Chapter 63
“Do you believe in souls, Stella?” | asked, my gaze fixed on her, uncertain if she would take my claim seriously.
“It’s me, Phoebe.”
Stella’s shock was palpable. She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes darting around, searching for an
explanation.
There was a long silence.
My story must have seemed far-fetched, even ludicrous.
“What are you trying to pull?” she finally asked, furrowing her brow, irritation creeping into her voice. “How could
you know all that? Are you trying to impersonate Phoebe? Do you takefor a fool?”
Her wary eyes scrutinizedas if | were a suspect in a cror an accomplice.
And who could blher? If someone suddenly claimed to be your dearly departed friend, you'd be skeptical,
too.
“Easy, easy.” | quickly said, gesturing for her to calm down.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
Stella paused, her suspicion only growing. She must have been wondering how | knew so many intimate details
about Phoebe.
“You think I'm an accomplice, don’t you? That | did something to Phoebe before she passed. forced her to spill
your secrets so | could deceive you?” | voiced Stella’s doubts.
She remained silent, still on guard.
“Okay, then asksomething. Something only you and Phoebe would know. She couldn't have told all of her
secrets. | really am Phoebe.” | explained, raising my hands in a gesture of peace.
Stella's eyes began to well up, perhaps hoping against hope that | was indeed Phoebe.
But we were both skeptics, non-believers in reincarnation or life after death. The whole idea was straight out of a
soap opera.
“Phoebe left sbank cards with me,” Stella probed, watchingcarefully.
“Two cards,” | replied earnestly. “One for the scholarship funds, another for my paycheck. There's over thirty
grand in the scholarship account, and I've saved up ten grand in the other for Dexter and Melody’s wedding gift.
Oh, and there's our joint account for the kids at the orphanage.”
| had once wished Dexter and Melody a lifetof happiness. Unfortunately, they wanteddead.
Just mentioning Dexter and Melody brought a flash of hatred to my eyes. Stella spoke again, “Phoebe had some
cosmetic work done. What was it?”
IEE)
Chapter 63
This accusation madebristle. No naturally beautiful girl likes to be accused of having work done. “Why would
| need plastic surgery? No, | haven't had anything done.”
“Wrong answer. | took her to get eyelash extensions.” Stella countered with a dismissive wave of her hand.
| was at a loss for words. “Stella, you're counting eyelash extensions as plastic surgery? The eyelash extensions
of that beauty salon you tookto weren't even as long as my eyelashes! And because of that, my eyelashes
fell into my eye, and | even got conjunctivitis!”
Stella's eyes began to flicker. “Which spa, where?”
“Trinity Avenue, BeautySky Spa, | think? The salesperson kept complimentingthe moment walked in, saying
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmhow pretty | was and that | should get semi-permanent eyeliner or eyebrows so | wouldn't need makeup
anymore.”
Stella tightened her grip on her water glass and then asked, “Did Phoebe love Dexter?”
| caught my breath before answering, each word heavy with emotion. “I don’t love Dexter anymore. If | do, all
the pain | endured would be my own fault.”
Connection to
Stella turned away, wiping away a tear. “I'll concede that you might have sPhoebe, but | don’t believe you
are her. What do you want? Just be straight with me.”
“It was Melody... she killed me,” | started, then quickly corrected, “Melody killed Phoebe. She told Phoebe to go
to Tangle Lane on the 15th and didn’t tell anyone else. She lured Phoebe there, right into the hands of the
murderer.”
Stella whirled around, fixing her eyes on me. “Do you have any proof?”
I shook my head regretfully. “I don’t have any hard evidence, but... Phoebe’s phone has recordings of her
conversations with Melody. Didn't the police recover the data?”
Stella frowned. “Data recovery is a complicated process. It’s not that simple, and it takes time.”