She Died With My Name on Her Lips novel Chapter 7

“Stephen…” Louise leaned weakly against his chest, her voice fragile. “My leg really hurts…”

Stephen’s heart ached for her. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Hang in there. I’ll get you to the hospital right away. But before we go, tell me—how should we punish her?”

Louise rested in his arms, barely whispering, “Maybe… lock her in the basement for a day? No food. Let her think about what she’s done.”

“Alright.” Stephen lifted Louise, not bothering to look back. “Put her down there.”

Louisa was thrown into the basement. It was dark, damp, and freezing.

She lost all sense of time. Eventually, the door creaked open.

Louise walked in, holding a small jar and wearing a sweet smile. “Hungry? Still missing that dog of yours?”

She popped the lid off, showing a heap of grayish powder inside.

“Here, let me help you reunite.”

Louisa’s eyes went wide with horror. Before she could react, Louise clamped a hand around her jaw and shoved the ashes into her mouth.

“No—please—stop—”

Louisa fought as hard as she could, but she was too weak. She choked down mouthful after mouthful.

“Does it taste good?” Louise’s smile turned cruel. “That’s your precious ‘Guy’.”

Only when the jar was empty did Louise seem satisfied. She wiped her hands, cleaned up, and left.

“Guy… Guy…”

Louisa was shattered. She gagged and dry heaved, but nothing came up.

She curled up on the cold ground, tears long gone, her mind fading.

A burning fever swept through her. Her wounds throbbed and burned.

In a haze, she felt someone gently pick her up, a cool towel wiping her face, careful hands tending the cut on her forehead.

“Lou…”

The voice was so familiar—soft, full of the kind of care she hadn’t heard in forever.

Was this just a dream?

Louisa tried to open her eyes, but all she could make out was a blurry figure.

His mind drifted back five years. Louisa curled up in his arms, eyes shining, saying, “Stephen, let’s have two kids someday, okay? A boy named Hope, a girl named Grace.”

She’d smiled so sweetly, like happiness would last forever.

“Stephen? Are you listening?” Louise’s voice snapped him back.

Stephen swallowed, forcing the words out. “Yeah. Those are good names.”

He paused, his voice rough. “I’ll come to the hospital now.”

He hung up and looked back at Louisa, lying still on the bed.

At some point, she’d opened her eyes and was staring at him with a hollow, lifeless gaze.

Something twisted inside him. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he just turned and left.

As the door closed, Louisa slowly shut her eyes.

How nice, she thought. He’s got new hope now.

And as for her—she could finally be done with it all.