The Day I Died, He Married Her

Chapter 16

Ethan Winters built a beautiful tombstone for me, and beside it, he erected a memorial for our daughter.

I was pleased.

Knowing how much I loved beauty, he adorned the grave with fresh flowers. From afar, it looked like a field of white camellias blooming in the wilderness—stunningly beautiful.

I realized it was time for me to say goodbye.

Ethan still had his path ahead, and I—I was about to embrace a wonderful afterlife.

I went to see him one last time.

It was another snowy night, the coldest of winter.

He sat alone in his room, clutching the clay figurine I had once given him. Motionless behind his desk, he stared at a framed photograph.

It was a picture of us together.

In it, I was fifteen or sixteen, shyly nestled in his arms, my cheeks flushed like the first blush of dawn on pink roses.

The frame was old, its edges chipped and worn.

It was clear how often he had held it, tracing its surface over the years.

So, all this time, he had loved me.

After he fell asleep, I entered his dreams.

The dream was set in our bright, youthful school days.

I stood beneath the school building in a white dress, watching as Ethan, dressed in a crisp white shirt, walked through the crowd, holding Lily Evans' hand.

I froze, staring at him in disbelief.

Why?

Why was he dreaming of this moment?

From a distance, Ethan spotted me and went still.

Then, he let go of Lily's hand and ran toward me with everything he had.

He pulled me into a crushing embrace, his ragged breaths hot against my ear.

I could feel his overwhelming grief and regret.

"Rachel!"

His chin rested on my shoulder as he sobbed like a wounded child, tears and sstreaking his face.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong."

"I won't lie to you anymore. Let's just be together. Next year, when our baby is born, we'll get married."

"I'll give you the grandest wedding, and our family of three will never be apart again."

Finally, I understood why he dreamed of this day.

He, too, regretted the choice he had made.

This day had been the fork in the road of our fate.

Had he been tormented by it all this time?

So much so that even in his dreams, he longed to return—to change his decision and rewrite our story.

I gently pushed him away and quietly studied his tear-reddened eyes before pointing at Lily beside him.

"Ethan, who is she?"

His lips trembled as he spoke new lines.

"Her name is Lily. Just a friend."

"And me?"

"Rachel, you're the love of my life."

"In this lifetime, I'll only ever love you."

I gazed at his handsome face, still as pure and youthful as I remembered.

He was the boy I had loved most.

And suddenly, I felt at peace.

This day had been his torment—and my obsession.

But now, hearing his answer, I could finally let go.

As for the truth behind why he had insisted on breaking up back then—I no longer cared.

Death was the end of all things.

I was gone.

The past was the past, and there was no need to revisit it.

Smiling, I cupped Ethan's face and wiped his tears.

"Ethan, don't cry."

"Rachel came to say goodbye."

He stiffened, as if sensing something, and gripped my hand desperately.

"Rachel, where are you going?"

"It's time for me to leave," I said sweetly. "When I was alive, I couldn't bear to be apart from you. I just wanted to see you, even from afar."

"But now that I'm gone, it's time for me to see the world beyond."

"No!" He clung to me stubbornly, like a petulant child. "Rachel, I won't let you go!"

Rising onto my toes, I pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"Ethan, forget me."

Then I dissolved into mist, vanishing before his eyes.

In the dark room, I hovered in the air, watching the man on the bed, his face streaked with tears.

"Rachel…" His brows furrowed as he murmured my name.

I drifted closer and wrapped my arms around him in an unseen embrace.

"Ethan, Rachel will always love you."