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The nurse said, “Oh,” flipping through my records.
“The patient was stabbed on May 28, three years ago, leading to kidney rupture, and then underwent a kidney removal surgery.
“Aren’t you her family? Didn’t she tell you about this?” The nurse eyed them with suspicion.
I let out a cold laugh. How could I not have told them?
Three years ago, Mom and Dad threw a huge birthday party for Grace, but told me not to bother attending.
Though disappointed, I still prepared a birthday gift for her.
After picking up the custom–made jewelry for Grace, I was targeted by two thugs.
They tried to steal the gift I got for her. During the struggle, one of their knives stabbed me in the lower back.
I lay there, gasping and writhing like a fish out of water, helpless.
I tried calling Luke. When he answered, he spoke softly, “Isla, I’m busy with something important right now. I’ll call you back later, okay?”
Luke said he was busy, but I could clearly hear the noise of people cheering, “Happy Birthday, Grace!”
So that was the “important” thing Luke was busy with.
Turns out, my life wasn’t as important as Grace’s birthday party.
“Same people, different fates,” I thought.
Luke clearly remembered what had happened.
I calmly watched as his composed expression cracked, turning pale and frantic.
“This can’t be happening… It’s impossible! I don’t believe it. Isla must be playing some kind of sick joke!”
Mom and Dad seemed to latch onto that excuse too.
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Mom regained her composure, pointing accusingly in my direction.
“That’s right! Isla has always been a troublemaker, nothing like Grace. She must be up to something again!”
Dad chimed in as well.
“Isla is a bit mischievous, Looks like we should’ve been stricter with
her.”
“Mischievous? I need discipline?”
I nearly laughed out loud at the absurdity of Luke and my parents‘
arrogance.
All my life, everyone told me it was my fault Grace was weak, that I owed her. I had to give in to her every whim.
I saw Luke as my salvation because he once told me, “Isla, you don’t have to be so perfect around me.”
Before that, I never imagined someone could say something so touching. That’s why I fell for him.
And now they say I’m mischievous and need to be disciplined.
Even though I was just a soul now, unable to cry. My eyes still stung with emotion.
Now my dear sister Grace began softly defending me.
“Mom, Dad, don’t talk about her like that. Isla probably just wanted some of your attention. She didn’t mean any harm.”
Luke scoffed but still gently handed Grace a glass of warm water. “You’re just too kind, Grace, too innocent to see how conniving Isla can
be.”
Even the nurse couldn’t take it anymore.
She rolled her eyes, her disdain clear as she glanced around the room. “If you think this is a joke, why don’t you all come to the morgue with
me?
“Either way, the deceased’s body needs to be claimed and taken care of
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S
by the family.”
Maybe the look in the nurse’s eyes stung Luke, as he let out another huff.
“Fine, we’ll go, but if it turns out your hospital made a mistake, we won’t let this go easily.”
I steadied myself, watching coldly as Luke and my parents made their way to the morgue.
I was curious to see how they’d react when they realized the body was mine.
Luke and my parents, standing so tall just moments ago, immediately hunched over when they saw my body being wheeled out of the
morgue.
After being frozen for three days, frost clung to my eyebrows and hair, making me look even paler.
Even so, my twisted expression and bloodied lips made it obvious to everyone that I had suffered greatly before I died.
And it was true.
I stared coldly at Luke, now shattered, and my parents, who were frozen in shock.
If Luke hadn’t ordered the doctors to withhold anesthesia, at least I wouldn’t have suffered so much before I died.
He clearly knew what he had done.
Luke stared in agony at my tortured body and collapsed to his knees.
“I’m sorry, Isla. I really didn’t know… I didn’t know it would turn out like this…”
His voice, tinged with tears, seemed to trigger something.
Mom stared blankly at my body, stumbling back two steps and nearly falling into Dad’s arms.
I watched the tears in her eyes, barely able to believe it.
Could it be that the mother who had always hated me was actually
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mourning my death?
Mom had already collapsed into Dad’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
“How did it come to this? I wasn’t a good mother.
“I only thought Isla had taken what Grace needed. I just wanted to make up for it. I never meant to push her to death!”
I saw Dad’s eyes turn red as well.
“It’s okay. Isla was always so considerate. She wouldn’t blame you.”
A trace of sarcasm flashed in my eyes.
An hour ago, they were all calling me disobedient, saying I needed discipline. Now that I’m dead, they’ve suddenly changed their tune.
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