Chapter 4

That evening, Evelyn drove Mia home. Evelyn had always been meticulous about her health and eyesight, but the entire drive back, she kept rubbing her temples and eyes.

She muttered under her breath, "What's wrong with me today? Why am I so dizzy?"

Still, she managed to get them home safely.

Once inside, Mia completely ignored Evelyn’s condition. She slumped on the couch, furiously texting on her phone, a sly, smitten smirk playing on her lips.

Evelyn casually remarked, "Mia, you’re only a junior. You shouldn't be dating yet. Focus on your studies."

Mia instantly flared up like a cornered beast.

She spun around, screeching at Evelyn:

"Listen to me, Evelyn Vance! Don't you dare think you can control my life just because you pay the bills!"

"You don't understand me! You’re not my real mother, so back off!"

"If I hadn't saved your miserable life back then, you’d be rotting in the ground right now!"

She was talking about the radiation leak three years ago. Mia claimed she had given Evelyn the last radiation suit.

In reality, I had been the one delivering food to the lab that day. When I arrived, people were screaming and running for their lives.

I grabbed an evacuating tech and asked where Dr. Evelyn Vance was. He handed me two radiation hazmat suits, pointed inside, and ran.

Mom was still inside. Without a second thought, I pulled one suit on and sprinted straight into the hot zone.

Inside, Evelyn had been knocked unconscious by the explosion.

Just as I was about to slip the second hazmat suit onto her, Mia lunged out from the smoke and ripped it from my hands, putting it on herself.

Left with no choice, I stripped off my own protective suit, forced it onto my unconscious mother, and dragged her out through the flames.

Evelyn survived unharmed. My body, however, took a lethal dose of radiation.

The moment we got out, I collapsed from acute radiation syndrome and fell into a coma.

Mia stayed by Evelyn’s hospital bed, holding her hand, crying about how she had risked her own life to drag Evelyn out of the flames.

With her wicked tongue, Mia stole my sacrifice and became Evelyn’s hero and savior.

Floating beside Evelyn now, ghostly tears streamed down my face.

My heart felt like it was being hacked to pieces. I wanted so badly to scream the truth, but I had no voice.

When I woke from that coma, I tried telling Evelyn the truth a thousand times. Not only did she refuse to believe me, she slapped me and called me a sickening liar.

She accused me of trying to steal Mia’s glory.

So all I could do was watch as my mother showered all her love, resources, and devotion on the monster who had condemned me to death.

The next morning, Evelyn woke up early to cook breakfast for Mia.

She had done this every single morning for ten years. No matter how demanding her lab work was, Mia’s breakfast was always gourmet and varied.

Just as she plated the food, her phone rang.

It was my high school counselor. Evelyn’s brow furrowed, but she answered anyway.

"Hello? Is this Summer’s mother? Her one-year medical leave of absence expired today, but we haven't been able to reach her."

"Do you know where she is?"

Hearing my name, Evelyn’s scowl deepened with unfiltered rage.

"Counselor," she spat coldly, "I am not that little brat's mother. She doesn't deserve to be my daughter."

"I'll try texting her. We'll see."

She hung up and sent me a text—the first message she had sent me since my death.

You useless parasite, skipping school now? Where the hell are you?!

I'm warning you: if you don't show up to school today, I'm cutting off every penny of your allowance!

Watching her venomous fury, I let out a dry, phantom sob.

Mom... I'm already dead.