Chapter 1

Tags: Family Trauma, Anguish, Golden Child vs. Scapegoat, Fake Disability, Ghost POV

On the day I died, my biological parents were busy throwing a lavish birthday gala that had the whole city buzzing—for their adopted daughter.

To pay Chloe's astronomical medical bills after a car crash allegedly shattered her legs, I worked three jobs a day until I literally coughed up blood.

But when I collapsed on the ballroom floor with my terminal cancer diagnosis clutched in my hand,

I looked up to see Chloe spinning effortlessly on the dance floor in four-inch stilettos.

My brother, Lucas, kicked me hard in the chest. "Faking an illness to steal the spotlight? You haven't paid back half of what you owe Chloe in this lifetime!"

My lips trembled as I pointed at the words on the paper. "Lucas... it's stomach cancer. It spread."

He didn't even glance at it. Turning to hand Chloe a glass of champagne, he sneered, "Good. Drop dead, then. Saves us the headache of looking at you."

My dad frowned and ordered security to drag me out.

My mom only muttered, "Don't let her delay Chloe's cake cutting."

Watching the picture-perfect family of four basking in their happiness, something inside me completely died.

Fine. I was done paying this debt. I was done trying to live.

I leaned against the icy wall, gasping for breath.

The searing pain in my stomach made it almost impossible to stand.

Lucas stood before me, holding a cup of hot coffee with complete indifference.

"Summer, unless you get down on your knees and apologize to Chloe today, don't expect a single dime from me."

I looked at him and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"Lucas, I'm really dying."

I held out the hospital diagnosis right in front of him.

Without even looking, Lucas slapped it away.

The thin sheets of paper fluttered into a puddle, instantly soaked in mud.

"Still playing the victim."

"Just to dodge paying for Chloe's treatment, you even forged fake medical records."

"You honestly sicken me."

He scoffed, his eyes dripping with disgust.

Looking down at the ruined diagnosis in the dirty water, my lips curled into a bitter smile.

In his eyes, my life wasn't worth a single strand of Chloe's hair.

"Lucas, do you really think your guilt trips still work on me?"

"All these years, I was nothing but a clown, sacrificing everything for this so-called family."

"And what did I get in return?"

I pointed toward the banquet hall nearby.

"Chloe was never paralyzed. She was just dancing in there."

"You've all been lying to me for five whole years."

Lucas's expression flickered, but he quickly put on his arrogant mask again.

"So what?"

"Chloe went through trauma. She needed time to rest. What's wrong with making you pay a little money?"

"If you hadn't pushed her down the stairs back then, would she have suffered at all?"

I closed my eyes as tears slid silently down my cheeks.

Back then, Chloe had thrown herself down those stairs on purpose.

Yet just because of her word, my parents and my brother branded me an attempted murderer.

They made me work three jobs a day, forcing me to wire every single paycheck back home for her medication.

I survived on three hours of sleep a night and expired instant ramen.

Meanwhile, they took my hard-earned blood money to buy Chloe designer bags and host lavish parties.

"I don't owe any of you anymore."

I turned around, limping away into the dark.

"Summer, if you dare walk out that door today, don't ever think about setting foot in the Hayes family again!"

Lucas roared furiously behind me.

I didn't turn back.

This house was a place I never wanted to see again.

When I got back to my run-down rental, my landlady, Martha, was waiting outside my door.

Seeing blood on my face, she let out a horrified gasp.

"Oh sweet heavens, Summer! What happened to you?"

"Come on, I'm taking you to the ER right now!"

She rushed over to support my swaying body.

I shook my head, pulling the last three hundred dollars from my pocket and shoving it into her hands.

"Martha, this is for this month's rent."

"The rest... I might have to pay you next month."

My voice was so faint I could barely hear myself.

Martha looked at the crumpled bills, her eyes turning red.

"You silly girl, why are you worrying about rent right now?"

"Come on, let's get you to a doctor!"

She dragged me to a nearby urgent care clinic.

After running a quick check, the doctor's face turned grim.

"Your stomach cancer is in the terminal stage. Why did you wait so long to come in?"

"If you don't get admitted immediately, you have at most a month left."

Hearing those words, Martha broke down in tears.

"How could this happen? She's only in her twenties..."

I, on the other hand, felt remarkably calm.

I even felt a sense of relief.

It was finally over.

No more killing myself with endless shifts. No more cold stares and beatings from my family.

"Thank you, doctor, but I won't be doing treatment."

I stood up, thanked Martha, and walked out into the street alone.

The sky was gloomy, and heavy rain poured down moments later.

Without an umbrella, I let the rain drench me from head to toe.

My phone buzzed violently in my pocket.

It was my father, Richard Hayes.

I swiped to answer.

"Summer, you ungrateful wretch, get your ass back here right now!"

"You ruined your sister's birthday! You're going to come down here on your knees and beg for her forgiveness!"

His screech through the speaker was deafening.

"No."

My voice was dead, devoid of any emotion.

"No? Do you think I won't blackball you from every job in this city?!"

"How did the Hayes family ever spawn such a cold-blooded monster like you!"

I hung up immediately and blocked the number.