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

Victoria lay on the floor, her ghostly body trembling, flickering like a candle about to go out. The force that had slammed her down still pulsed through her, like a thousand invisible hands trying to rip her apart from the inside.

Ben, still on his knees beside her, felt paralyzed—his mind unable to grasp what was happening.

The thing inside Ellie's body took a slow step forward. Its presence was suffocating, pressing against Ben's skull like an unseen weight.

It crouched, tilting Ellie's head at an unnatural angle. "Tell me, Ben," it murmured, "was she worth it?"

The thing smiled. "Was she worth the price?" It gestured toward Victoria's nearly broken spirit. "Did you truly love her?"

Ben swallowed hard. "I—" His voice cracked.

"Because you didn't hesitate to let her die," it continued, voice like dripping venom. "Did you think she wouldn't remember? That she wouldn't come back for you?"

Victoria's breathing was ragged. "Shut up..." she managed, but it sounded weak, more like a plea than a demand.

The thing in Ellie's body laughed. It was the kind of laugh that sent a deep, gut-wrenching chill through the room, like a whisper of something old, something ancient.

"But now," it continued, standing up straight, "there's a new game to play."*

Ben felt sick. "What do you want?"

Victoria coughed, shuddering. "W-what does that mean…?"

"It means the soul exchange was never meant for you, Victoria," the thing said, stepping closer. "You were already lost. But Ellie?" It sighed, closing its eyes as if savoring the thought. "She was alive. Pure. Untouched by the veil."*

Ben felt his stomach drop. "Where is she?" he whispered.

The thing's eyes snapped open, glowing like burning embers. "Nowhere. Everywhere."*

Ben clenched his fists. "Bring her back!"*

The air in the room rippled, the lights flickering wildly.

The thing leaned in, its voice barely above a whisper. "No."*

Victoria tried to move, pushing herself up on shaking arms. "You… you tricked us…"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," the thing purred. "You were the one playing with death. You just never realized death was playing with you."*

Ben snapped. He lunged forward, grabbing onto Ellie's body, shaking it. "ELLIE, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, FIGHT THIS!"*

For a moment—just a brief second—he thought he saw something. A flicker of recognition.

But then, the thing in her body grinned wider.

"She's gone, Ben," it whispered. "And now, it's your turn to choose."*

Ben felt a cold pit form in his stomach. "Choose…?"

"One of you stays…" it said, glancing at Victoria, "and one of you disappears forever."*

Victoria gasped, her eyes wide with fear. "No…"

Ben's heart slammed against his ribs. "You can't do this!"*

The thing sighed, stretching lazily. "I can do whatever I want, Ben. You just didn't know the rules before you started playing."*

Victoria turned to Ben, desperation in her glowing, ghostly eyes. "Ben, you know I don't deserve this…"

Ben's hands shook. He knew what Victoria had done, what she had become—but was this truly justice?

Or was it just… another nightmare?

The thing in Ellie's body tilted its head, watching, waiting.

"Tick-tock, Ben," it murmured. "Who's it going to be?"

Chapter 55: The Soul's Ultimatum