brother is.”
Chapter 21
The next day, paket went to the mall to pick out a bracelet. She bumped into Norman at the Counter.
Hewas impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, holding a bouquet of phalaenopsis orchids in full bloom, looking every bit as polished and striking as possible. The scrutty, gray- haired, disheveled man she’d seen the day before now felt like a distant memory.
she frowned and started to turn away. but he grabbed her wrist
Norman handed her the flowers, his voice careful. “Juliet, I told you I’d get you a new bracelet. Pick one you like. Let me buy it for you.”
Without a second thought, Juliet tossed the bouquet into a trash can, her expression cold and unreadable. “I told you, I’m not juliet. And I hate phalaenopsis orchids ”
Norman stared at the flowers in the trash, besitating for a moment before asking, “It must’ve hurt like hell when the serial killer cut you apart, right?”
Juliet froze.
The first strike from the killer had taken off her right arm. The pain had been so excruciating that she’d lost consciousness, barely hearing the system’s alert as it had announced that her immortality had been revoked.
After that she’d become little more than a wisp of a spirit, floating through the alr
She’d been helpless, forced to watch in horror as the serial killer had mutilated her body, packed the pieces into a black urn, and sealed it with some dark curse. She hadn’t been able to do a thing to stop it
She’d watched Iris let out a mocking, triumphant laugh. Her bland had boiled with hatred, burning with the urge to rip Iris apart. But when she’d charged, her body had passed right through iris, leaving her powerless to inflict even the slightest injury
Juliet’s soul, consumed with bitter resentment, had been trapped in that um for what felt like an eternity. The darkness had been suffocating, the stench overwhelming, and every second had been pure agony,
Sine’d thought she’d be stuck there forever until she’d heard Norman’s sobs. It was then that she’d realized he’d buried her remains beside Claire’s grave,
After that, bet had dritted into a deep sleep until the system had woken her up.
Norman’s eyes were red from crying as he asked, “Juliet, when you were trapped in that urn, you must’ve hated me with every fiber of your being, right? Now that I’ve become immortal ipo, 1 finally understand how the pain from each death adds up.
“I realize now that when you passed out from even the slightest injury before, it wasn’t some act to get my sympathy. It was real. Please, let me make it right. Let’s start over-”
Juliet didn’t respond, walking past him with cold indifference. But he reached out, pulling her into a tight embrace, his lips inching toward hers.
She aboved him away with force, ber face twisted with anger, “Who the hell do you think you are, kissing me? Take a good look! I’m Natalie Yule, not your wife!”
Norman held her tightly, refusing to release his grip. “Stop pertending. You’re Juliet Lennon. You can deny it all you want, but your body is telling the truth,”
“Let her go!” Bernard shouted, rushing forward.
He landed a punch that sent Normin crashing to the ground, his face twisted in anger. “Keep messing with Nattle, and our friendship is over!”
Lying on the floor, Norman wiped the blood from his mouth with effort.
He aphasized every word as he said, “Natalie died that day from a heart attack, Bernard. The one who’s still here is Jallet. She’s in Natalie’s body. Do you understand?
“She can’t stand cake anymore and has suddenly developed a fascination with emerald bracelets. Everything about her is the complete opposite of Natalie. How do you not see
Benard’s face was filled with disbelief. He reached for fuller’s hand. “What are you talking about? This is crazy! Mattie, let’s go,” he said.
juliet Jotlowed Bernard, but as they turned to leave, her eyes were drawn to Iris, who was standing in the crowd of onlookers.
In stepped forward, reaching qut to help Norman to his teet, her voice breaking with subs. “You lowd me, Noman. Why did everything change so suddenly after julier died? Why
didn’t you let her go all thestyears? Why are you doing this to me!
