They Pawned My Health For Her Happiness. And Now I’m Dead Chapter 03

They Pawned My Health For Her Happiness. And Now I’m Dead Chapter 03

“I still have that video of her being hurt.”

“If she doesn’t want everyone to see it, she’d better behave.”

My mother hesitated. Just for a second. Then it was gone.

“That’s one way to handle it,” she said.

“As long as she stays in line, we won’t release it.”

Luca gently closed the bedroom door. His voice was firm,

“As long as Nova doesn’t cause trouble, she keeps her place as Mrs. Sterling.”

“All I ask is that she never hurts Celine or the child.”

My throat tightened. I swallowed over and over, but nothing helped.

I covered my mouth and dry-heaved.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Iris.

The look on her face hit me hard. I couldn’t get it out.

My voice came out raw, scraped like sandpaper.

“Iris. I did it for you.”

I did it to save you. And they did this to me.

But those words—like me—just faded into the air.

No one heard a thing.

That night, I curled up in a corner.

The emotions hit hard, relentless.

Then I heard that voice again,

“They pawned your things.”

“What price do you want them to pay?”

—

Next morning. Everyone went with Celine to her checkup.

She’d barely stepped into the exam room when Luca’s phone rang.

“Hello, is this Mr. Sterling, Nova’s husband?”

I recognized Blair’s voice immediately.

Luca frowned. Took his time answering.

“Yes.”

“I’m glad I finally reached you.” Blair’s voice cracked,

“Nova was in a car accident yesterday. She’s gone.”

“Her phone’s shattered. The hospital couldn’t reach anyone.”

“They asked me to find out—when can you come pick her up?”

“She was on her way home—”

Before she could finish, Iris let out a laugh.

She grabbed the phone. Smiled,

“Hey sis. How much did you pay for this performance? By the hour, or per scene?”

“Nova really knows how to spend. She could’ve just sent the money home.”

“We could’ve bought some better prenatal vitamins.”

Those few words did the job.

All the shock and panic on my parents’ and Luca’s faces vanished.

Replaced by annoyance. Indignation.

Blair went quiet on the other end.

“I’m telling you, Nova is really—”

“Enough.” Luca said, “Tell Nova to drop these cheap tricks.”

My mother chimed in, “And tell her—how did she get this low?”

“She’s been gone a few months, and she’s already this shameless?”

My father was furious. Face dark red.

“Ungrateful child! Even if she were really dead, we wouldn’t bother picking her up!”

I’d expected all of this. But hearing it out loud still made me ache.

“Nova might’ve figured something out,” Celine said after the call hung up.

My parents’ faces went pale.

Luca’s jaw tightened, “Celine and the child’s safety. That comes first.”

Iris thought for a moment.

“I’ll pawn that video. If Nova ever does anything to hurt Celine, it’ll destroy her.”

The lights in the exam room stayed on.

My mother glanced that way, worried. But she nodded,

“That’s what we should do. Celine and the child can’t be at risk.”

—

I watched them. Discussing how to ruin me.

Maybe I’d been through too much.

Maybe my heart was too broken to break again.

I felt nothing. Just calm.

Even when Luca said he’d do it himself—pawn the video, as her husband.

I just swallowed my tears. And let myself laugh.

He walked out of the hospital.

I followed. Watched him walk into that pawn shop like he’d been there a hundred times.

Then he played the video.

My screams filled the room. Raw. Desperate.

And he stood there. Face completely still.

My heartbeat spiked. Hate surged through me.

“Turn it off!”

I lunged at him—but my hands passed right through his body.

Trapped. I couldn’t breathe.

“I want to pawn this video,” Luca said.

The last of his hesitation faded.

“I want it ready to appear on every phone.”

“If Nova ever does anything to harm Celine.”