đŹ PART 2: «The Wife He Buried Was Standing in His House»

Andrew took one step back.
âNo,â he whispered. âYouâre dead.â
The maidâs face crumpled.
âThatâs what they told you.â
The woman in blue shook her head violently.
âSheâs lying. Sheâs sick. She saw your grief and copied everything.â
The older boy screamed, âStop it! You always say that!â
Andrew turned slowly toward her.
âAlways?â
The maid reached into her apron with shaking fingers and pulled out a burnt silver necklace.
Andrewâs wedding ring was hanging on it.
He had placed it in his wifeâs coffin himself.
His knees nearly gave out.
âHow do you have that?â
She held it to her chest.
âBecause I woke up before they buried me.â
The room went silent.
The woman in blue began backing away.
The maidâs voice trembled.
âI remembered smoke. Screaming. Then a hospital room. No name. No family. When my memory came back, I came here.â
Andrewâs eyes filled with tears.
âAnd you came as a maid?â
âI tried to see you at the gate,â she cried. âShe told security I was dangerous.â
The woman in blue snapped, âI protected this family!â
The maid looked at her through tears.
âYou protected your wedding.â
Andrew stared at the woman he had planned to marry.
âYou knew?â
She said nothing.
That silence destroyed him.
The younger boy ran back into the maidâs arms.
âMommy, please donât leave again.â
Andrew covered his mouth as the truth finally broke through him.
He had mourned a living woman.
His sons had cried for a mother kept behind the kitchen door.
He dropped to his knees in front of her.
âEmma?â
The maid sobbed at the sound of her name.
Andrew reached for her face, terrified she would disappear if he touched her too quickly.
âI buried you,â he whispered.
She pressed his hand to her cheek.
âI know.â
Behind them, the woman in blue turned toward the hallway, but the older boy pointed at her.
âShe hid Mommyâs photo in the fireplace.â
Andrew looked up, his grief turning cold.
âCall security.â
The woman in blue began to cry.
âAndrew, I loved you.â
He pulled Emma and the boys into his arms.
May you like
âNo,â he said. âYou loved the life you thought you could steal.â
And in the middle of the dining room, with both children wrapped around them, Andrew held the wife he thought he lost while the house finally heard the lullaby again.