“You're the original owner? What's your name?” the agent promptly asked.

“Turner. Brodie Turner.”

“...Don't scare me like that, man. Aren't you supposed to be dead?” the agent stuttered.

“Screw you!” cussed Brodie once more. It was the second time this day that he had been at the receiving end of such a curse. “How could I be dead, being as alive as I am?”

“You can't be serious. I've seen your death certificate for myself,” the agent said.

“Why don't you try cursing me like that one more time? Who's the damned deadbeat who went and got me certified dead?”

“It's your wife, Lily Hinton. She's the one who handled the paperwork.”

Brodie's heart stopped. “Stuff and nonsense. We sat down and had breakfast at the same table just this morning. Chatted and had a jolly good time together, we did. How could she have gone and had me registered as dead? Besides, what would she do that for?”

“Theoretically speaking, if you were dead, that would make your wife the legal executor of your estate. Everything you own, including your car, house, and everything inside, would come into your wife Lily's possession. Lily Hinton had already sold everything here!”

Impossible. Impossible!

Brodie was overcome by shortness of breath and was left overwhelmed by an ominous feeling that came over him.

Could my wife Lily's disappearance mean that she's betrayed me? The agent must be lying. Yes! He must be the one lying to me!

Brodie rummaged for his phone and called Lily's number.

“We're sorry. The number that you've just dialed is currently not in service. Please try again later.”

Thump! Thump!

Brodie could distinctively feel his own heart pounding against his chest.

He made another attempt but as before, the phone was shown to be off.

What day and date is this that anyone's phone would be switched off on a flat battery? It's entirely possible that Lily might have blacklisted me.

“No. No way.” Brodie's voice was close to breaking up. “Lily made breakfast for me this morning and told me jokes. She'd never betray me. Her phone must be spoiled... Yes. That must be it. She told me that the phone she has been using is spoiled and has been badgering me to get her a new one these past couple of days.”

Framing it that way raised a sliver of hope within him, even though he understood as well as anyone that he might, in all probability, be deceiving himself.

After further deliberation, he made a call out to the Civil Affairs Bureau. “Hello, I would like to check on the status of a Brodie Turner... Yes. His address is... What? He's already dead? I'd mourn for your uncle instead. I'm Brodie Turner, and I'm alive and well!”

As a result of being overly forceful and emotionally aggravated, something went off inside of Brodie's head.

His vision blacked out and he fell slump upon the floor.
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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