The Substitute's Last Dance novel Chapter 8

My body had already begun to rot, maggots writhing in the wounds.

My hair had grown long, covering my chest, and the crushed amulet still hung

around my neck.

Thankfully, the amulet was made of silver, so the thugs hadn’t taken it.

Otherwise, with my face so disfigured, no one would have recognized me.

Jackson leaned on the metal railing for support, struggling to get up from the floor.

He reached out, trying to touch the slight curl of my lips.

His eyes were red, and tears—cheap, worthless tears—fell one by one.

“How could this…”

“This can’t be…”

He grabbed Zoey by the collar, his face twisted in madness as he demanded,

“Where’s Jenna? I’ll apologize to her, okay? Does she think this is funny?”

Zoey shook off his grip in disgust and pointed at the amulet, sneering, “Do you really

think she would use your baby to play games? Have you been a monster for so long

that you’ve forgotten how normal people think?”

Jackson recoiled as if shocked, his hand dropping away.

He finally remembered—this amulet was the one he had bought late at night,

pounding on the door of a jewelry store until they opened.

After Rachel had crushed it, I had searched every jeweler I could find to get it barely

restored to this state.

He once told me to throw it away, promising to buy a bigger, more expensive one,

but I stubbornly refused.

“If you replace it, it won’t be the same. It’s not about the money—once it’s melted

down and remade, it’s gone.”

I had once looked up to him, worshipped him like he was a star in the sky.

Even after fifteen years by his side, I still felt like I had somehow intruded into his life.

So when he rekindled his old flame with Rachel, I kept retreating, hoping he would at

least leave me a small place in his life.

When I was on the brink of death, he was pouring his heart out to his first love.

When I became a lost soul, he was with Rachel, sharing our marital bed.

But now that I’m truly dead, who is this performance for?

I am nothing but bones and dust, and you, Jackson, are preparing for your wedding

night.

The woman who once abandoned all pride and dignity just to love you…

You’ve already pushed her into the grave with your own hands.