Chapter 1

My sister and I both fell down the stairs at the same time.

Pregnant, I hemorrhaged and miscarried, my life hanging by a thread.

But my husband, Ethan, the hospital director, summoned all the doctors to Clara's room to conduct a full-body examination on her—she'd only fractured a bone.

I begged Ethan to save me, but he just snapped at me impatiently, "Can you stop making a scene at a time like this? Do you know Clara's leg is broken?!"

In the end, I died in a corner where no one noticed.

But after learning of my death, Ethan—who had hated me the most—lost his mind.

In the last three minutes before my death, my soul drifted to Ethan's side.

At that moment, he sat beside Clara's hospital bed, his face full of worry as he murmured, "Clara, don't scare me. Wake up soon."

My brother, Marcus, looked furious. "If that bastard Autumn hadn't failed to protect her, how would Clara have ended up like this? Just wait until I get my hands on her!"

I stood nearby watching, bitterness welling up in my heart.

Marcus, you don't need to lift a finger. I'm already dead.

Dead from your indifference.

The doctors formed a circle around Clara's bed.

After confirming she only had a fracture and nothing serious, one of the older doctors finally dared to mention me, asking cautiously, "Director, are you really not going to check on Autumn? She fell down the stairs, hemorrhaged from a miscarriage, and her condition seems extremely critical. She urgently needs emergency treatment."

The concern on Ethan's face instantly turned to disgust as he shouted, "What trick is she playing now? Is she faking it? She hurt Clara like this and still doesn't get it!"

I stared at him blankly, my dead heart suddenly stabbing with pain.

I was his wife, carrying his child, and he truly didn't care about me at all?

Suddenly, Ethan picked up his phone and called me.

A nurse had just brought the phone to my ear when what I heard wasn't the concern I'd hoped for, but the same old scolding: "Autumn, when are you going to get over here and apologize to your sister?"

I finally felt my heart turn cold, no longer harboring any expectations.

That's right—he didn't care about me at all.

Come to think of it, when I was first brought into the hospital, I begged him to save me. All he said was, "Can you stop making a scene at a time like this? Do you know Clara's leg is broken?!" Then he turned and left without looking back, taking all the doctors to look after Clara.

Where would he find the heart to love me?

The nurse couldn't stand it anymore and took the phone. "Director, Autumn really can't hold on much longer."

But Ethan, convinced I was making a scene, laughed coldly. "What, how much did she pay you to help her put on this act? I never thought she'd have this kind of skill!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Clara, who'd been pretending to be unconscious for so long, finally woke up, putting on a weak voice. "Marcus, Ethan, how is my sister?"

Looking at the "sweet and understanding" Clara on the hospital bed, Ethan's expression became even more disgusted. "Autumn, can't you be sensible like her? You hurt her this badly and she's still worried about you. If you don't get over here and apologize within three minutes, don't bother coming to see me again!"

Ethan hung up, his chest heaving with anger.

Marcus stood beside him, looking displeased. "Why call her over? Haven't you caused Clara enough misery already?"

Clara couldn't hide the smugness on her face. She lowered her head silently, putting on an expression full of guilt as she looked at Marcus and Ethan. "Marcus, Ethan, don't be angry. My sister has always resented me for getting the house our parents left behind. It's only natural she blames me."

I found it laughable.

Even with me dead, Clara was still driving wedges between people.

But Marcus and Ethan would never see through it.

In their eyes, Clara would always be the more obedient and well-behaved child compared to me.

It would never occur to them that during that shopping trip, it was their beloved Clara who pushed me down the stairs with her own hands.

Sure enough, Ethan's face immediately turned cold. "She'd do something this vicious over a house? Her heart's rotten through and through!"

Clara said sweetly, "Ethan, don't be angry. Maybe my sister just hasn't thought things through yet. She didn't mean to fight with me over it..."

Ethan's expression softened instantly. "Clara, you're just too kind. That's why your sister bullies you like this."

That was Clara—always knowing exactly what to say to please them.

I knew that even if I stood right in front of them and told them about all of Clara's vicious behavior over the years, they would just slap me hard across the face and say I was talking nonsense, jealous of my sister.

Over the years, I'd gotten used to it.

While they were talking, my younger brother Ryan came rushing in, anxiously checking on Clara's injuries.

As soon as he learned his youngest sister had been hurt, he immediately caught a flight from out of state and rushed back without stopping.

Like Marcus and Ethan, his eyes were only on Clara.

After confirming Clara was unharmed, Ryan finally breathed a sigh of relief, his face full of anger. "I said it all along—Autumn is the jinx of our family. For a house, she'd even try to kill her own sister!"

Clara took the opportunity to act coy. "Don't be angry. Even if my sister pushed me down the stairs, I'm sure she didn't mean it!"