A woman was found dead, hanging in the bathroom of her home. The motive was suspected to be depression. She would be buried by the police and local residents, as she had no family left.
Sandra shed tears as she watched the news about her own death being widely discussed. She should never have used her gift to make money. She had misused it carelessly.
Now, she was trapped in someone else's body forever. How was she supposed to continue her life like this?
Sandra couldn't even visit her own grave. There were many taboos when it came to soul-swapping. If one of them died, they would be trapped forever. And the surviving one was forbidden from attending the funeral.
"I'm sorry. I no longer know how to deal with all my problems. My mental strength wasn't enough. I couldn't take it anymore. I'm sorry for swapping our lives and never returning it. I only hope your mission succeeds. That Lukas can love you and leave Kayla. I really hope you and Lukas can be happy."
Sandra clutched her head again as she read the last message sent to her by the real Sandra. Now, nothing could be changed or fixed. There was no way back. Her name was now Sandra, a wife, living a miserable life.
Why did the real Sandra kill her own soul? That woman was insane! If she really wanted to die, why did she have to involve her?
"What the hell are you thinking, hmm? Screaming in the middle of the night and making a scene? Was it on purpose?" Lukas placed a bowl of porridge down roughly and threw a fever medicine beside it with a careless face. "I'm warning you, don't cry. I'm sick of seeing your tears."
Sandra glared at him. So that woman had killed herself because of this man? Fueled by anger, Sandra threw the hot porridge at Lukas.
"Awhhh..." Lukas groaned as he quickly pulled off his thin T-shirt, the hot porridge making his skin turn red. "You're crazy!"
"Screw you!" she snapped and walked toward the bathroom.
Before she could enter, Lukas held the door and forced his way in. He immediately poured cold water over himself to relieve the burning from the porridge.
Sandra was stunned as she watched Lukas's body. His skin glistened with water, his muscles perfectly defined, every part of him forming a harmony of unmatched beauty.
As the water ran down his body, Sandra felt like she was witnessing a living work of art that stirred her emotions. He is a hot man.
Splash!
Sandra's daydream shattered when Lukas suddenly splashed her with water.
"What are you looking at? Thanks to you, my skin's burned! No appreciation at all!" Lukas growled, spraying water from the showerhead. Sandra's satin nightgown was soaked, exposing her body against her will.
Now it was Lukas's turn to swallow hard, seeing the curves of Sandra's body in front of him. In two years of marriage, this was the first time they were in a bathroom together, seeing each other this intimately.
Splash!
As if the situation reversed, Lukas's own daydream was broken by a splash of water hitting his face.
"What are you looking at, you pervert!"
"Did you hit your head last night? What made you so different like this? You must've bumped your head!" Lukas tapped her head three times, not too hard.
"You were the one who got dropped on your head at birth!" Sandra sprayed him again. "Go ask the universe why someone like you was created to be so damn annoying!" she shouted loudly.
"See? You must've hit your head, becoming a totally different person overnight. Or maybe you're possessed? Do you need an exorcism? I'll take you to a religious leader!" Lukas tried to grab the showerhead from her. They wrestled over it noisily.
Until finally, the showerhead snapped off, water gushing everywhere in the bathroom. Both of them slipped and fell on the wet floor, landing on top of each other.
Time seemed to freeze. Their hearts pounded wildly. Why did this awkward moment have to happen?
And in that moment, Lukas realized something. The wife he had ignored for the past two years was actually very beautiful.
*****
"Why are you sneezing like that?" a middle-aged woman asked Lukas, whose nose had turned red. Since arriving at the office, he hadn't stopped sneezing.
"There was a little accident, Ma. Sandra broke the showerhead."
"And what about Sandra? Is she okay?"
"What about her?" Lukas replied curtly.
"Lukas, don't forget we owe her a huge debt. If not for her father's kindness, your father wouldn't be alive." His father, still reading the newspaper, chimed in bitterly. "Learn to love her."
"Your father's right, Lukas. We owe her family so much. Besides, Sandra is beautiful, right? She's a village girl, untouched by the corrupt city lifestyle! You should be grateful!" his mother added.
"Remember, Lukas, I've already finalized the conditions of your inheritance. It's legally binding. If you're caught cheating and dare to divorce her, you'll lose your rights to the inheritance. Sandra and your child will get everything."
"Why do I have to be the one threatened like this?"
"Do you want the inheritance or not? If not, that's fine. You're free to leave the fortune behind. Go find a job out there. Start from zero! Let's see what woman would want a broke man."
"Exactly! Do you think Kayla will stay with you when you have nothing? Are you sure?" his mother pushed further.
Lukas said nothing. With an annoyed expression, he left the room. He was sick of arguing with his parents, even though he knew deep down they were right.
What woman would want a man with nothing? Harsh, but true.
"Why did Dad have to be indebted to Sandra's parents?" he grumbled, grabbing his car keys to leave the office. Lukas had a slight fever. He needed proper rest today, which was why he decided to go home early.
"Sandra, Sandra! Your name always drives me crazy."
Lukas slammed the steering wheel in frustration as the morning's incident replayed in his head. He screamed and felt awkward in his own skin, remembering that embarrassing moment.
"Lukas... you..."
"Shut up!" Lukas tried to calm the desire that suddenly hit him uninvited.
"You're disgusting!" Sandra struggled when she felt something hard pressing against her stomach.
"Don't move, or it'll get worse!" Lukas held his wife's body still.
"You said you wanted to divorce me, but now you're like this? You shameless jerk!" Sandra shouted, still trying to break free.
But her protest was silenced when his lips suddenly met hers in a soft, spontaneous kiss.
A strange, unfamiliar sensation overwhelmed her. Why did Lukas have to be this handsome? Sandra couldn't bring herself to push him away or end the moment.
As Sandra stopped resisting, Lukas deepened the kiss. Their lips moved gently against each other, forgetting their status and current relationship. That growing desire made them lose control.
Just as they were running out of breath, the hypnosis that made them forget everything suddenly faded. Sandra and Lukas returned to full awareness. They quickly pulled apart.
"I'm going to shower in the guest room." Sandra ran off, head down.
Lukas sat in the puddle, eyes blank. Did he really kiss Sandra? He actually did that? How could he be this insane?
"What the hell are you doing, Lukas!" he muttered, rubbing his lips roughly and glancing down at the very clear evidence of his arousal.
"Arghhhhhh! How am I supposed to face Sandra after this?" Lukas slammed the steering wheel repeatedly as the memory kept replaying in his head.