I died in the year I loved him the most. He abandoned billions of wealth and perished with me in the fire. Upon awakening, I found myself back ten years, to the time when we had just gotten married and I couldn't stand him.
I rushed to his office and upon seeing him, I choked out, "Richard, I'm sorry."
He was momentarily stunned before he wore a melancholic look and asked, "What is it this time? How are you going to torment me again?"
I remembered that Richard didn't make it out when the final explosion occurred.
Always neat and tidy, he knelt beside me and said, "Sandra, don't be afraid, I'm here with you."
He was 38 that year, and he died with me in the fire.
The summer evening was fading, the setting sun outside the window was blood-red.
The stifling wind blew into the room.
I woke up from a dream, sitting on the bed in a daze.
The ticking of the clock in the corner echoed, the calendar was quietly lying on the desk.
"Mrs. Cooper, Mr. Cooper just called and said he won't be home tonight," Mary, the maid's voice came from the living room, calm and peaceful.
I lowered my head, looking at the brand new wedding ring on my ring finger, and closed my eyes.
I had somehow gone back ten years.
The raging fire before my death and the warm, strong embrace were so real.
In the end, Richard was still telling me, "Sandra, don't be afraid, I've waited for you too long in this life. In the next life, I'll find you earlier."
Was this a dream or reality?
I pinched myself, feeling a dull pain spreading from my thigh.
The sound of a horn outside the window jolted my chaotic thoughts awake.
After the shock, a continuous wave of heartache and bitterness followed.
A man-made misunderstanding had made me despise Richard for many years.
During that time, his competitors used every means to suppress him, leaving him breathless.
I was cold to him at home, so he didn't always come home.
Richard's parents died early, and he had no relatives.
He spent half his life alone, guarding a business empire.
Later, the misunderstanding was cleared up, we had half a year of happiness, and even had a child.
But before I had a chance to tell him I was pregnant, he died tragically.
"Mrs. Cooper, the flowers have arrived, are you ready to leave?" Mary came in and asked me.
"What?"
My mind was still in a state of confusion.
"The flowers, weren't you going to visit Mr. Spark?"
Bill Spark...
Upon hearing this name, I was taken aback.
Suddenly, I found a clue in the mess.
So, it was that day.
Bill was my childhood friend, and a very gifted actor.
Unfortunately, due to a tragic "accident", he suffered severe burns all over his body and had to be hospitalized for a long time.
On this day in my previous life, I had brought a bouquet of flowers to the hospital to celebrate Bill's birthday. When I left the hospital, I saw Richard sitting in his car, oblivious to the cigarette that had burnt down to its end in his fingertips. I didn't want to explain anything, nor did I even want to see him.
"Sandra."
Richard noticed me, stubbed out his cigarette, got out of the car, his tone desolate.
"Today is my birthday."
I stopped, turned around, and looked at him coldly, "So what?"
Richard looked at me, silent.
I said, "Today is also Bill's birthday. You ruined his face and his future just to marry me. What more do you want from me?"
Richard opened his mouth, helplessly saying, "It was just an accident…"
"If you hadn't invited him that day, he wouldn't be lying in the hospital now. How do you expect me to believe it was an accident?"
Richard fell silent, and in the end, he said to me, "I'm sorry."
From that day on, my relationship with Richard took a nosedive, and a long, torturous cold war began.
Later, I found out that the "accident" that even Richard thought was real was nothing more than a plot by some people to drive a wedge between him and me.
