MARY_OMONOWA

Modern dating is already a minefield, but nothing could have prepared Ellie for falling into a twisted love triangle with a ghost. When her seemingly perfect boyfriend, Ben, starts mumbling secrets to thin air and even forgets their anniversary, Ellie knows something is horribly off. Her worst fears come crashing down when she discovers that Victoria—Ben’s dashing, dead ex—is back from the grave, haunting him with a toxic mix of unresolved passion and vengeful unfinished business.

Determined not to lose the man she loves, Ellie embarks on a wild, chaotic journey to outwit this lovesick specter. As she digs deeper into Victoria’s murky past, Ellie uncovers a shocking truth: the ghost’s jealousy is only part of the nightmare. Victoria isn’t just stalking Ben—she’s trapped in an eternal limbo, doomed to suffer unless someone frees her from her own bitter chains. And now, Ellie must face the impossible challenge of saving not just her relationship, but a tortured soul from beyond the grave.

In this surreal battle where romance collides with the supernatural and dark humor, Ellie is forced to ask the unthinkable: Can love really transcend death, or is she doomed to become nothing more than an awkward, unwitting third wheel in a paranormal romance that defies all natural laws?

The ghost who stole my man

Ellie's heart pounded as Victoria's words echoed in her mind.

Ellie's breath was shaky as she took a step back, her thoughts racing. "What if…" She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "What if there's another way?"

Victoria's expression darkened. "There is no other way."

"There has to be," Ellie insisted, gripping the edge of the table behind her for support. "You want to live again—but taking my life isn't the only solution."

Victoria's form flickered, her expression twisting into something unreadable. "Then tell me, Ellie." Her voice dripped with mockery. "What's your brilliant idea?"

Ellie opened her mouth, but before she could answer, a voice interrupted.

Ben stood in the doorway, his face pale but determined. His eyes locked onto Victoria's. "If you need a body—take mine."

Ellie's stomach twisted. "Ben, no—"

"Yes." He stepped forward, his jaw clenched. "You want to live again, Victoria? Fine. Use me."

A silence stretched between them, thick with tension.

It wasn't soft. It wasn't kind. It was cold—a sharp, bitter sound that sent a chill through Ellie's bones.

"You?" Victoria sneered. "After everything? You think I'd want you?"

Ben flinched, but he didn't back down. "I left you, Victoria. I know that. I failed you. And if this is the only way to make things right—"

"Make things right?" Victoria's voice boomed, shaking the very walls. "You think offering yourself now makes up for what you did?!"

"I don't want you, Ben." Victoria's voice was sharp, her form flickering between life and death. "I don't want to be you. I want you to suffer."

"No!" The windows shattered as Victoria's fury exploded through the room. "You think your guilt is enough?! You think your regret will fix what you did?!"

Ellie clutched her arms, her breath shallow.

Victoria's eyes burned with something raw, something unforgiving. "You left me to die, Ben. And now, you want to play hero?"

Ben clenched his fists. "Then what do you want from me?!"

Victoria's voice dropped to a whisper, chilling and venomous. "I want you to live with what you did."*

Ellie stepped between them, desperate. "Then why do you need me, Victoria? If you only want revenge, why do you need a body?"

Then—Victoria sighed. It was almost…tired.

"Because I don't know how to stop, Ellie."*

Victoria's fingers twitched, her form flickering. "I've been stuck in this anger for so long…trapped in this moment. The pain, the betrayal—it's the only thing keeping me here."

Her dark eyes bore into Ellie's. "I need something to hold onto. And if I can't have love, I'll take a life instead."*

Chapter 44: Substitute Options