Drowning the Liar

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My boyfriend tried to drag me into a suicide pact. Not only did I refuse to die with him, but I also held his head underwater until he drowned.

Forty years ago, our love was rejected by society, so he asked me to jump into the river with him.

In my past life, Ethan Cole died, but I was saved.

I lived a life of guilt and pain, sacrificing everything to support his parents and younger brother.

But forty years later, as I lay dying, crippled and in agony...

I saw the supposedly dead Ethan Cole alive and well, walking hand-in-hand with an elegant, intellectual woman.

"One fake death and you spun in circles for a lifetime. Did a stupid woman like you really think I could love her?"

"But thanks anyway. If you hadn't supported my family, I wouldn't have had the peace of mind to study for college, nor the chance to live happily ever after with my Bella."

"Oh right, actually, little Timmy isn't my brother. He's mine and Bella's son! We had him long before I met you!"

They kissed passionately in front of me, and I breathed my last breath filled with overwhelming hatred.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back forty years ago, on the day Ethan dragged me to commit suicide.

"May! See you in the next life!"

The familiar voice rang in my ears, accompanied by the freezing river water.

Before I could even react, the man in front of me jumped in with a splash.

Looking at his face, anger instantly flared in my heart.

It was Ethan Cole! How did he suddenly become so young?

And this riverwasn't this the river where he dragged me to die forty years ago?

Was I reborn?

I didn't have time to think. I walked straight towards him.

Since you like playing dead so much, play dead for the rest of your life!

As he submerged his head into the water, I whispered in his ear.

"Her name is Bella Stone, right?"

His body trembled violently, trying to lift his head out of the water, but I had already pressed his head firmly down.

I was a rough village woman, uneducated but strong from farm work.

Ethan was an intellectual, always buried in books, thin as a rail. He was no match for me.

He struggled in the water, his body tensing from the pain of suffocation.

"Timmy isn't your brother at all, he's your and Bella's son, isn't he? Did you take me for a fool?"

"Don't worry, I won't support your parents or your son. As for your lover, I'll make her pay!"

"And you, just go in peace!"

By the end, my tone became frantic and trembling, the joy of revenge filling my entire being.

Only when Ethan stopped moving completely did I let go.

Before fear could set in, I plunged my head into the water.

Even though I choked and felt like collapsing, I couldn't surface for a moment. I couldn't let passersby notice anything strange.

Only when my consciousness was about to fade did I hear the cry for help from the shore.

"Help! Someone jumped into the river!"

When I was resuscitated, I was slapped hard across the face.

It was Ethan's mother, Helen, glaring at me with fury. Behind her was a large coffin.

"You animal, you killed my son! How cruel can you be!"

Then, she and her husband, George, started kicking and punching me. If someone hadn't stopped them, my weak body might have been beaten to death.

"Where is Ethan? How is he?"

I pretended to be anxious, asking the obvious.

"Ethan is dead! Are you happy now!"

Helen spat at me, but she couldn't hide the smugness in her eyes.

It seemed she didn't know her son was actually dead.

"You bitch, how do you have the face to live in this world? Crawl over here and kowtow to Ethan!"

Then, Helen and George pinned me down in front of the coffin, smashing my face into the ground as if venting their anger, nearly breaking my nose.

Fortunately, the village chief intervened just in time to save my nose.

"What is wrong with you young people? Always seeking death. Now look, such a good young man, an intellectual too, gone just like that."

"May, since you survived, you must carry on Ethan's will. Don't do anything foolish again!"

The village chief said regretfully.

Meanwhile, Helen knelt aside, wailing loudly.

"My poor son, you're gone, how will your father, your brother, and I live? May, if you have any conscience, you will be filial to us in Ethan's place. Hand over all your wages from now on!"

"And sell all the valuable things in your house quickly. I remember your mother left you a jade bracelet?"

As Helen cried, her greed became unconcealable. Already eyeing my heirloom?

I glanced at her coldly, walked straight to the coffin, and opened the lid a crack. Inside, Ethan's face was gray, lips purple. There was no coming back from that.

Since that was the case, I was relieved.

Thinking this, I threw myself onto the coffin and wailed heartbreakingly.

"Ethan! It's all my fault! I killed you!"

Hearing my words, Helen almost laughed, saying shamelessly:

"Don't think I'll accept you as a daughter-in-law just because you act like this. You? A stupid village woman, not even fit to be a maid for my Ethan! But, if you are obedient and serve us well, maybe I'll show mercy and give you a title!"

Looking at Helen's face, I resisted the urge to slap her and nodded tearfully.

"Don't worry, I will. But before Ethan is buried, I have one request."

I looked at the village chief and said firmly.

"Ethan only wanted to contribute to the country in his life. His thinking was advanced, he pursued progress, and responded to all calls. So I think we should cremate Ethan!"

"Good, good! Truly a young person with new ideas! I'll arrange it!" the village chief said excitedly.

In the 80s, although cremation was becoming common, it was still taboo in our mountain village. So the village chief was gratified by my "big picture" thinking.

But Helen wouldn't have it. They knew their precious son was just tricking me and wasn't dead!

So, they rushed forward to protect the coffin, cursing at me.

"You bitch, you have bad intentions! You want to burn him when he's dead? Ethan, you were confused! How did you fall for such a demon!"

I made a wronged face and said pitifully:

"I just want to fulfill Ethan's wish."

The village chief also persuaded:

"Exactly. I've told you before, burial harms the environment, cremation contributes to society. Ethan would agree in the afterlife."

Helen firmly refused, rolling on the ground throwing a tantrum.

"No! I don't care! No cremation! Whoever burns my son, I'll burn them!"

Seeing this, the village chief had to give up, viewing Helen as just a pitiful, superstitious old woman wanting to keep her son's body intact.

Just then, a graceful figure walked over.

"Sister May, I know your intentions are good, but have you considered Ethan's parents' feelings? Don't be so heartless."

I looked closely. Wasn't this Bella Stone?

In my past life, we were just acquaintances in the village. After Ethan's fake death, she left too.

I never thought she and Ethan had a history.

She looked just like the woman I saw by Ethan's deathbed in my past life.

She enjoyed all the good days that belonged to me!

Thinking of this, anger surged.

Suddenly, a small child rushed up, punching and kicking me.

"Bitch! Whore! You want to burn my brother! I'll kill you!"

It was Timmy!

Foul-mouthed and disrespectful.

In my past life, filled with guilt toward their family, I tolerated Timmy's rudeness, sent him money tirelessly, and cared for him.

Since he's an ungrateful wolf, I don't need to pretend to be gentle in this life.

"Tsk, no manners, needs a beating!"

I slapped him hard.

The slap stunned Timmy. He stood there covering his face, bewildered.

Helen and Bella screamed, rushing to check on Timmy, eyes full of heartache.

"You shrew, hitting a child? Are you human?" Helen shouted at me.

"A child with such a dirty mouth deserves a beating! Since I'm taking care of him for Ethan, I must discipline him strictly, or what if he grows up to be a hooligan or a rapist?" I said calmly.

As expected, Bella trembled with anger and retorted:

"Your son will be the rapist! Timmy doesn't need you to manage him!"

She realized her mistake and shut up immediately.

I looked at her sideways and asked slowly:

"Oh, Sister Bella, why are you, an outsider, so concerned about our family affairs? Timmy doesn't need me to manage him, meaning you will?"

Bella blushed, stammering for a moment before saying:

"I... I just can't stand your shrewish ways. No wonder Ethan disliked you..."

"Oh, you know a lot about us. Tsk, you two didn't...?" I asked with feigned surprise.

"You're spitting blood! A shrew like you, any man would dislike you!" Bella looked uncomfortable, guilt evident in her eyes.

"Since that's the case, I won't care anymore. Chief, please find a good family to send this child to."

Helen and Bella gasped again. Helen almost blurted out the truth.

"Are you crazy? Where are you sending my grand... son?"

"Look, you two are old and weak, unable to raise this child. I can't afford to raise him either. Better to find him a good home, at least he won't starve."

"Don't worry, when I make money, I'll bring Timmy back!" I promised, patting my chest.

Bella was trembling with rage, pointing at my nose.

"How cruel can you be? Timmy lost his brother, and now you want him to lose his parents too? It's just raising a child, you can work three jobs!"

"Oh? Since you say it so easily, Sister Bella, why don't you work three jobs to raise him?" I patted her shoulder and laughed.

"I... I... this is clearly your responsibility!" Bella raged.

The village chief stepped in to smooth things over again.

"Bella is still young and needs to marry in the future. How can she drag a child along?"

Hearing this, I immediately followed up.

"Exactly! I need to marry in the future too. Dragging a child is inconvenient. Let's do as I said."