He Chose Her While I was Dying

Three days before I got married, Evan Jones' claustrophobic ex-girlfriend cornered my car at the cliff of a winding road and rammed into me 12 times. When Evan arrived with the police, I was being rescued by the firefighters from my driver's seat, which had been smashed out of shape. However, Evan went to the limited-edition sports car, which had only lost some paint, and carried the trembling Nikki Shore in his arms. "Evan, Madison is bleeding on her forehead; she needs to get it stitched up at the hospital." However, Evan stopped my stretcher from getting into the car and glanced at my bleeding forehead and bruised arms. "These are just minor injuries, but Nikki has claustrophobia. Her condition will only get worse, and she has to go to the hospital first." As I was about to be left behind, I used the last of my strength to grab Evan by his pant leg. He frowned and pried off my fingers. "Nikki didn't crash into you on purpose. It's just her condition acting up. You're a lawyer, and you should know how some things are beyond our control, so stop making a fuss right now." With that, his assistant handed him a settlement agreement, and Evan grabbed my limp wrist to print my fingerprint on the papers. "Just bear with this. The ambulance will be coming soon." Chapter 1 I had never been the favorite of my family since I was young. When I got hurt, I had to bear with it, and when I got sick, I had to bear with it. All I had to do was go to sleep, and everything would be okay, but when I opened my eyes next, I realized I was floating in the air. My physical self had expired next to the car, while my assistant, Kara Sawyer, turned pale as she tried to stop the bleeding on my forehead by carefully placing tissue on it. The young woman's eyes were red as she called out to me softly, "Please wake up, Madison… Just hold on a little longer. Don't go to sleep." I wanted to wipe the tears from her face, but my fingers went through her. When I looked at the pale face below me, which had stopped breathing, I realized I was dead, and all I could do was look apologetically at Kara. Kara was an intern who had not yet completed her university studies, but she had to face death because of me, and was forced to stay with my corpse, her fingers trembling from fear. The car hit mine 12 times at high speed, and anyone would know that it was dangerous for the person in the car being hit. However, Evan Jones had eyes only for Nikki Shore. He was worried I would go looking for trouble with Nikki. Not wanting her to suffer any harm at all, he ignored the wounds on me and forcefully inked my fingerprint on an agreement. I should have known that nothing could compare to Nikki in Evan's eyes, including a human life. The ambulance's siren was heard coming from a distance, and Kara cried with relief when she heard it. "The ambulance is here, Madison. The ambulance is here…" The ambulance's siren shone through the fog, and it parked at a distance before the paramedics ran toward me, looking grim. Kara's face was covered in tears as she stood quietly by the side and watched as I was moved into the ambulance. She crossed herself and put her arms together in prayer while mumbling, "Lord, Mother Mary, Buddha, Bodhisattva…" She tried praying to God and any deity she could think of, "Please bless Madison and help her get through this. I promise I'll be on a fast for one year if she's saved…" As the paramedics roared instructions, Kara's tears fell once more. That was when she noticed a bag I left behind on the passenger's seat. "Huh? What's that?" The paramedics tried to resuscitate me in the ambulance, but failed to restart my failing heart. A nurse started to tear up as she kept saying, "Hold on just a little longer, we're about to get to the hospital." A doctor called the hospital to inform them of my arrival. "We have a patient in a critical situation and in need of surgery. Inform the emergency room to prepare for the patient." Before he could finish, he glanced at the traffic conditions and started to panic at how bad they were. "Quickly tell the traffic police to clear the passage ahead." The nurse was angry after she called the traffic police. "The owner of Jones Corporation has blocked that portion of the road to give his friend a surprise by setting up a sea of flowers, which is causing the traffic. The traffic police are handling the situation now, but it's going to take time for the road to be cleared. "How can he do something like this?! This is ridiculous! How can they block the road like their personal space when this is a major route for drivers?!" The doctor's eyes turned even redder than before. "The patient won't be able to make it." The entire ambulance turned silent, and so did I. It was probably due to the concussion that it felt like I had lost a lot of memories, and it was only through the conversation of the paramedics that I suddenly remembered something. It was supposed to be the day Evan and I got married, but he stood me up because of Nikki. Not only that, he had set up a sea of flowers just to cheer her up, and this was the reason why I lost my temper and canceled our wedding. Nikki had stopped me on the winding road with the excuse of wanting to explain things to me, but she ended up crashing into me and causing my death. As for others, I could hardly remember a thing, and that was when I lost control of myself, and floated out of the ambulance and through the crowd, and ended up by Evan's side. Chapter 2 Inside the VIP hospital ward, Nikki looked unsettled. "Will Madison be alright, Evan? She looked so angry… And I wanted to explain things to her. I never expected to suffer a relapse at that moment." Nikki looked guilty as tears kept streaming down her cheek. Evan wiped away her tears and cradled her gently in his arms. "Nothing is going to happen. Madison will be alright." However, she still felt a little scared, "But you're supposed to get married today. This is all my fault. I should explain things to her. I don't want you to get into an argument with Madison over me." That was when another of Evan's assistants pushed the door open and rushed in. "Mr. Jones, the police just informed us that the sea of flowers you prepared for Ms. Shore is obstructing the traffic, and an ambulance needs to get through right away. "The patient had been involved in a car accident and is in critical condition, and they have asked us to clear everything, which we are in the middle of doing…" Before he could finish, Nikki cried even more violently. "Did you do that for me? I didn't even get to see it…" Evan immediately gave the orders the second Nikki sobbed about it, "Stop everything." "But…" "No buts." Evan grunted coldly. "Inform the hospital to send a helicopter for the patient, and this can be solved. I'll pay for it." His assistant was put on the spot. "But making the arrangements might cause a delay, and the patient might not be able to make it. If anything happens to the patient, it would affect Jones Corporation's reputation." Evan scoffed. "What's there to be worried about? Madison's a great lawyer, and the company will be our shared asset once we get married. She'll do everything she can to handle the aftermath of this. I need to accompany Nikki right now, and no one is allowed to disturb us unless it's an emergency, including Madison. "Interrupt us again, and you and Madison can get out of the company." The assistant wanted to say more but left helplessly in the end. I floated to their side, blinking at them. I felt something cold drip from the corner of my eye, and I wondered if that was blood or tears. Evan had no idea I was about to die, and his plan to get me to defend his company later would fall through. However, the team of lawyers hired by Jones Corporation would take care of everything, including my death, and the thought of this suddenly made me upset. He stayed by Nikki's side the next few days and did not leave her, even when he had to handle work. Evan gave Nikki everything she asked for, and I watched as he bought her an island and named a star after her just because she mentioned casually, "I'd like to have a home of my own. "The universe is forever. I'd like to have forever too." I smiled bitterly. I did not realize Evan was now a rich and powerful man. He was no longer the same person he was when I first met him. Back then, he was pitiful, downtrodden, and easily bullied by anyone. The last few days, Evan would tuck Nikki into bed late at night, and after that, he could check his phone over and over for any texts from me with a blank look in his eye. I knew what was going through his mind. He was thinking about why I ignored him for so long despite being deeply in love with him. When we argued over Nikki before, I would compromise within half a day. It had been days since I contacted him, and Evan started to feel unsettled. He hesitated before texting me: [We'll get married once Nikki's condition has stabilized. What's the surprise you wanted to talk to me about?] That was only when I realized our last text to each other was a few days ago. I had informed them then: [I have a surprise for you on the day we get married.] My head suddenly hurt. I had forgotten something, but I could not remember what it was, no matter how hard I tried. Chapter 3 It took a long time before Evan stood up to head to the balcony to light a cigarette. I immediately reached out to take the cigarette from him. "You shouldn't be smoking. It's not good for you." However, my hands passed through him, and I was taken aback. I smiled bitterly as I remembered I was dead, but it had been a habit for years, and it came naturally to me to get concerned over Evan. There was a cold look in Evan's eye as he took a deep breath and called his assistant. He probably did not notice the frustrated tone in his voice. "Stop Madison from creating a scene if she comes looking for me the next few days. Don't let her come to the hospital and disturb Nikki's rest." His assistant was briefly silent. "Ms. Scofield hasn't asked about you the last few days, she…" Evan hung up before he could finish. He glanced at my last text and clicked hard on his phone to block my number in anger, and he turned off his phone after that. If this were before, I would have started panicking and done everything in my power to find him and apologize. I would beg him to unblock my number and not to lose contact with me, but now… I stood in front of him and said softly, "I won't come looking for you anymore, Evan, because I no longer love you. I hate you… I hate you for causing my death. I hope I can curse you…" Lightning suddenly struck in the dark sky, and the crack woke Nikki up from her deep sleep. She screamed, "Evan!" Evan quickly flicked away his cigarette and returned to the ward to hold the trembling Nikki in his arms. "Don't be afraid. I'm right here." I was trembling too. I was afraid of the lightning as well, but Evan had never stayed by my side whenever there was a lightning storm. He would leave me to accompany Nikki instead. I once argued with him about this, but he would always get annoyed with me and say, "Why must you be so petty when she's sick?" Evan cajoled Nikki for a long time before she finally calmed down, and she leaned into Evan's arms while sobbing. "Evan, I can't forget about how I lost control several days ago. All I really wanted to do was explain things to Madison. "Maybe I should apologize to her. She must be mad because I haven't seen her around for the last few days." Evan seemed distracted. "It's fine. I saw her wounds. It's just some bleeding on her forehead. Madison knows you're sick. She won't hold things against you." Nikki was still not convinced. "What if she calls the police? I don't want to go to prison. I'd rather die…" When Evan saw how agitated Nikki was, he pulled her tighter in his embrace as he continued comforting her, "Don't be afraid. I'm right here for you. Madison has always treated her fellow women well. She won't get mad at you. Besides, she signed the settlement agreement, and won't come looking for trouble with you." Nikki smiled and patted her chest with relief when she heard Evan's reply, and she nuzzled closer into Evan's arms coquettishly. Evan looked down at her for a second and pushed her away. "Madison and I will be married soon, Nikki. You can't act so intimately with me anymore. It won't bode well for any of us, and Madison will get mad." His words took Nikki by surprise, and she started to look upset. Evan failed to notice this, but I saw everything clearly. It took a while for Nikki to speak up. Her voice sounded sad. "This is my fault. It's just a habit I can't get rid of… I'm sorry." Evan sighed. "You're not to blame for this. Don't worry about it. I'll talk to Madison to clear things up." His words gave me mixed feelings. Evan had always been this way, where Nikki came first in everything. When I followed Evan out of the hospital ward, I overheard two nurses conversing. "Mr. Jones really loves his fiancée. All she suffered was a slight scare, and he got every doctor in the building to tend to her when there wasn't even a scratch on her." "I heard that he prepared a huge sea of flowers as a surprise for her. I bet they'll be getting married soon. I wonder how grand that wedding will be." "Speaking of which… That sea of flowers blocked the path of an ambulance, and they had to send a helicopter to bring the patient to the hospital. That patient died because of the delay. If they had only arrived ten minutes earlier, the patient could have lived…" That was when they spotted Evan, who looked at them coldly. The nurses glanced nervously at each other before greeting him, "Mr. Jones…" It was hard to tell what Evan was thinking, and the nurses figured they would get a scolding. However, all he did was say mildly, "She isn't my financée." He paused for a moment, as if he was reminded of something, and he smiled. "My fiancée is Madison Scofield. She's the best lawyer in the industry." Chapter 4 My chest suddenly hurt. Evan treated me badly when we first got engaged. He hated me because I was the fiancée that his mother had forced on him, and he often ignored me. He even tried to make things difficult for me by giving me the worst cases to handle and allowing his admirers to taunt and ridicule me. Once, I was locked up in a cramped storeroom, and someone poured ice water over me, causing me to be admitted into the hospital over a high fever. While I was delirious, he had Nikki in his arms in Glacier Island, watching the Aurora. When I was followed by a homeless man, and got so scared that I called him for help, he was with Nikki in Fordland for the lavender season. Evan gave all the best in the world to Nikki, while all I had was messes left behind by them. I used to think that all misunderstandings could be cleared one day, as this was the man I had admired for years, and loved. I was willing to work hard at melting the ice in his heart, and one day, we ended up sleeping together after one drunken night. Even though it frustrated Evan, he insisted on taking responsibility for me, and it was a turning point in events as we got closer, but somehow, everything halted as suddenly as it had come. I loved him, but I could not take his indecisive attitude and Nikki's constant efforts at distancing us. How ironic it was that the one sentence I had always wanted to hear was spoken after my death. Evan ignored the nurses and left the hospital quickly to get to his office. His assistant's eyes lit up when he saw Evan, and he quickly approached Evan for further instructions. "Get Madison to see me." His assistant was taken aback. "Ms. Scofield, she…" Before the assistant could finish, Evan massaged his temple and said impatiently, "Tell her to stop giving me attitude. All she suffered was a superficial wound. Is it really necessary for her to blow things up like this? "Nikki is feeling guilty for accidentally hurting her, and she should get to the hospital right away to comfort Nikki. Does she still want to marry me? Tell her that if she does, she should cheer Nikki up first and stop getting jealous over her all the time. It's getting tiresome!" I watched the stunned expression on the assistant's face as he stared at Evan in disbelief while his lips trembled. "What are you waiting for? Tell Madison what I said right now." Evan left after that. He strode away quickly with anger on his face. I floated along behind him and followed him back to our room, which had been decorated by me. Evan took a deep breath and pushed the door open to find all of my things intact. My clothes and my makeup were still in the room. He exhaled and smiled with relief. After that, Evan took out his phone to text me, [Be good, Madison, and I'll transfer the deed to this house from Nikki to you… You should live in peace with her, Madison. I'm not asking you to take care of her, I just want you to stop giving her trouble." That was when I remembered this was not really our house. He had transferred the deed of this house to Nikki because she mentioned one time that she liked the view from here. Evan's texts were not delivered to me, and he realized it was because he had blocked my number, but I did nothing about it. He unblocked my number and sent the text to me again, but I did not reply. Evan took a deep breath and flung the phone angrily onto the bed. He waited for quite a while before picking up the phone again. [I know Nikki has gone a little too far this time. I'll talk to her about it. Stop holding this against us, and reply to me right now. Haven't you always talked about wanting to watch penguins in the North? We'll go there together after I'm done with my current work.] The text did not seem to reach me. That was when Nikki called him. She sounded extremely sad over the phone as strong wind could be heard gusting in the background. Evan and I heard her say through the wind. "Evan, Madison slandered me online by saying I'm a slut who destroyed her marriage. I have no idea how to defend myself, Evan, because I do have feelings for you. I don't know what to do, but die, and get this over with. I wish you and Madison a happy life ahead, Evan…" Chapter 5 By the time Evan arrived, Nikki's frail body was standing shakily on the balcony. Evan's eyes widened as he said nervously, "Don't be rash, Nikki. What am I going to do if anything happens to you?!" Nikki's face was covered in tears. "Everyone on the internet is saying really mean things about me. They're calling me a slut and the other woman in your relationship, Evan. I can't take it anymore. Madison said I was a vixen and a slut too, and I don't blame her. She's your fiancée, after all, and my existence is a mistake." I looked at Nikki in shock. How was I able to say all those things when I was already dead? I had no idea I could not get any peace, even in death, and I was being framed for things I had never done. Evan looked tense as he hugged Nikki tightly in his arms while Nikki showed him the mean texts I had supposedly sent her. I wanted to laugh at this 'evidence' that was filled with obvious mistakes. It was not cleverly crafted at all, and Evan would never believe them. However, I forgot one important thing. I was nothing in Evan's world. He hugged Nikki while wiping away her tears gently. He kissed her softly, but firmly on the forehead. "You're not the other woman, Nikki. I met you first, not her. Madison could only marry me because she saved my mother, and that's the only thing between us. "The woman I truly love is you, and I'll make sure that the whole world knows that by giving you a grand wedding." A delighted look flashed in Nikki's eye, but she pretended to sound uneasy when she spoke, "Wouldn't this be unfair to Madison? She'll hate me for this. Madison is a renowned lawyer and is known for her capabilities. What should I do if she decides to take action against me?" Evan sneered. "You're too soft-hearted, Nikki. It's not fair for her to treat you this way. She has to pay the price for what she has done to you. If justice is what Madison wants, I'll make sure to ruin her reputation. A woman like her doesn't deserve to be a lawyer." Nikki smiled wider at his words but quickly put on a hesitant act. "Maybe we should forget about it…" Evan hugged her tightly. "I won't let you come to any harm." After he was done comforting Nikki, Evan took out his phone, which reflected his cold expression on the screen. [Take down those posts and apologize to Nikki.] However, he still did not get any replies. Evan had always been in a position of power and had never been ignored like that before. He sneered, not wanting to say anything more to me. All he did was instruct his assistant to use every connection available to spread news and evidence of how I was an unethical lawyer who valued only money and would win cases by fabricating the truth. He even went ahead to prepare all the documents to submit a request to revoke my lawyer's license. Evan wanted to drag me down into the mud and pay the most painful price for hurting Nikki. I floated behind him as I saw the malicious look in his eye. My heart felt like a million needles had pierced through it as I also witnessed how easily he destroyed everything I had worked hard to build. Nikki was finally happy, and she kissed Evan softly on the cheek. "I knew you loved me the most, Evan." However, she failed to notice the lost look hidden behind the anger in Evan's eyes when he looked at his phone. Evan was important to me, but my career as a lawyer was important to me too, yet his phone remained silent as I still did not give him any replies. I laughed miserably as I watched what was happening. How was I supposed to reply when I was already dead? He pointed at the phone coldly and said, "Track down the IP of this post. I want to know where Madison is hiding." It got me curious. As I was already dead, who else would expose Nikki online? Could it be Nikki's enemy? Or was it Evan's enemy? Evan's staff came back quickly with results, and I followed Evan to a rented house. His bodyguards kicked the door down, and a skinny figure inside froze. It was Kara. Evan was surprised to see her. "What are you doing here? Where's Madison? Don't think Madison can get away with this just because she's hiding behind you. Get her out here right now! "I want her to clarify those scandalous posts online, or I'll make sure she pays a heavy price for what she did." Kara's eyes turned red as she stood up right away to fling a crumpled piece of paper into Evan's face. "Madison is dead! Why won't you just let her be?!" Evan's face fell, but that was before he was shocked by what he read in the paper. Kara's eyes turned even redder as she sobbed hysterically. "That was Madison's surprise for you!" The piece of paper fell to the ground, and I looked down at it. What I saw hurt so much that I could hardly breathe. I finally remembered what the important thing I had forgotten was.