Chapter 134

I never imagined I could approach such a sacred place, given my half-ghost, half-human state. I braced myself for a blast of golden light, a cinematic cliché. But life isn't a movie.

Barefoot, I ascended the snow-covered staircase. My long dress billowed in the wind, the cold a distant sensation. Unhindered, I knelt, as Chase had.

I wasn't sure if deities existed, or if they heard the desperate pleas of mortals. My past prayers were for others; this time, I sought something for myself. Lifting my dress, I bowed deeply, pouring out my sincerity.

By midnight, frost coated Chase's face, his hair and eyelashes iced. The driver urged him to return, warning that he might not die, but he'd wish he had.

Chase ignored him, bowing his head. "Is it really this cold?" he murmured. "How did she make it through?" True empathy, he mused, was rare unless one had walked the same hard roads. How many could truly share another's experiences?

Those who preached about reconciling with hardship were either clueless or cruel. Only someone who had walked in your shoes could truly understand.

Chase, who once scoffed at the talisman I gave him, now felt its weight—a weight mirroring his hopes and dreams.

"May my wife be safe." "May my wife find peace." "May my wife come back to me."

Oh, Chase, love arriving late was like grass after rain—abundant, yet easily overlooked. Chase, your true love is something I cannot accept.

I bowed deeply, seeking passage to the next life. Perhaps it was divine favor, but before dawn, Chase reached the mountaintop. He took that final step and collapsed. Under the church's streetlamp, snowflakes danced.

He struggled open his eyes and saw me. "Amanda! You're back? I knew you would be!" Suddenly energized, he leaped towards me. But to him, I was a beam of light—present, yet untouchable.

His body passed through mine, hitting the ground, scattering snow. He wouldn't give up, reaching for my foot. His hand passed through my ankle. I walked towards the chapel.

"Mr. Reyes!" The driver rushed to his aid. Chase clutched his hand—cold, but solid and real, unlike the emptiness he'd just felt. Excitement lit his face as he pointed at my retreating figure. "Did you see her? That's Amanda! I told you she's okay, Amanda's back! She was right there; I almost had her."

The driver regarded Chase with pity and concern. To others, he seemed deranged—a lost man, cold, hungry, and consumed by longing. "Mr. Reyes, let's get you inside the chapel to warm up. You're nearly frozen solid."