Sue was the one who hinted to Howard that everything was part of my plan, yet here she was, pretending to be innocent. "I think Marlena and Xander didn't mean to take me; they were just desperate… After all, you're Marlena's husband and Xander's brother. You should care a little."
Howard's expression softened at that. "Sue, you're so understanding." Then his expression shifted into one of frustration. "Marlena is such a drama queen! Your leg was injured so badly, and she still called me, asking me to apologize to her. She's definitely looking for a scolding!"
Sue feigned innocence. "Marlena just loves you so much. I'm not blaming her or Xander."
"You shouldn't always give in to her! She only teams up with Xander to bully you because she thinks you're easy to push around! That's what I hate most about her!"
I wanted to argue, but when I realized I was just a soul, my hand hung limply at my side.
I didn't like Sue.
I remembered the time a pervert appeared outside our dance studio. Not wanting Howard to worry, I kept telling Howard I had company with me.
Sue, however, called him late at night, saying she was scared alone in the studio.
Xander needed a guardian to go with him to see a psychologist, yet Sue always seemed to "coincidentally" meet him outside the hospital, chatting with him for hours, resulting in Howard missing Xander's appointment.
I wanted to clarify things with Sue at first, but she'd arrogantly laughed and said, "You're just a hag, and Xander's an idiot. How could you two possibly matter more to Howard than me? Don't talk about him just accompanying me—he'd even kill you for me without hesitation."
As she spoke, she ripped apart the teddy bears we had all bought and dressed up.
In a fit of anger, Xander pushed Sue.
Howard happened to witness it.
He slapped me twice. "Not only are you jealous, but you also dared to incite Xander to hit someone! Sue and I are history; stop trying to pick a fight!"
I wanted to explain, but Sue was on her knees, crying and saying it was her fault, that she shouldn't have come back to the country and caused trouble.
Howard, whose heart ached for her, said that I was vicious...
How I wanted to tell him that the vicious one was someone else. But I could only watch them both stay together in my wedding room.
Every day, Howard would stay up late chatting with Sue, wishing each other goodnight, as happy as if they were bees in a honey pot.
Meanwhile, when my mother was called to the police station, her face turned pale, and she couldn't believe that the disfigured body in the morgue was mine.
"This... This can't be my Marlena. My daughter was just invited by the Morsee Dance Troupe and was on vacation with her brother-in-law!"
The police, showing their sympathy, reluctantly pulled back the white cloth covering the body.
The tattoo on my arm was immediately visible.
With a scream, Mom lost consciousness. When she woke up, she immediately tried to contact Howard despite the heartache.
"You heartless beast! You lied to me, saying my daughter was still alive! You threw my daughter and your brother to a group of inhumane kidnappers while you went off to live it up with that skank. You might as well kill yourself!"
When Howard heard my mother accuse Sue, his face, once gentle, turned dark with anger. He sneered. "How much longer will you go on with this? Marlena already tried acting to get me two million to help your company, and you're still putting on an act with her? Pretending to be hurt isn't enough for her anymore, huh? She's even pretending to be dead!
"I'll tell you, Marlena is a malicious woman, and even if she's really dead, she deserves it!"
My mother, enraged, screamed incoherently over the phone.
Howard impatiently massaged his forehead and hung up the call, then turned smilingly at Sue as he explained, "Marlena's schemes are too much. She even got her mom to help her lie to me. For that tiny sum of money, her mom actually said Marlena was dead. It's disgusting!"
Sue's eyes lit up, "So... Are you going to stay with Marlena?"
Howard frowned and uttered in a conflicted voice, "Honestly, she treats me well. She's been with me all this time..."
Indeed, we were married for three years after dating for two. I had always been Howard's virtuous wife.
To make sure Howard could focus on work, I willingly took care of the autistic Xander and went everywhere in search of doctors for Xander. When his parents were unwell, I took care of them too.
His current hesitation probably wasn't out of love, but because he couldn't bear to lose me as a convenient caregiver.
When Sue heard this, her face darkened. She was about to say something more when Howard's phone rang.
It was his father, Frank Jenne.
"Howard! How could I have such a heartless son? Your brother and Marlena are dead, and you act like it's nothing!"
Howard was stunned for a moment, then smiled in disbelief. "Dad, are you also going along with Marlena's family's act?"
"'Act?'" Frank was speechless from anger. "Who would risk their life for an act?
"They're dead! Your wife! Your brother! They're dead because of you!"
Howard's expression turned rigid when he heard his father's words.
