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Police cuffed him on the spot,slapping Emily's death certificate in his face.
On camera,he lost it—laughing,raking his hair,muttering to himself.
His eyes were red and bulging,but no tears fell.
Two days later,news said he'd vanished.
Nowhere to be found—not at the company,not with Vanessa.
Even when Vanessa was hospitalized,he didn't show up.
Only I knew—he'd lost his mind.
That night,I was asleep when he broke into my room,dragging me out.
As he yanked me along,he shouted like a madman.
"Emily Harper,if you don't show up,I'll kill your precious sister!"
He locked me in the Harper House,starving me.
He knew I was a foodie—one missed meal,and I'd get irritable.
Emily knew it best.
Once,I skipped dinner for work.
Emily got up at midnight,cooked,and brought it to me,forcing me to eat.
Nathan,back then,was jealous,whining that she never once cooked for him.
Later,he pestered her for a month's worth of meals,gaining a few pounds.
When reporters asked about this,he bragged smugly.
"Jealous?Too bad,you don't have her."
Emily felt so happy,she would cook for him whenever she could after that.
Then one day,he was eating her food as usual when a talent show was on air on the TV.
Vanessa Lane,back from abroad,was the crowd's darling.
The first time I saw her face,I thought she was Emily looking in a mirror.
After that,Nathan stopped eating Emily's food.
I thought he'd divorce for his first love,but he didn't.
He swore he wasn't cheating,told Emily not to be jealous.
Yet he kept sparking rumors with Vanessa,contradicting himself.
That day,Emily brought me food when I was working overtime.
But she caught him hugging Vanessa in a stairwell.
Outside,his yelling snapped me back to my surroundings.
I saw him,deranged,screaming at a camera.
"Emily Harper,come back,or I'll starve your sister to death!"
He bought ingredients,mimicking Emily's cooking.
He was sharp—his first try smelled just like hers.
Done,he turned to me.
"Why aren't you drooling already?"
I had no self-control around Emily's food—its scent alone made my mouth water.
But now,I didn't even throw a single glance at the dishes.
He grew more agitated,insisting if I didn't act hungry,Emily wouldn't appear.
He placed my favorite dish of tomato and ribs in front of me.
Normally,my eyes would light up,even at my lowest.
But now,I only frowned.
It smelled like rotten leaves,making me want to throw up.
Nathan's expression turned strange,his eyes locking onto me.
I pointed out,"Your phone's been ringing forever.Answer it or turn it off—it's annoying."
He stared at me,mumbling,"Your sister hated phone ringtones too..."
I mocked,"Two years gone,and you remember her quirks?That's new."
He added,"She talked like you do."
I stopped talking,turning to the TV,thumb rubbing my earlobe absentmindedly.
He lunged at me suddenly,pinning my shoulders."What game are you two playing at?Why are you mimicing her?"
He ranted,"She wants to thrwo up at the smell of cooked tomatoes,loves rubbing her earlobe—her habits!"
"Sarah Harper,talk!Why mimic your sister?"
I didn't answer.
The sprawling mansion echoed only the TV's noise.
"Insiders say that today two years ago,the Harper sisters,Emily and Sarah,were in a car crash.One miscarried,bled out,and died in the hospital."
The host was puzzled,"Emily Harper,a famous perfumer and Nathan Brooks'wife—how was such a major event kept quiet?"
Another host chimed in,"Insiders again told us that there were two reasons:one,a talent show dominated the news;two,someone suppressed the news of Emily's crash on purpose.Who?Unknown."
Nathan gaped at me,slowly releasing my shoulders.
Muttering,"They're lying,right?"
I scoffed,"You,as the head of the Brooks empire,can't even control the media.What chance did Emily or I have?"
His eyes reddened."Why didn't you tell me about the crash?"
His anger fizzled,eyes brimming with regret.
He must've remembered that call from Emily.
I smiled."Recall it now?She called,begging to see you one last time."
"What'd you say?You called it a pity act,said you had big plans—Vanessa's debut trumped everything."
"Stop."
His voice was faint,kneeling,he seemed soulless.
Tears poured out from his eyes.
His phone kept ringing.I answered for him.
Vanessa's sobs came through.
"Nathan,where've you been?You haven't called even once!"
"I checked—the perfume's scent is Emily's.No one else could craft it.She's not dead!"
Hmph,Vanessa at it again.
Acting concerned,but in reality implying I was faking Emily's death.
She miscalculated—Emily was really gone.
I expected Nathan to snap.
But his dim eyes flared,staring at me with eerie intensity.
I frowned.
Did he figure out who I was?
