• Chapter 1

  • Chapter 1

  • “I’m so sorry for your loss. Try to stay strong,” said Dr. Mike, the attending physician.

  • He was also my husband’s best friend since college.

  • I touched my face–smooth and unblemished.

  • In my previous life, the HIV had left it covered in lesions.

  • There was no doubt now–I’d been given a second chance.

  • My husband, Dave, lay motionless on the hospital bed, covered by a white sheet.

  • I burst into tears and rushed over to yank it off.

  • “You idiot! How many times did I tell you to lay off the bourbon?”

  • “But you never listened! Now you’re gone, and I’m left picking up the pieces.”

  • “How am I supposed to go on?”

  • I slapped his face repeatedly, watching the color rise in his cheeks.

  • He must have been sedated–paralyzed but conscious.

  • Seeing Dave’s face flush red, Dr. Mike quickly stepped between us.

  • After all, corpses don’t blush.

  • “Hey, hey, take it easy,” Dr. Mike said, blocking my access to the “body.”

  • “I know you’re grieving, but this isn’t helping anyone.”

  • Dr. Mike was in on it. He was the lynchpin of this whole scam–the attending who’d pronounced Dave dead and signed the death certificate.

  • “Some doctor you are,” I spat, pounding on his chest.

  • Chapter 1

  • “You couldn’t even save your best friend. How do you sleep at night?”

  • Dr. Mike winced in pain. “I did everything I could-”

  • “Liar!” I cut him off, shoving him backward.

  • bastard had been in on

  • left me drowning in medical bills and funeral costs, while

  • part well–helping Dave fake his death and

  • suffer.

  • your frat initiation,” I snarled.

  • matter what. Was that just

  • ago,” he

  • slapped him again–hard.

  • to you? My husband trusted you! And you let

  • his face dark with guilt. “I swear, I tried to save him. I gave

  • collapsed onto the

  • How could

  • Mike sighed and handed me a bottle

  • this. It’ll help

  • I froze.

  • That bottle.

  • life, I drank from

  • I woke up,

  • of Velvet

  • 78.8%

  • Chapter 1

  • mother–in–law was holding

  • in that

  • and hurled it at

  • the hell?” he yelped.

  • bastard.” I

  • a single tear

  • told me everything I

  • losing it,” I said, wiping my tears and

  • it out on

  • about it. I get it –

  • want him to help others,” I said quietly, looking at his

  • Mike’s brow furrowed.

  • do you

  • pulled out my iPhone and called the

  • my husband just passed away. I’d like to donate his organs to people

  • went white as a sheet.

  • for this curveball.

  • stammered, sweat beading

  • that call without consulting the

  • wife. It’s my

  • body through more trauma? Have some

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