Chapter 5

Aves stormed out without even touching breakfast.

I was used to her attitude by now—she treated every boyfriend I’d ever had like he’d personally wronged her in a past life.

Sometimes I couldn’t help wondering if it was because she didn’t have a boyfriend and I did. Maybe it rubbed her the wrong way.

I was halfway to work when it suddenly hit me:

Henry hadn’t mentioned his missing jade cicada at all.

Sure, it wasn’t something he needed to bring up every second, but it was a valuable antique. Pretending he didn’t notice felt… off.

But once I got to the office, the workload buried me alive.

That was when Aves called.

“I went to the Third Hospital to check.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “And? Did you catch Henry lying?”

“No. He really did take an old man to the ER.”

My temples throbbed harder. Her obsession was exhausting.

“Then drop it,” I said. “He didn’t lie, and he’s clearly not some walking corpse. Stop saying stuff like that—if he hears you, it won’t end well.”

Honestly, if it weren’t for her constant interference, I would’ve been married years ago. Might even have a toddler waddling around calling me Mom by now.

“My earlier judgment was wrong,” she said, suddenly serious. “I thought he was just an ordinary corpse-spirit. But after today… it’s obvious he’s more advanced.”

There she went again—absolutely determined to stick a zombie label on my boyfriend.

“So what then? If he really is some advanced undead creature, what are you going to do? Fight him with your bare hands?”

I didn’t have the energy for this. She’d been draining my mood for days.

Besides, even if Henry was something supernatural… he’d never harmed me.

In fact, ever since we moved in together, he’d been taking such good care of me I’d actually gained a few pounds.

“Gia, take the rest of the day off.”

“What? Why?”

I was drowning in work, and she wanted me to take leave?

“Drive me to Antique Store”

“For what?”

“I’m taking that jade cicada to get it appraised. Someone there might know where Henry came from.”

“And if they can’t figure anything out, you promise to drop this whole thing?”

She didn’t answer—but I could hear the stubbornness through the phone.

I was already irritated, but in the end, I still agreed to take her.