I was being dismembered when my wife Ashley Fenn was out buying gifts for her old flame.
I grunted into the phone, desperate for help. Another one of your tricks? She scoffed, hanging up, Get lost! Don’t bother me even if you’re dead!
Seven days later, she was knee-deep in solving a brutal dismemberment case.
She speculated that the killer, with a knack for eluding detection, exhibited extreme brutality, deliberately taunting law enforcement.
Little did she speculate that the shattered remains belonged to her most despised husband.
After reducing me to pieces, the murderer brazenly dumped me in the police station sewer, triggering a day-long search through the putrid tunnels.
Then, my body was pieced together over three grueling days.
But my left ear and arm were missing.
Police suspected a calculated act of vengeance.
Ashley, the youngest and only female captain in the detective squad, had cracked numerous tough cases.
Upon seeing my corpse, her team was visibly shaken.
Ashley frowned, face pale but resolute, suppressing her disgust.
The coroners briefed them, detailing my ordeal.
“Autopsy reveals the victim, male, aged 22 to 25, died from severe blood loss.
“Bindings on wrists and ankles, multiple contusions, blunt force trauma to the head causing severe cranial fractures and deformities.
“Additionally, cancer cells are detected in the victim, who was subjected to inhumane torment before death.”
Officer Barry Dent slammed the table.
“This is a massacre of unprecedented brutality!”
The officers seethed.
“Such cruelty screams revenge!”
“What kind of vendetta leads to such a brutal act against a cancer patient?”
“Outrageous! Dumping the body right under our noses. It’s a direct challenge!”
Ashley stared fixedly at the report.
She said, “It’s them.”
Instantly, a somber silence fell upon the room.
She was referring to a vast transnational criminal syndicate that haunted every officer’s mind.
Countless comrades fell in their pursuit.
After a decade of relentless pursuit, the syndicate was finally dismantled three months ago.
Therefore, this case was highly likely done by a remnant of the criminal syndicate, who was seeking revenge and intentionally provoking law enforcement.
A detective entered with a shoebox-sized package.
“Ms. Fenn, another delivery from Leo…”
At the mention of my name, Ashley’s expression soured.
“From now on, anything he sends, toss it. No need to bother me.”
Barry sighed, patting her shoulder.
“You still can’t let go after all this time? Leo wasn’t to blame for what happened to your dad… He was a victim too…”
As he spoke, he opened the box, revealing a transparent jar inside.
Ashley took it out. The sight within drew gasps from everyone.
Ashley loosened her grip, and the jar crashed to the floor.
It was a model of a severed arm.
Even as it hit the ground, it remained unchanged, even bouncing slightly.
The coroner swiftly bagged the model hand, glancing at it once and drawing a conclusion.
“It’s fake.”
“He’s playing these tricks again to get my attention. Lunatic!”
With one sentence, she condemned me.
But this wasn’t something I arranged.
Perhaps even the police thought sending a fake arm was too extreme, as they remained silent.
Barry sighed, “Leo doesn’t seem like the type to pull this kind of prank. Could there be a misunderstanding? It’s been a while since you’ve been home. Maybe you should go back.”
Ashley sneered, saying, “Hmph! What’s there to misunderstand? He sent this thing over to deliberately remind me that arm was severed for me as if I owed him something!
“He’s a person of lies, all to manipulate me for his gain.
“Even if his hand was truly lost for my sake, so what? I could never be with him. He’s not deserving!
“I feel disgusted just seeing him! It’d be better to focus on the deceased, find more clues, uncover the identity of the dead, and solve the case quickly.”
As I was floating in the air, a dull ache filled my chest.
I thought, “So, in her eyes, I’m repulsive, unworthy of being with her.
Then who is worthy?
Her ex-lover, perhaps?”
I had once told her my wound was worsening and facing the possibility of amputation. Thinking of this, Ashley casually tossed the prosthetic into the nearby trash.
Later, she pulled me out of her blocklist on her phone, speaking with an icy tone.
“You think threatening me with this arm will work? It just makes me see you as less than an animal!
“Give up hope. Even if you’re dead, I won’t spare you a glance!”
But I was already dead.
I never lied to her.
That dismembered body was me.
Ashley and the detectives gathered around a whiteboard covered with photos of my dismembered body, each image annotated with their analysis and speculations.
The key ones were circled.
“No match on the deceased’s DNA for identification, indicating no criminal record.”
“There haven’t been any missing persons matching his age and height recently.”
A detective asked, “How could someone just disappear like this without any family looking for him?
“Or does he have no family?”
Ashley mused, circling the words “left arm” on the board.
“We can’t confirm the identity of the deceased. If we find that missing left arm, maybe we can find something to identify him,” she said.
Meanwhile, I crouched by the trash can, desperately trying to lift the prosthetic arm, but my transparent hand passed through it, forever unable to touch it.
I thought, “The clues you’re looking for are right here in this prosthetic arm.
But now you’ve tossed it away.”
Ashley then wrote “dismemberment scene” and circled it.
There was little blood in the sewer, suggesting it was just a dumping site.
Usually, killers dismembered corpses in familiar or perceived safe places, often returning to the crime scene.
Finding where this happened could break the case wide open.
“We’ve searched the sewer thoroughly, but found no sign of the left arm or remaining body parts.”
“That means the killer didn’t dump those parts here.”
“But why dispose of the body separately? This part likely holds key identifiers.”
Ashley paused, frowning as she stared at the “left ear” on the board.
Instinctively, I touched my left earlobe, where a small red birthmark rested.
Ashley knew this mark well from the times she used to pinch it playfully.
A detective said, “The killer tortured him for days before brutally killing him. There’s a vendetta involved, possibly against the victim or his family.”
“Revenge…”
Another detective glanced sharply at Ashley.
“Ms. Fenn, could the killer be someone from a criminal group we’ve cracked down on? Maybe they held a grudge and targeted him to provoke us.
“But that doesn’t add up. No one from our precinct has reported a missing family member. And if someone did disappear, why wouldn’t they file a report?”
Ashley’s brow twitched momentarily as if a thought had struck her.
But she shook her head dismissively, denying her own suspicion.
I thought, “Ashley, did you just think of it?
I once told you about my health issues.
But you only saw it as jealousy towards your ex-lover, thinking I lied about my health to win your sympathy.
Unfortunately, you’ve missed another crucial lead.”
When it came to cops that criminals hate the most, Ashley topped the list.
If she weren’t so indifferent to me and went home to take a look, she would definitely find the clues I left for her.
Ashley hesitated briefly, then dove back into work, organizing the detectives into small teams.
One team conducted interviews to check if anyone had a missing family member.
Another team searched for the initial crime scene and any remaining body parts.
A third team visited hospitals as the victim had cancer; if he sought medical help there, the hospital records should show it.
Additionally, experts were enlisted to reconstruct my skull.
By applying principles of anatomy and facial bone structure, along with data on my facial tissues, they would sculpt skin, hair, and features on a soft plastic model.
Once my skull was reconstructed, they could match it with ID records in the public security system to confirm my identity directly.
However, this skull reconstruction process would take some time.
Ashley rubbed her temples, looking weary.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed.
She pulled out her phone. A gentle smile appeared on her face when she saw the caller ID.
“Ashley, I think I saw a suspicious figure outside the window…”
“Where are you now? Okay, don’t move. Lock the windows, turn on all the lights, and wait for me to get back!”
After she had finished the call, she checked the time. It was almost 10 p.m.
“Everyone, go home and rest for now. We’ll discuss further matters tomorrow.”
My heart ached instantly.
Ashley was a workaholic, often disappearing for days on end when she was focused on a case. So, I never dared to disturb her.
But now, just one call from her old flame could make her drop everything and rush back to be with him.
In her heart, I would never be as important as him.
I drifted along with Ashley until we arrived at a house.
It was her residence from her pre-marriage days.
Ironically, I only learned in death that the supposedly rented place was housing him, Bruce Wayne, Ashley’s old flame, and the hostage she rescued from criminals three months ago.
For these past three months, she must have been staying here with him.
The thought tugged painfully at my heart.
Bruce suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Ashley feared for his safety and dreaded retaliation from the criminals who sought the rescued hostage.
So she sped through the half-hour drive in less than twenty minutes.
She dashed to the door of the house, her voice trembling.
“Bruce?”
I had only seen this kind of panic on her face when her father passed away.
Bruce curled up in the corner of the couch. Upon hearing Ashley’s voice, he rushed forward, enveloping my wife in his arms, clearly struggling to contain his fear.
Ashley stiffened slightly, reaching out, then hesitantly returned the embrace.
She stroked his soft hair, murmuring, “It’s okay. I’m here…”
Bruce relied heavily on her, his voice tinged with hurt. “Where did you go? I thought… you didn’t care about me anymore…”
Ashley explained calmly, “There was a dismemberment case today. The autopsy results came out today. So, I’ve been busy.”
Bruce blinked as he released his hold on Ashley’s hand.
“Oh? Did you find any clues?” he inquired.
“Well, the victim was a disabled male, a cancer patient. It appears to be a targeted killing, but the victim’s identity is still unknown, and there are no solid leads yet,” Ashley replied.
“A disabled person… how pitiful,” Bruce muttered with feigned sympathy, but his eyes gleamed with hidden satisfaction.
His hypocritical facade made me sick to my stomach!
It was clear he was fishing for information.
Once tight-lipped in front of me, Ashley now seemed defenseless against Bruce.
Was this the difference between love and indifference?
Because she loved him, her former unattainable flame, all her principles seemed to fade away in his presence.
Ashley seemed eager to share with Bruce, saying, “The killer brutally dismembered the victim, so we suspect it could be an act of provocation from someone who escaped capture three months ago.”
Bruce gasped, visibly shaken. “That’s… terrifying. Have you found out who it is yet?”
Ashley replied with concern, “Not at the moment.
“It’s likely the work of the criminals’ associates, and I fear they might harm you if they know you’re alive.
“Stay indoors, and call me immediately if anything seems off.”
Bruce nodded before changing the subject.
“Ashley, you come here every day to keep me company. He… won’t be pleased, right? After all, he’s your husband, and he wasn’t happy before…”
At the mention of me, Ashley’s expression turned cold in an instant.
She glanced at Bruce with a soft look as though afraid of upsetting him.
“Why bring him up? If not for him, my dad wouldn’t have…” Ashley trailed off, furrowing her brow.
“You should rest now; it’s getting late.”
“But I can’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I think of that day…” Bruce confided.
“Don’t worry., I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep, then I’ll leave.”
Floating above, I watched Ashley comforting Bruce at his bedside with gentleness in her eyes that I had never seen before.
I thought, “They seem so compatible.
I, on the other hand, am always just an outsider.
Yet Ashley, the one you currently protect so diligently, is a demon in disguise…”
The next day, accompanied by a police officer, Ashley visited various hospitals, searching for any missing patients.
After hours of running around, they finally arrived at Oreon Hospital.
She flipped through the patient registry, cross-referencing details, hoping to find a clue.
Nearby, a nurse muttered, “Leo Moore, why can’t we reach him? His scheduled surgery time has long passed.”
Ashley paused briefly but didn’t dwell on it.
Perhaps she thought there were too many people with the same name in the world.
I was a fraud to her, a liar who pretended to be ill and came to the hospital to track her under the guise of a check-up.
In her mind, I was a complete sinner, faking illness. So, how could I really be sick?
A nurse said, “Oh, by the way, do you remember the major case three months ago? Seems like he… ”
Suddenly, Ashley’s phone rang.
“Captain Fenn, we’ve got a lead!”
Ashley hung up and hurried out.
On the next page of the registry she’d been reading was my registration information.
I thought, “Ashley, so close, you almost knew I wasn’t lying…
That day at the hospital, I really came for a check-up.
Your father’s death wasn’t my fault…”
Ashley hurried back to the police station.
Today, a letter suddenly appeared at the station.
It read: [Guess who I am? Hint: gift.]
The letter seemed to materialize out of thin air in a surveillance blind spot, making it impossible to trace its sender.
Everyone gathered around the letter, their expressions grim.
They thought, “Could it be… the gift from yesterday?”
Ashley frowned, pulled out her phone, and removed my number from the blocklist, dialing several times with no answer.
She angrily sent me a voice message.
“Leo, do you ever stop?! Did you think I’d forgive you for this? Not in a million lifetimes! I’ll never forgive you! Your pranks only make me hate you more!”
Barry looked serious. “Just to be cautious, we should investigate, in case…”
Ashley disagreed strongly, saying, “We don’t need to bother with that jerk’s pranks.”
Barry remained doubtful and insisted on investigating that prosthetic arm.
Ashley didn’t want to get involved with anything related to me and headed towards the archives. “I’ll go check the organized crime files.”
Barry and his team rushed to collect trash near the junkyard, working for hours until they retrieved the discarded prosthetic arm.
Barry examined the arm thoroughly and accidentally found a switch.
“Ah!!”
The switch clicked, and a strong, foul odor filled the air.
“Ugh…”
“Ashley! Leo’s in trouble!”
Barry turned pale and dashed towards the archives.
Upon hearing my name, Ashley was impatient.
“His problems have nothing to do with me. Even if he’s dead, don’t look for me!”
Barry urgently said, “There’s crucial evidence inside that prosthetic arm from yesterday!
“Are you sure that the box from yesterday was really sent by Leo?”
Ashley was momentarily stunned. “There was evidence in the prosthetic arm?”
Yesterday, she had concluded it was my mischief without even verifying if I had sent the box.
Today, tracing the box’s origin was impossible.
Barry’s expression was grave.
“Ashley, I have a terrible suspicion… How long has it been since you last contacted Leo?”
Ashley looked incredulous.
“How could it be! Leo…”
A police officer rushed over. “Captain Dent, someone’s here for Captain Fenn, saying…”
He looked at Ashley, continuing, “There’s a substitute teacher named Leo Moore, missing for a week!”
It was a teacher, Amanda Queen, from the special school I volunteered at, where I had promised to teach the children every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
But I hadn’t been there for a long time, and she couldn’t reach me.
Knowing my wife, Ashley, was the captain of the criminal police team, she came directly.
“I thought Mr. Moore wouldn’t come back after his injury, but he never replied to my messages, and I’m a bit worried…”
Ashley’ was shocked. “What did you say? Injured?!”
Amanda looked puzzled. “You don’t know? Mr. Moore’s arm has been injured for three months!”
Ashley yelled in a near-breakdown, “Tell me! What did Leo promise you to act in this farce with him?
“You tell him I’ve seen through his tricks! Let him stop wasting his efforts. Even if he’s dead, I won’t see him!
“Someone like him, using such tactics, makes me sick!”
Amanda stepped back in fear.
Barry restrained the out-of-control Ashley. “Ashley, calm down!
“I know there are many misunderstandings between you and Leo, but we all know he wasn’t involved in your father’s case! You’re just taking your anger out on him. But now he’s injured and missing. Enough!”
Ashley screamed in a rage, “What injury? It’s a shame! See him? Not a chance! He’s not worthy! He’s the one who caused my father’s death! He’s not worthy!”
I thought, “She still hates me like this!
I’m clearly innocent!”
Three months ago, feeling unwell, I prepared to go to the hospital for a check-up.
Ashley’s mother passed away early, so it was her father, Harvey Fenn, who raised her.
But Harvey’s work was confidential, and I had only met him briefly on our wedding day in a hotel suite.
I thought, “Given her job dealing with criminals all day… who knows? Maybe her dad is a sort of secret cop.”
Ashley really hoped we could liven up our home.
I texted her, telling her I was going to the hospital, and she said she was busy and couldn’t come with me.
When I went to pick up the test results, I saw Ashley, who was supposed to be at work, with a tall, curly-haired man.
They were walking side by side, very intimate, like a couple.
I knew the man; he was her ex-boyfriend from college who had gone abroad right after graduation.
I thought, “But… why would Ashley lie to me and meet him secretly here?
Maybe Ashley is just helping him…”
I was about to go up and greet them when two people came towards me.
And one of them was Harvey!
I looked at him in surprise. He dressed casually, following behind the other man like a subordinate!
I immediately realized Harvey’s job and the identity of the person in front of him.
I quickly averted my gaze, but Ashley inadvertently caught my earlier stunned expression.
She looked over, following my gaze.
It was that shocked look of mine that alerted the man Harvey was following, the leader of the criminal group, Steve Miller, who the police had secretly tracked, and also made Harvey suspicious.
“Leo!”
When the police stormed in, Steve held me hostage and tried to escape while Ashley and Harvey rushed towards me.
But this move completely exposed Harvey’s identity.
Steve grabbed me as a hostage, threatening the police to drop their weapons and let him escape.
I was terrified and weak-kneed, but I knew I had to stay calm.
Then, with a loud bang, one of Steve’s subordinates, who had come to rescue him, attacked Harvey at Steve’s signal and killed him.
“Dad!”
Ashley screamed heartbreakingly.
In the chaos, Steve had already grabbed Bruce as another hostage.
Harvey was fatally shot in the chest and stopped breathing.
In the end, to rescue Bruce, Ashley killed Steve, and the remaining accomplices were captured alive.
But Harvey had sacrificed himself heroically.
Since that day, Ashley, who had once been deeply in love with me, never showed me the same warmth again.
I asked her why she was at the hospital with Bruce, but she took it as me suspecting her and tracking her, which led to Harvey’s exposure and sacrifice.
If I hadn’t despicably followed her, I wouldn’t have accidentally encountered Harvey, and he wouldn’t have been exposed or sacrificed.
I was the one who caused Harvey’s death.
Harvey’s death separated us.
Even though I explained I was just going to the hospital for a check-up because I wasn’t feeling well, she stubbornly believed it was my scheme.
Since then, she never came back home.
Ashley treated me coldly, convinced I was a malicious killer.
But she cared for Bruce deeply.
I went to the police station to find her, sent her flowers, and begged for her forgiveness for my unintentional mistake.
But she treated me as someone who had always harassed her, telling lies.
“You despicable scumbag, why couldn’t it have been you who died?
“You killed my father. How dare you come to pester me and ask for forgiveness?
“Give up hope, even if you die, I will never forgive you!”
Ashley yelled at me to leave, to never show up in front of her again.
She even deliberately showed affection towards Bruce in front of me.
But Ashley, I was truly dead now.
I would never appear before her again.
As the forensic examiner dissected the severed arm, Ashley stood nearby, her gaze fixed on every move, her lips drained of color.
The phone in her hand buzzed incessantly, but she paid it no mind, lost in her thoughts.
She watched intently, waiting for the blood and DNA reports.
She had speculated that if the missing left arm could be found, there might be a chance to match it to the identity of the deceased.
My emotions were a tangled mess as I watched my own arm lying cold on the autopsy table.
It was the same arm injured saving Ashley from criminals at the hospital that day.
However, Ashley, consumed by grief over Harvey’s death, hadn’t taken my injury seriously.
She never believed I was truly hurt, only thinking I was pretending.
“Captain Fenn, the skull reconstruction is done!”
Several hours later, Ashley arrived at the expert’s office.
Professor Nelson Calthrop was meticulously arranging the model he had painstakingly reconstructed over two sleepless nights.
Police officers were documenting the scene, and all eyes were turned towards Ashley.
“Why is everyone staring at me?”
Ashley deliberately avoided looking at the model on the table.
The room fell into a heavy silence.
After what seemed like an eternity, Barry’s expression turned pained as he asked, “Ashley, have you… contacted Leo?”
Ashley gripped her phone tighter, approaching the model reluctantly.
The face on the model was unmistakably mine.
“How… how is this possible?”
Ashley’s disbelief painted her face pale.
The door burst open, a police officer rushing in with a file, his expression grim.
“Captain Fenn, the coding on the surgical steel in that arm matched…”
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