Sister Took My Face... But Not My Husband's Secrets

Chapter 3

The Dawsons only sent money for the first few years. After that, it was Grandma Dawson who paid for everything herself, scrimping and saving just to keep me alive.

They only remembered me when they needed someone to blame. To use.

Mrs. Jenkins broke the silence, suggesting, "Maybe you should wash your hair again. Could be leftover shampoo from your place, still lingering."

Nina wasn't having it. "Sarah wasn't picky about these things. She used whatever Hawthorne Holdings gave her. She wasn't as particular as you are."

Nina's lips tightened, clearly irritated. "I wash my hair every day, why isn't it gone yet? I'll wash it again later."

Nina dismissed Mrs. Jenkins with a sharp wave, and then, once alone, dialed a number on her phone.

"Master Evans, have you trapped Sarah's ghost like you promised?" she asked, voice low and demanding.

I hovered near the phone, listening closely to the reply that crackled through the speaker.

"Don't worry, I've bound her soul to the amulet. She won't even have a chance to reincarnate!" the voice on the other end reassured.

I rolled my eyes, floating around the room in a blur of frustration.

Master or not, the man had no spine. His voice sounded more like a salesman desperately trying to sell a product that didn't work.

Liam didn't come back for a few days.

Nina waited, tapping her fingers anxiously on the table as 8 p.m. rolled around, the dishes she'd picked out laid out in front of her.

I couldn't help but stare at the spread, my mouth watering.

It wasn't that Liam and I didn't have common ground, when it came to food, we were definitely on the same page.

Nina poked at a few vegetables and a piece of meat, setting her fork down after just a few bites.

She was always so strict about keeping her figure, barely eating enough for a snack. She wouldn't even finish a portion that small, her daily intake probably wouldn't fill me up for an hour.

Not only did she obsess over how food was prepared, but she had this ridiculous rule of not eating after 6 p.m.

Grandma Dawson used to say, "If you can eat, it's a blessing." I never held back when it was time to eat.

Mrs. Collins made the best honey garlic chicken, and the smell had me practically drooling. It was hard to watch Nina sit there without truly enjoying it.

Liam paused, eyeing Nina. "You don't like the food?"

Nina gave him a sweet smile. "I haven't had much of an appetite lately."

Liam studied her for a beat, then raised an eyebrow. "Funny, the housekeeper mentioned your appetite's been better while I've been away. Seems to have disappeared now that I'm home."

Nina quickly shook her head. "I think it's just the heat. I'm probably dehydrated or something."

Liam looked down at the table for a second, then said, "Lightheadedness, lack of appetite... we'll get you checked out tomorrow."

Nina hesitated for a split second, but then nodded with a smile.

She probably figured, as long as they weren't sending her to a plastic surgeon, she didn't have much to worry about.

After all, only three people knew what had really happened to me.

Hawthorne Holdings owned several hospitals, so anytime I needed care, I'd go there and have it billed to Liam.

But what shocked me the most was that Liam actually went with Nina for the checkup.

The doctor handed Liam the report. "Mr. Hawthorne, here's Mrs. Hawthorne's full medical report. She's in excellent health."

"I remember when she first came here two years ago, she had several vitamin deficiencies. But everything looks normal now. She's been taking her supplements regularly."

When I first married into this family, I was constantly sick. The doctor had recommended a full-body checkup, and it turned out my health issues were just malnutrition. The hospital had me on a cocktail of supplements to help.

But I hated the idea of living on meds, so once I felt better, I stopped.

The results? Who knew, but Nina was sitting here, looking perfectly healthy, well-fed and pampered.

Liam flipped through the report casually, but then his hand paused as he turned the page.

I floated over, eager to peek at the details, but Liam quickly turned it over.

After reading it, he looked up, his voice serious. "These symptoms, aren't they typically linked to pregnancy?"

I almost choked in disbelief. Even though he wasn't talking about me, it was too much. He knew I'd always been on birth control, and with my circulation problems and chronic weakness, the idea of pregnancy was a joke.

The doctor shook his head. "It's just been a hot summer. A lot of people are feeling off. I'll prescribe some peppermint tea for Mrs. Hawthorne. She'll feel better after finishing a box."

Liam stared down at the report, clearly lost in thought, while Nina picked up on the tension and grew visibly uneasy.

She grabbed her prescription from the nurse and quickly rushed to interrupt. "Liam, is there something wrong with me?"

The doctor repeated his earlier statement, and Nina finally seemed to relax.

Then, her phone buzzed, her parents were inviting her over for dinner. Liam, ever the gentleman, said he'd go with her.

I floated into the car, tagging along, still feeling like something was off with Nina.

Liam was no fool. He wasn't the type to waste his time without a reason.

This was his first time visiting the Dawsons' house.

My parents were thrilled, too thrilled. Their fake flattery made my skin crawl as they welcomed him.

As they all sat in the living room, I was stuck within the invisible ties that kept me bound to Nina. I couldn't wander too far.

My mother held Nina's hand, her eyes scanning her with that fake concern. "Are you comfortable at the Hawthornes? Sleeping okay?"

I couldn't stand watching her fawn over Nina like that.

I looked toward the old storage shed in the backyard, a cold shiver crawling up my spine.

It was in that shed that they'd tricked me, sent the staff home, then killed me, stuffing my body in a freezer they had waiting.

I had to know if I was still there.

If only Liam would take me away from this nightmare.

At that moment, my mother shot my father a meaningful look, and he quickly invited Liam into the study for tea and a game of chess.