Chapter 1 Chapter 1

The day I died was the same day as my twin sister’s birthday party. She was in tears and was wrapped up in my boyfriend’s arms. My mom was seething with anger and kept calling me over and over again. My brother was clearly upset and sent me a text saying, "You’re so selfish. You just can’t stand to see anyone else happy." Even my usually quiet dad was furious and said, "She’s nothing but an ungrateful brat." I touched my chest. Thankfully, it did not hurt anymore. …… Ever since I was little, my grandma always told me, "There’s no one better than a mother." But I always felt like she was lying to me. When I was eight, my mom took forever to come pick me up. When we finally got home, I saw her comforting Gwen Lincoln, my twin sister. We looked almost identical, except I had an extra mole beneath my left eye. "Mom, who is she?""She’s Kate, your sister from the countryside." Their dissatisfied questioning and cold response left me with a sense of unease. From that moment, "countryside" became my label, creating a gap between us. My brother, Zac Lincoln, glared at me with disgust, as if I were an intruder in his home. Back then, I wanted to ask my grandma what was so great about having a mom. And now, it was supposed to be our birthday party. But really, it was Gwen’s engagement party. After greeting the guests, my mom slipped to the stairwell, calling my phone over and over. By the fifth call, my phone was turned off. My mom was seething with anger and she yelled, "Kate, you’re too much! I’m your mother!" Zac overheard and came over, supporting her arm. "Mom, don’t waste your time on someone like her. She’s just bad luck. "Today is all about Gwen’s engagement. She’s not important. "Only Gwen is kind enough to still think about her, even when she’s being so difficult." When my mom heard Gwen’s name, a smile finally appeared on her face. She sighed and patted Zac’s hand, "Gwen is so thoughtful. How can two daughters be so different? "When I gave birth to them, I almost died from the blood loss. "And Gwen… She was malnourished in the womb and sickly after she was born. She barely made it. "Even the doctors said she was a miracle." A chill ran through me. I had heard all of this countless times since they brought me back home. If it weren’t for my grandma, I was sure they would have abandoned me completely. Zac comforted my mom, "She grew up in the countryside, she’s not fit for the spotlight. "But for Gwen’s happiness, I had to bring her here today." My mom nodded and followed him into the hall, "It’s such a shame for Gwen." I did not think Gwen was suffering at all. Otherwise, why would she have thrown me in the basement. …… I drifted into the makeup room and finally saw Gwen. Tears shimmered at the corners of her eyes as she pouted, leaning into Orion Smith’s arms. Her delicate makeup made her look pitiful. "I’m so silly. It would’ve been so nice to just have a birthday party. Why did I have to choose today for the engagement? "Kate didn’t come. Do you think she’s still mad at me? "After all, you used to be her boyfriend, and she loved you so much." Orion gently stroked her back, his eyes full of sympathy. As soon as he heard my name, his face twisted in disgust. "Someone like her shouldn’t even share the same birthday as you. "Just thinking about her love makes me sick. "And this engagement? It has nothing to do with her." I smirked. Didn’t Gwen choose today just to humiliate me? "But she’s still my sister. I’d really like her blessing," Gwen muttered softly.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

After hearing that, Orion kissed Gwen on the forehead and said, "Gwen, I’ll be the one to give you happiness." My heart ached. He had said those exact words to me once, just as sincerely. Back in college, I had been knocked down, and he was the one who helped me up. That day, his eyes were bright, and all I could see in them was my reflection. He gently stroked my hair with concern. "Kate, from now on, I’ll protect you. I’ll be the one to give you happiness." But after he met Gwen, his so-called happiness completely changed. The day I saw the two of them kissing passionately downstairs, he shielded her behind him when he noticed me watching. The lipstick stain on his face and his swollen lips made me sick to my stomach. I fought back the pain and walked toward him, asking why he had done this to me. "There's nothing to say to someone like you, just pure disgust." Orion shoved me. He was too lazy to offer an explanation. "Kate, we’re the real deal. You’ll give us your blessing,

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Later, my mom felt a little guilty and was actually kind to me for a few days. But her kindness only lasted for those few days. …… That evening, the engagement party wrapped up perfectly. No one cared whose birthday it was. After the guests left, my dad’s expression immediately darkened and he told Zac to keep calling me. The phone, which had been off, now just went to missed calls. Gwen grabbed Zac’s agitated hand and said, "Let it go, she just doesn’t want to see me. It’s fine." She always knew how to appear so understanding. As expected, my dad’s eyes filled with sympathy. "It’s better that she didn’t come. She was bad luck for her own grandma, so her showing up would’ve just brought more misfortune. "She was nothing but trouble from the moment she was born. It would’ve been better to just strangle her." Hearing that, my body trembled, even in my ghostly state. They had no right to mention my grandma. When my mom gave birth to me, she hemorrhaged and almost died on the

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

"I just want Mom to be safe and healthy." Hearing this, my dad glared at me with pure anger. "What birthday? You're nothing but an eyesore. Get back to your room." He dumped the pasta my mom had made into the trash. I never got to eat it. Later, Gwen purposely came to my room, her words sharp as a poisoned knife. "You still want to eat my mom’s pasta? You’re shameless. "Why don’t you just die, you cursed wretch?" Furious, I pushed her, and she hit her head against the door. That night, my dad locked me in the basement for the first time, and it marked the beginning of my misfortune. It was so dark. I was too scared to breathe and did not dare call out for my mom. All I could do was pound on the door with all my strength. The nightmares would not leave me. It was as if I could hear the sound of clothes being torn apart. I curled up in pain, calling out for my grandma over and over, begging her to come save me. The fear overwhelmed me. The next time I woke up, I was in the

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

After the call was hung up, Zac cursed in frustration, calling it bad luck. That voice sent me spiraling into endless fear. …… The day before my birthday, I worked frantically to finish my tasks. My mom called, asking me to come home early, saying there was good news. But all I really wanted was to visit my grandma’s grave on my birthday. The small cross necklace she left for me was still at home. Just as I reached the house, I ran into Gwen and Orion. "Kate, tomorrow is our birthday, are you coming to celebrate with us? "And guess what, Orion and I are getting engaged on the same day. You have to come, okay?" She leaned into Orion, her smile beaming with pride. It was only then I realized that the "good news" was about her engagement. I ignored her and kept walking. "Kate, are you really that bitter about me being happy?" She grabbed my arm tightly. She was not inviting me. She just wanted to rub it in. "Fine, let’s see just how happy you can be." Her smile faltered, and