inform Lauren, especially after finding out that she had been at a hotel across from the hospital, having dinner with Isaac and his family. She did not even bother to check if the news was true.

Even Gina lost faith in her.

Of course, I would never let Lauren miss something this important. The day before Hannah's burial, I made sure someone told her.

It drizzled that morning. I stood beside my car, holding an umbrella, watching people carry Hannah's casket out from the funeral home. In my past life, this was the day Jacob had hacked me to death with a knife, my blood mixing with the rainwater to create a red carpet for Hannah.

Before the casket even made it through the doorway, Lauren's car screeched to a halt. She stormed out, running toward me furiously.

I stared at her blankly. I did not even manage to say anything yet when she slapped my face hard.

She glared at the memorial photo I was holding and hissed, "You rat! You did all this just to trick me into coming back?"

I fell to the ground. The photo frame slipped from my hands and landed in the mud, covering half of Hannah's face. Only her cold eyes were visible, quietly staring at Lauren as if watching everything unfold.

Lauren's eyes turned bloodshot, filled with fury, or maybe fear. She looked nothing like the gentle, poised doctor she once was, more like a madwoman losing control. "You animal! I'll make you pay for lying to me, for cursing Hannah! I'll beat you to death!"

I did not fight back, letting Lauren punch and kick me while I stared at Hannah's photo.

'Look closely, Hannah. Remember who your real enemy is. When you get to the other side and complain to the powers that be, don't accuse the wrong person.'

"Enough! What are you doing?!"

People inside the funeral home heard the commotion and rushed out.

Patrick shoved Lauren away and shouted through his tears, "You monster! Hannah could've been saved! We called you so many times... Gina was practically on her knees begging you! Just because that rat said one thing, you refused to save her! You killed Hannah, and now you dare show up at her funeral to cause a scene? What do you want?!"

Lauren stumbled backward a few steps, fear showing through her forced composure. "Uncle Patrick, what are you talking about? How could Hannah be dead? He's lying! You're all lying! Are you just pitying him because he's sick, and that's why you're playing along with his lies?"

I curled up, letting the rain pour down my face.

So, Lauren had known I was sick at this point.

"You're all lying to me! I want to see Hannah!" Lauren shouted as she tried to rush into the funeral home. "Hannah! Hannah!"

However, she froze the next moment.

The black casket, carried by eight men, was slowly lifted out the door.