Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Lately, I’ve been plagued by headaches, sometimes even fainting in the streets. When I finally got my test results from the hospital, it felt like my heart plummeted into an ice-cold abyss. A deadly brain tumor, they told me. Not common at all. If I didn't get help right away, I might only have two months to live. But I was just 23. Two months – that was all I've got left. How was I supposed to tell my mother? With a heart weighed down by the news, I stepped into the house that was supposed to be mine. The moment I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of my mother and her adopted daughter, Leisha Ward, inseparable like glue, the picture of a loving family. And me? I was just an outsider in this home. “Where have you been? Why are you back so late? Are you planning to let your sister starve? She’s not in good health! Get in there and make dinner!”“Yes, Mom!” She didn't even seem to see the medicine bag I had. Or maybe she saw it and just didn't care. I slowly made my way to the kitchen, feeling weak. Picking up the spatula, I could barely lift it. Every time I tried to stir, it took all the energy I had. Mom and Leisha were in the living room watching TV, their occasional laughter piercing me like needles. Suddenly, Leisha slipped silently into the kitchen. The bracelet on her wrist, newly bought, glinted under the light, drawing attention. “Look, Sarah, Mom bought me this bracelet. It cost forty thousand dollars! Are you jealous?” She flaunted her wrist provocatively. “So what if you’re her real daughter? You still have to serve us like a servant,” she sneered. My heart clenched. Forty thousand dollars… That was my surgery money. All these years, I’ve worked like a mule at home and taken on jobs outside, just to survive, to scrape together enough for tuition and living expenses. And now, that money had so easily become something for someone else to flaunt. “Sarah! If you don’t hurry up and finish cooking, I’ll skin you alive!” My mother’s angry shout echoed from the distance. “You worthless thing, even cooking takes you forever! Are you trying to starve us?” With that, she pulled Leisha back to the living room, where they resumed their so-called ‘warm family moments.’ It felt like a heavy blow had struck my heart. Dragging my weary body, I continued with my tasks. When the soup was ready, I brought it out, only to find myself facing an even greater humiliation. "Oh!" A soft, malicious cry sounded, followed by the sudden sensation of something tripping my foot. It was Leisha, deliberately setting a trap. The soup spilled, scalding hot, searing my skin with unbearable pain. At that moment, my mother rushed over—not out of concern, but to make things worse. "Useless! Can't even carry a bowl of soup properly!" Several sharp slaps landed on my cheeks, and the world began to spin around me. “You wretched thing! I should've thrown you into the chamber pot when you were born! You cursed brat, you killed Laura, and now you want to harm Leisha, too! You'd better stay put and prepare to donate your kidney to Leisha! “I’ll beat you to death, you worthless bitch! Don’t you know your sister is frail? And you still dared to spill soup on her?” Wearing her high heels, she kicked me in the stomach, and the pain brought tears streaming down my face. “Mom, I’m sorry...” I whispered. She didn’t care, kicking me again and again, as if trying to release years of hatred onto me. I was in so much pain I couldn’t speak, my head feeling heavier, and through the blur, I saw my mother shielding Leisha behind her, soothing, “Don’t be afraid, sweetheart,” as if none of this had anything to do with her. Inside, a storm of humiliation, anger, and helplessness churned into the most bitter feeling. I was just as much a blood relative in this family, yet I had to endure this treatment day after day…

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

When I woke up again, I found myself thrown into a small room in the basement where the servants lived. The floor was wet, with water seeping through, and the paint on the walls was peeling off. In this cold, damp space, every brick and every drop of water seemed to mock my fate. Ever since my sister’s death, I had become nothing more than an invisible ghost in this house. I watched as Leisha, with her smug face drenched in jewels and riches, basked in the luxury of the bedroom that once belonged to me. Meanwhile, I struggled to scrape together even the most basic funds for surgery and medical treatment. And Leisha? She could just wait patiently for me to donate my kidney to her! I stumbled and scraped together all the money I had saved over the years from a life of frugality. Those bills, stained with sweat and tears, were handed over for the first installment of my treatment. After the treatment, I spent two days in the hospital. But when I returned home, there was no concern over

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

But what they didn’t know was that this time, after being locked away in that damp basement, I truly died. My soul drifted lightly through this world, like a wisp of smoke, silent and unseen. I watched my mother and Leisha laughing together by the seaside, the sunlight bathing them in a warm, golden glow as if blessing them with its light. Meanwhile, I was nothing more than a speck of dust in a forgotten corner of the world, untouched by even the faintest ray of sunshine. "Sweetheart, do you like this necklace? Go ahead, buy it," my mother said, her face filled with affection for Leisha. The necklace, glittering with diamonds, sparkled even brighter under the sun. "Thank you, Mom!" Leisha replied, delighted as she took the necklace, but then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she added, "Oh, by the way, Mom, what do you think Sarah is up to now? Should we video call her to show her the beautiful seaside?" Her innocent suggestion carried a hint of mockery. Hearing those words, I felt

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

I watched from above as the two of them enjoyed their carefree lives until my mother received a call from the hospital. The compatibility test had been successful—I could donate my kidney to Leisha. Mom told Leisha to call me and tell me to get ready for the surgery as soon as they got back. But no matter how many times Leisha tried calling, no one answered. Of course, that was because I was dead. How could I possibly pick up the phone? "Mom, Sarah isn't answering! Do you think she doesn’t want to donate her kidney to me? Mom, I’m so scared..." Leisha whimpered, pretending to cry on my mother's shoulder, her face wet with fake tears. "That useless thing can't even answer a phone! Who knows where she's gone? When I get a hold of her, I swear I'll make her pay!" Mom's voice echoed angrily through the seaside villa, her frustration growing with each unanswered call, each one only adding more fuel to her fiery rage. "She's probably tired of living!" Leisha stood to the side, her brow fu

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

At that moment, my mother was silent on the phone for a moment before exploding into an even fiercer rage. "Dead? Don't try to fool me! How could she be dead? When Laura died, she didn't have the decency to die with her. If she were going to die, she'd have done it long ago, not waited until now!" She screamed hysterically, ordering Leisha to keep listening to the call. "Tell Zoe to search the room thoroughly! She's probably just faking it to avoid responsibility." Despite her fear, the housekeeper obeyed and returned to search the room. After confirming the situation, she reported back again. "Ma’am... there's no mistake. If you don't believe me, you can call the police!" Her voice echoed in the dark, empty room. There was a long silence on the other end of the line. "She's just pretending, thinking I’ll forget the past. I'll call the police myself!" my mother snapped, her harsh words becoming the last thing I would ever hear from her, even after leaving this world. When the police a