Chapter 1 I Hope You Can Hold On

My husband, Cedric Mosley, had severe mysophobia. He was currently sitting across from me at the dining table, holding a knife and fork to dissect a whole fried snapper. His movements were frighteningly precise. The knife slid along the fish's backbone, cutting just deep enough to separate the flesh without touching the bones. With a light flick, the entire row of bones was cleanly removed and arranged at the edge of the plate. It looked like a perfect skeletal specimen. He pushed the prepared fish toward me. His voice was cold and flat as he said, "Eat." Cedric had extremely attractive features. He had a tall, straight nose, thin lips, and deep-set eyes that were always hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses. However, he gave off a cold, unapproachable air—just like the constant-temperature freezers in his lab. "Thank you," I said as I picked up a piece of fish with my fork. I felt as though I was chewing on wax. We had been married for two years, and we treated each other with polite respect. He didn't ask about my past, and I didn't ask about his work. We were like two puzzle pieces—fitted together because of the right shape, but with no harmonious blending of colors. My name was Emily Sanders. If time were turned back three years, this name would bring about mentions of "The It Girl", "The Headline Queen", and "The Gorgeous Devil" in the entertainment industry. But now, I was only Mrs. Mosley—a faded superstar who had been ruined by a scandal involving suspected money laundering and a messy private life. I was forced to retire and hide following that incident. "Why are you not eating?" Cedric's voice cut through my reminiscing. He looked up and briefly rested his gaze on my face. "You look pale. Did you not sleep well?" My hand holding the fork tightened, and I forced a smile. "Maybe it's the change of season. I think I'm having some allergies." Cedric said nothing more. He set down his utensils and took off his gloves. He then stood up and walked to the entryway. There, he took out a small black velvet box from his briefcase. "For you." He placed the box in front of me. I was stunned for a moment. Today wasn't an anniversary, nor was it my birthday. "Open it," he said. I did as I was told. Inside the box lay… a pure-silver model of part of the human spine. It was only the size of a thumb and had been fashioned into a pendant. The texture of each bone was clearly visible, looking so detailed that it was unsettling. I fell silent. Was this the romance that came with marrying a forensic doctor? "These are the L3 to L5 lumbar vertebrae," Cedric explained seriously. "It's the core weight-bearing part of the human body. I hope you can… hold on." Hold on? I looked up at Cedric sharply. Did he know something? But Cedric had already turned and walked to the kitchen to wash his hands. His back was upright, and he stood tall. That remark he just said… Perhaps it was just my imagination… But it felt like it had a hidden meaning…