Farewell Kiss

Chapter 1

I’d been chasing after Ethan for three years, proposing three times, only to be rejected each time.

He’d sneer to his buddies, “Every time I see that scar on Ava’s stomach, I’m reminded of the baby she lost, and it just makes me sick.”

My heart ached, but I still asked him a fourth time.

Chapter 1, Part 1

“OMG, check Ethan’s Insta! Mr. Never-Ever-Getting-Married says he wants to tie the knot!”

I stopped frantically rubbing scar cream into my stomach.

My hand trembled as I clicked on his profile.

Sure enough, there it was, a simple post: “Thinking about marriage.”

The group chat exploded.

“No way, did that clingy Ava finally wear him down? I bet she’s pregnant again, trying to trap him.”

“Seriously? That’s so pathetic! I thought she was just lovesick, but she’s totally manipulative!”

I chuckled bitterly, reading the messages.

Yeah, three years of groveling would make anyone look bad.

But I couldn’t care less about their snarky comments.

All I wanted to know was, had Ethan finally said yes?

I bolted from the hospital, grabbed a cab, and headed straight to their party.

Taking a deep breath and plastering a smile on my face, I pushed open the door.

The noisy room went silent.

Ethan stubbed out his cigarette, gestured towards me, and chuckled, “Come here.”

Tears welled up in my eyes. This was it. I’d finally done it.

I took a step forward, but someone bumped into me from behind.

I steadied myself against the doorframe as the girl who’d bumped me walked over to Ethan.

She was pretty, with a girl-next-door vibe.

Ethan pulled her close and announced, “Everyone, meet your new sister-in-law, Jessica. Don’t just stand there, say hello!”

I froze, drenched in icy humiliation.

Everyone exchanged glances.

A few quickly recovered and called out greetings, others followed suit.

I stood there, a clown in a room full of revelers.

How could this be happening?

Desperate, I pulled out the engagement ring and pleaded, “Ethan, please don’t marry her. I’m begging you…”

Jessica glared at me. Ethan released her, tapped his fingers on a side table, and smirked, “Sure.”

He took the ring, and then, without a second thought, tossed it out the window into the Hudson River.

My heart sank with a dull thud that echoed the splash.

That ring was custom-made, a symbol of our love. Now, it was gone.

“Go fetch it, and I’ll marry you.”

He said it as casually as if he’d asked me to pass a napkin.

One of his friends looked at me with pity. “Dude, isn’t that a bit much?”

“Yeah, it’s freezing out. Finding a ring in the river is like finding a needle in a haystack. What if…”

“Who asked for your opinion?” Ethan snapped, then turned to Jessica. “How about we make a bet? How long do you think it’ll take her to fish it out?”

Jessica whispered something in his ear, and they both laughed.

A chill seeped into my bones, shattering what was left of my heart.

As their laughter filled the room, I jumped into the river without hesitation.

The December water was brutal. A metallic taste filled my throat.

The dark depths felt like a monster’s maw, ready to swallow me whole, just like it had swallowed everything years ago.

Ethan, I can’t do this.

But I had to. Marrying him was all I wanted.

I bit my tongue to stay conscious, desperately searching for the lost ring.

Finally, exhausted and numb, I felt myself giving up.

Ethan’s friends pulled me out and wrapped a blanket around me, but I could barely register the warmth. I crawled towards Ethan.

He was kissing Jessica on the couch.

It was a kiss so passionate, it could melt the polar ice caps.

I sat there, shivering, watching.

It felt like an eternity before they finally broke apart.

I raised the ring with a trembling hand. “Ethan, I did it…”

Ethan swatted my hand away and scoffed. “Pathetic!”

“We’re done, Ava.”

His words, dripping with disgust, pierced through the ringing in my ears. The freezing water hadn’t numbed the pain.

Seeing his desperate need to get rid of me, bitterness washed over me.

“Ethan, we used to love each other so much. Why? Why can’t you just love me for a few more days?”

I sobbed, but he just stood up and yelled, “Shut up! Don’t you dare talk about the past.”

“You think you’re still the Ava I used to know? Every time I see that disgusting scar on your stomach, it makes me want to puke!”

“It’s a constant reminder of the baby you lost, a reminder of how tainted you are!”

His words were daggers, twisting in my heart.

Tears mixed with the river water streaming down my face. I clutched the blanket around my stomach, choking back a sob. “It wasn’t like that, Ethan. It wasn’t…”

Chapter 2, Part 2

The scar, a grotesque centipede sprawled across my belly, was undeniably ugly.

But it was a testament to the love we once shared.

Years ago, his mother had disapproved of me, an orphan. Ethan, defying his family, had vowed to marry me anyway.

But on our wedding day, he was in a car accident, and I disappeared.

I returned six months later, with the scar.

Everyone called me a gold digger, saying I’d run off with someone else when Ethan was hurt, only to return after being dumped.

Love had turned to resentment and revenge.

What he didn’t know was that after the accident, he needed a kidney transplant. I’d been the donor and had spent those months recovering in secret.

I couldn’t tell him. I was dying, end-stage renal failure.

I didn’t want him to live with guilt and pain.

I just wanted to spend my remaining days with him, to finally have our wedding.

Now, I had only a week left, and he still wouldn’t marry me.

My sobs filled the room, but Ethan remained unmoved.

He gripped my chin and asked, “Then how was it?”

“I…” I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth.

Ethan snorted, wrapped his arm around Jessica, and left.

I collapsed on the floor.

I woke up in the hospital.

My doctor, Sam Miller, told me that the fever had worsened my condition. Whether I’d survive the night was a toss-up.

I exhaled shakily. “So soon?”

But I hadn’t had my wedding yet.

To die like this, with so much regret…

I managed a weak smile and asked Sam to keep my condition a secret.

Against his protests, I discharged myself and went home.

As soon as I walked in, I saw Ethan sitting on the couch, his face dark.

“Why aren’t you dead yet? What are you doing here?”

I flinched, thinking, I am dying.

Ignoring the familiar pain in my chest, I said, “Ethan, I agree to break up. I won’t bother you anymore.”

“But I have one condition. I want a wedding. We don’t have to get a marriage license, I just want you to put a wedding ring on my finger, like a husband would.”

My voice was small, already anticipating rejection.

But for one last time, I craved a sliver of his affection.

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

His unexpected agreement made my heart flutter.

I quickly added, “After the wedding, I’ll disappear completely, I promise. I won’t interfere with you and Jessica.”

Ethan’s face hardened. “What a deal! Ava, I’ll be sure to play the part of the loving husband at our wedding.”

He emphasized the word “play.”

It was a sharp stab to my heart, but I was content.

Ethan, true to his word, scheduled the wedding for that very night.

It was fitting, I might not even make it to tomorrow.

A metallic taste filled my mouth. I swallowed a handful of pills to suppress the agonizing pain.

Then, I put on my wedding dress and headed to the venue.

But there were no flowers, no guests.

And no Ethan.

Was I late?

I searched the entire hall, panic rising.

Just as I was about to call him, the large screen in the center lit up.

There he was, in a tuxedo, down on one knee, proposing to Jessica.

He said, “Jessica, marry me!”

“I, Ethan, swear before God to love only you, for all eternity. I will never let you down.”

Familiar vows, now weapons piercing my heart.

I collapsed, unable to believe it.

He’d tricked me again, and I’d fallen for it.

Blood welled in my throat, the pain unbearable.

I looked up, desperate for one last glimpse of him.

But it was too late. Darkness consumed me.

I died.

Alone, on a night no one would remember.

Later, an ambulance took me to the hospital.

I floated above, watching Sam desperately trying to revive me, then collapsing in tears.

Thank you, Sam.

I whispered, but he couldn’t hear me.

He checked my phone, then dialed a number on his own. Ethan’s.

“Hello?” Ethan answered quickly.

“Don’t…” I tried to stop Sam from delivering the news, but it was useless.

“Mr. Walker, this is Ava’s doctor. Please, come to the hospital as soon as possible.”

“Her doctor? The hospital?” Ethan chuckled. “So, plan A failed, and now we’re on to the pity play?”

“Is she going to tell me she’s dying?”

“Tell her to go die somewhere else. I don’t want her tainting my life any further.”

Chapter 3, Part 3

Sam hung up, his face etched with disbelief.

I murmured, “Ethan, you still hate me so much.”

It’s for the best. Leaving is the best ending.

But then, I was pulled towards Ethan.

Inside his luxurious villa.

He tossed his phone aside and pushed Jessica onto the couch.

She gasped, her arms wrapping around him.

She pressed her lips against his. “Aren’t you afraid Ava will really get mad and leave? Like, for good this time?”

Ethan smirked. “She didn’t care when she ran off with another guy, leaving me high and dry. Then she comes crawling back, pregnant and dumped, expecting me to pick up the pieces. Like I’m some kind of trash can. It’s disgusting. Why shouldn’t I get revenge?”

He traced his thumb over Jessica’s lips. “I don’t have room for anyone else in my heart, and I certainly don’t have room for betrayal.”

“If she leaves this time, good riddance. It’ll save me the trouble.”

I listened, realizing he was just playing another cruel game. I should have known.

He wanted me gone so badly. Now I was finally dead, no longer a burden.

He should be happy, right?

This was what I wanted too, so why did it still hurt?

Looking at the man I once loved, I whispered, “I wish you happiness. May you always be with the one you love.”

For the next few days, Ethan bounced between clubs and Jessica’s place, never returning to our shared home.

After another night of partying, he and his friends sprawled across the club’s couches.

Someone said, “Dude, that no-show wedding was the perfect revenge on Ava! She’s probably at home crying her eyes out right now.”

Ethan, swirling his drink, agreed, but his expression was hidden in the dim light.

Another friend chimed in, “That gold-digging bitch, she’s probably freaking out, losing her meal ticket. Serves her right.”

“Yeah, you gotta play hard to get with those kinds.”

“Totally, gotta put those clingy types in their place…”

They went on and on.

I stood nearby, listening to their insults, my throat tightening. “Don’t worry, I won’t bother him again.”

I was about to float away for some fresh air when suddenly, BANG!

Ethan’s glass shattered on the floor.

He jumped up, his face a mask of fury. “Shut the hell up!”

Chapter 4, Part 4

Everyone froze.

I stared at Ethan, confused.

He continued, “Ava is my business. Only I get to say those things. What are you doing, talking about her? Don’t you know it’s bad luck to speak ill of the dead?”

His friends stammered apologies.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Sorry, man.”

“Don’t be mad, bro.”

I was stunned, then a bitter laugh escaped my lips. I faded into the shadows.

Life is so ironic. When I wanted to stay with Ethan, I had to leave. Now that I wanted to leave him alone, I was trapped by his side, forced to witness every moment.

That night, Ethan unexpectedly came home.

He tossed and turned in his sleep, waking up suddenly in the middle of the night.

He checked his phone, filled with messages and missed calls from Jessica.

He’d been too drunk last night to go to her place.

He should call her, smooth things over.

But instead, he frowned and blocked her number.

I was puzzled. Weren’t they madly in love?

Then, I saw him scrolling through our old messages.

The last one was from before the wedding.

No matter how he treated me, I’d always text him the next day, trying to gauge his mood, desperate to please him, terrified of losing him.

But it had been five days, and I hadn’t contacted him.

Ethan typed a question mark, then deleted it.

He got out of bed and called for the housekeeper. “Has Ava been back at all?”

The housekeeper replied, “Not since she left in her wedding dress, sir.”

Ethan’s face darkened. “She’s been gone for days, and you didn’t tell me?”

“I…I…” the housekeeper stammered.

They only acted according to his attitude.

He treated me with contempt, so naturally, they followed suit.

I couldn’t blame them.

“Get out.”

He dismissed the housekeeper, sat back on the bed, and muttered, “Gone, huh? Good. Don’t ever come back. You’re nothing but a nuisance.”

I thought I heard a hint of sadness in his voice, but I brushed it off.

How could Ethan, who hated me so much, be sad that I was gone?

Later that night, Ethan drove off, his driving erratic.

I’d never seen him like this, and I was worried.

I yelled, “Ethan, slow down!”

But he couldn’t hear me.

Suddenly, someone ran a red light.

Ethan swerved to avoid them.

He missed the person but was headed straight for a concrete wall.

“Ethan…”

Without thinking, I threw myself in front of him, trying to shield him.

But I was just a ghost, unable to offer any protection.

Crash.

The car slammed into the wall.

An ambulance rushed him to the hospital.

I followed, watching helplessly as they wheeled him into surgery. I held his hand, calling his name.

Thankfully, the airbags had deployed. Ethan was alive, but his legs were badly injured.

After a long night, he finally woke up.

His first words were, “Ava, you came back…”

He looked around, his eyes clouding over. He grabbed the nurse’s arm. “Where’s Ava? Where is she?”

Chapter 5, Part 5

“Who’s Ava?” the nurse asked, confused.

“My girlfri…”

“Ethan…”

His friends walked in, their faces grim. “Ava isn’t here. You’ve been out for 24 hours, and she hasn’t shown up. Looks like she ran off again, just like last time.”

Ethan’s face hardened.

He chuckled dryly. “Of course she did. That’s Ava for you. It’s laughable that I even thought she’d be here…”

I shook my head, desperately trying to reach him. “I’m here, Ethan. I’ve always been here…”

I wanted to tell him I’d never abandoned him, but no matter how loud I yelled, he couldn’t hear me.

I broke down, tears streaming down my face.

Fate was cruel. I was right here, but he couldn’t know.

His friends joined in, cursing me, venting their anger on Ethan’s behalf.

“That shameless gold digger, let her rot!”

“Yeah, good riddance!”

I huddled in the corner, listening to their tirade.

Night fell again.

As I stood up, I realized my form was fading.

Was my time as a ghost running out too?

“Ugh…” Ethan stirred in his sleep, his brow furrowed.

I floated over to soothe him.

He mumbled, “Ava, I hate you!”

My spectral body trembled, a wave of sadness washing over me.

I’m sorry, Ethan.

I failed you again. I’m so sorry…

Tears streamed down my face. Even ghosts could cry.

I raised my hand to wipe them away, noticing my hand was even more transparent.

Was it connected to Ethan’s feelings for me?

The more disappointed and detached he became, the closer I was to disappearing completely.

Ethan… I traced his features, my heart aching with an unbearable longing.

The next morning, the doctor came to check on him.

Ethan insisted on leaving.

His friends tried to dissuade him, but he wouldn’t budge.

I was getting anxious when Sam walked in. “If you have any heart at all, take care of yourself. Don’t waste Ava’s sacrifice.”

Ethan glared at him, his eyes blazing. “So you’re the doctor who’s in on her lies.”

“You call that a sacrifice? She abandoned me when I needed her most, ran off with another man!”

“That lowlife doesn’t deserve a single ounce of my concern!”

I’d heard those words before.

But it still hurt.

Sam, hearing his harsh words, defended me. “Ava isn’t like that. Maybe there’s something you don’t know?”

Ethan scoffed. “What could I possibly not know?”

“That selfish woman deserves to be dead!”

“And I don’t want to hear her name again.”

Every word was a knife twisting in my chest.

I clenched my fists, tears blurring my vision.

Maybe it was for the best. This way, Ethan could forget me and move on.

And then, I could finally disappear.

Ethan discharged himself and went home.

The first thing he did was order all of my belongings to be burned.

“The sight of her things makes me sick.”

The housekeeper, who had just returned, watched as my things were tossed into the fire. “Sir, Miss Ava loved you very much. You were the only one for her.”

She’d been with us the longest, witnessing our early happiness. Even after I returned with a tarnished reputation, she’d seen the things I did for Ethan, the care I’d shown.

“Loved me?” Ethan scoffed. “If she loved me, why did she run off again when I was at my lowest?”

“I…” the housekeeper was speechless.

I was shattered.

“I didn’t, Ethan. I didn’t run. I’ve always been here.”

But he couldn’t hear me.

He angrily picked up a box from the floor.

It was my old photo box, filled with pictures of us.

Us hiking up Mount Washington, pictures at the Grand Canyon, every summit we reached, he’d insisted on taking a photo, saying we’d reminisce when we were old… Those were our happy memories.

“No, don’t burn those…”

I tried to stop him, crying and pleading, tears of blood streaming down my face, but he dumped the photos into the fire.

As the flames consumed them, my form grew fainter, almost transparent.

I was disappearing!

Goodbye, Ethan.

“Ava, loving you was the biggest mistake of my life. I will forget you completely, forever.”

Ethan emptied the box into the flames, his jaw clenched.

Suddenly, he noticed an unmarked envelope inside the box. The fire had burned away the outer layer, revealing the documents inside – a will and an organ donor form.

Chapter 6, Part 6

What’s that?

Ethan, leaning on his cane, reached into the fire and pulled it out.

The donor form was dated the day of his transplant.

The donor…

He scanned the document, his eyes widening. The donor was Ava.

Ethan reeled back. “Ava? How could it be her?”

At that moment, my fading form solidified.

I stared at the documents in disbelief.

I’d sealed them away in the storage room, where no one would ever find them. They shouldn’t be in this box.

I glanced at the tearful housekeeper. She had put them there.

“Ethan…” Jessica appeared, rushing to his side.

“Ethan, what’s wrong? Did you… did you find out about Ava and that guy at the hotel?”

“What are you talking about?” Ethan gripped her shoulders, his eyes bloodshot.

Jessica flinched, pulling out a stack of photos from her coat pocket. “A friend of mine took these. It’s Ava, with another man, checking into a hotel.”

Ethan took the photos. They showed a woman who looked like me, kissing a man, entering a hotel.

“No, that’s not me!” I cried, but no one heard.

“And this…” Jessica pointed to the donor form. “She forged this to gain your sympathy, so she could keep using your money to support her lover.”

“That man confessed everything.”

Ethan looked at the donor form, then at the photos, his face a mask of icy rage. “That woman is truly despicable! She even lied about this.”

“Hah, love or hate, it was all a joke…”

Ethan looked years older. He tossed the photos and the donor documents into the fire.

Then he turned to Jessica. “We’ll have our wedding at the end of the month.”

He still didn’t believe me!

I laughed bitterly, closing my eyes, waiting to fade away.

But then, a familiar pull…

It was his bachelor party.

His friends raised their glasses. “Congrats, Ethan! New beginnings, new love, smooth sailing from here on out!”

“Cheers!”

Ethan held his glass, his expression unreadable.

He thought he’d be happy.

When Ava was clinging to him, he’d been filled with disgust, desperate to get rid of her.

Now that she was gone, his chest felt hollow.

This wasn’t right. That despicable woman didn’t deserve this reaction.

He drained his glass and poured another.

…Later that night.

Ethan stumbled out of the club for some air, bumping into someone.

“Watch where you’re going, asshole!” the man snarled.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. He threw a punch.

The man, caught off guard, roared and signaled to his friends.

Drunk and outnumbered, Ethan was quickly overpowered.

“You son of a bitch, I’ll kill you!”

The man raised his foot, aiming for Ethan’s kidneys.

Ethan braced himself for the blow, but someone suddenly rushed forward and intercepted the kick.

“I’ve called the cops. Think about what you’re doing.”

The men scattered. The newcomer helped Ethan up.

“It’s you!” Ethan recognized Sam, the doctor who’d lied for Ava.

Sam turned to leave.

“Wait…” Ethan called out.

Sam stopped. “Don’t thank me. I didn’t save you for your sake. I just didn’t want Ava’s precious gift to go to waste.”

Ethan froze, then scoffed. “There you go again! I told you, she’s a liar, the most deceitful, disgusting person on earth!”

“What gift? It was all lies and deception!”

Sam shook his head. “You believe anything anyone tells you. You’re an idiot!”

Then he looked up at the sky and murmured, “And she was even more of an idiot for sacrificing so much for you.”

I opened my mouth, speechless.

He wasn’t wrong.

Three days ago, I’d faded because of Ethan’s hatred. It was Sam’s concern for his patient that brought me back.

I was pulled to his side, and he was drinking, holding my picture.

He was hoping I’d come back to life, while also cursing me for giving him another task.

I hadn’t realized my death had affected him so much.

At the time, I was foolishly hoping to see Ethan again.

And now, tonight, Sam had run into him.

But before I could rejoice at this reunion, I heard Ethan’s hateful words.

He’d truly let me go.

Then I should let go too.

Ethan called Sam crazy and walked away.

I instinctively started to follow, but Jessica rushed to his side.

“Ethan, you’re hurt!” She fussed over him, her face full of concern. Ethan pulled her close and kissed her.

I clenched my fists and turned to leave with Sam.

I didn’t see Ethan push Jessica away.

“I had a bit too much to drink. I’m going home. You should too.”

Chapter 7, Part 8

After Jessica left, Ethan leaned against the wall, smoking, thinking about Sam’s words and the donor form.

Logically, he knew he couldn’t have been wrong about Ava.

But he decided to investigate.

He called his assistant. “Find out who my kidney donor was. And find out who Ava ran off with, both then and now.”

Ava, you lied to everyone about your sacrifice. I want to see your face when your lies are exposed.

The wedding plans continued.

Ethan and Jessica went to a bridal shop.

Jessica chose a moon-white mermaid gown. “Do you like it, Ethan?”

Ethan blinked, then grimaced. “It’s hideous. It doesn’t suit you. Pick something else.”

I stood beside them, looking at the dress I’d chosen years ago. He must have hated it because it reminded him of me.

“What are you doing here?” Ethan turned and saw Sam. “You’re everywhere!”