Rebirth Into My Second Chance novel Chapter 43

Claude's hands shook as he gathered the scattered papers off the floor and flipped through them page by page. Every detail confirmed it was Claire, and the words hit him like a punch, making him scatter the documents in a panic.

"I don't believe it. I need to see Claire's body with my own eyes." He whipped out his phone, dialing again and again. "Claire, answer the phone!"

But I didn’t answer. How could I? He sent countless messages, but I remained silent. I wouldn’t be gone if he had been there when I desperately needed his help.

I felt so hopeless. The world was a dark place, everything falling apart around me. I clung to a sliver of hope, only to have it eroded, until finally, in a blaze, feeling the flames yet unable to open my eyes or move to escape. I left this world with my child in that inferno.

‘Claude, I’m dead.’ I cried.

He stumbled out of the house, even putting on one shoe wrong, rushing to meet his childhood friends who thought his distress was because of Kate’s disappearance.

“Claude, Kate will be okay. We’re looking for her, too.”

Claude shook off their comforting hands. “She’s dead.”

His use of "she" made everyone assume he meant Kate, their faces showing shock and sorrow.

“Kate...”

“How could this...”

“Our sweet Kate, who could have done this!”

Leading the way, Claude retorted, “Claire, I told you not to die. How dare you!”

The friends, who were mourning, sighed in relief when hearing it was Claire who was dead. They grabbed Claude, saying, “Claude, Claire was nothing but trouble. It’s her own doing if she’s dead.”

The friends were in disbelief, looking between the evidence and Claude.

Claude asked, “Where’s Claire?”

Ronald replied, “Complete the paperwork as her husband, and I’ll take you to her body.”

Claude’s signature was shaky, and his reaction seemed almost detached.

After signing, he tried to proceed, but Ronald stopped him, “We’ve tried contacting the person who previously claimed Claire’s finger, but they’ve disappeared. The address and phone number left were fake.”

It meant the finger was mine, and Claude had not even recognized it.

He didn’t even realize the wedding ring didn’t fit.