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

Chapter 5

My eyes lit up. Was Liam finally starting to get suspicious?

Mr. Barrett placed a cup of coffee on Liam's desk. "Sir, did Mrs. Hawthorne do something to upset you?"

Liam stayed silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes. "Mr. Barrett, have you noticed anything unusual about her lately?"

Mr. Barrett hesitated. "Yes, sir. About a month ago, her appetite increased. She started eating nearly twice as much as she usually does."

Liam's brow furrowed as Mr. Barrett continued. "But the week before you came back from France, her intake dropped sharply, she went from eating three bowls of food to barely half. When I asked, she said she just wasn't hungry."

"Also, since your return, the shampoo and body wash in the master bathroom have been running out in less than two weeks. Mrs. Hawthorne used to be very frugal with them, one bottle would usually last six months."

I hadn't noticed those little details before. Back when I was living paycheck to paycheck, I stretched every product as far as I could. Even after marrying into the Hawthorne family, I hadn't quite shaken the habit.

I never imagined something so small could hint at my fate.

I leaned in closer, eager to hear more.

Liam folded his hands on the desk, looking contemplative. "When I was away on my business trip, the jade pendant I always wear... it shattered."

What pendant? Was it the one he always wore around his neck?

Mr. Barrett looked surprised. "The jade pendant?"

Liam opened a drawer and pulled out the broken pieces. "When my parents died, the pendant cracked. But this time, it broke completely in two."

Mr. Barrett picked it up and examined it closely. "There are two fine cracks branching off from it," he murmured.

Liam's face darkened. "Ever since that day, I've had this weird, uneasy feeling."

He rubbed his fingers together, a small gesture he always made when he was stressed.

Seeing him like that stirred something in me.

He'd felt something when his parents passed.

Had he felt something when I died? When our children died?

Could he be starting to see me as part of his family?

Could he be my second real family, after Grandma Dawson?

That night, Liam didn't return to the master bedroom. He stayed in his study instead.

Nina, growing impatient from waiting, stormed out and launched into another rant at me. She blamed me for not winning Liam's heart during the two years we were married, leaving her to suffer in this cold, loveless relationship now.

I didn't care about her complaints. I had bigger things to focus on.

I made my way to the study, quietly opening the door.

Maybe Liam was starting to notice that Nina wasn't really me, or maybe he was getting suspicious about her motives. That could explain why he wasn't sleeping with her.

Either way, I had to take my chance now. He was my only shot at preventing my body from being destroyed.

If I waited any longer, I might be turned into nothing but dust.

Liam was leaning back on the sofa, reviewing some business reports.

I floated closer, my gaze landing on the scar on his ear.

That scar was his most sensitive spot. I'd once brushed against it by accident, and he grabbed my wrist so fast, I thought he'd snap it. It had been the only time he'd ever touched me, and it scared me enough to keep my distance from him for a while.

Mr. Barrett had told me the story later.

When Liam was a teenager, living abroad with his mother, they struggled financially. To help, he'd taken odd jobs after school. One night, while walking home late, he crossed paths with a notorious serial killer who collected victims' ears as trophies.

Liam had been tortured in a basement, and just as the killer was about to cut off his ear, the police arrived and saved him at the last moment.

Since then, his ear had been a sensitive, untouchable subject.

After learning that, I never again misinterpreted his reaction as abuse.

I blew gently on the scar, but he didn't react.

Frustrated, I took a deep breath and blew harder this time. His hand hesitated slightly as he turned a page.

He paused, his eyes scanning the room before landing on my direction.

I waved my hand in front of his face, eager. "Liam! Can you feel me?"

His expression was serious as his gaze flicked to where I stood. Then he shook his head, muttering, "She's asleep in the bedroom. Why does it feel like she's right here?"

He rubbed his temples, his eyes closing in frustration. "I must be under too much pressure lately."

Even though I hadn't fully connected with him yet, I couldn't help the rush of excitement.

He could sense something.

Maybe, just maybe, if I kept trying, I'd figure out how to communicate with him properly next time.