Chapter 1

When I was ten, my parents died in a plane crash on their way home for my birthday.

My older sister, Audrey, hated me to the bone for it.

She cut off my living expenses and threw me out of the house.

She used to scream at me, "Why couldn't it be you who died!"

Just as she wished, I was finally dead.

In the operating room next door, Audrey was busy performing a kidney transplant on the boy she had taken in.

"The hospital found a perfect match. I promise I won't let anything happen to you!"

I couldn't help but wonder what expression she would make when she found out the donor was me.

1

Perhaps my lingering attachment was too strong, because my spirit remained trapped by Audrey's side after death.

I watched her stand through a grueling five-hour surgery, placing my kidney into Toby's body.

When the operation ended, she followed the nurses straight to the intensive care unit.

She stared through the glass with deep worry etched across her face, muttering under her breath.

"Just one week. If he makes it through this week, Toby will recover completely."

"The match was nearly identical, and you performed the surgery yourself. What is there to worry about?"

Audrey turned toward the speaker, a tired smile finally breaking through her exhausted expression. "Dr. Harrison."

"Toby had such a hard life growing up in poverty, which delayed his treatment. Now that we finally got a match, I just want everything to go smoothly."

Even though I knew she despised me, hearing those tender words still made my heart ache.

I was her biological brother, yet someone else was treated like her most precious treasure.

Dr. Harrison sighed and patted her shoulder gently in comfort.

"By the way, Lance's homeroom teacher called me earlier. He said Lance hasn't been back since yesterday and no one can reach him. Call him and make sure he's okay."

At the mention of my name, Audrey's face instantly darkened, and raw hatred flashed in her eyes.

"What could possibly happen to him? He probably ditched school to hang out at the arcade with his deadbeat friends. He refuses to learn anything good and will only end up as a worthless bum!"

"Lance isn't that kind of kid..."

Audrey cut him off impatiently. "Dr. Harrison, stop caring about him and let him fend for himself! Not a single word out of his mouth is true!"

"He spends every day faking illnesses and playing the victim just to squeeze money out of me. If you reach him, tell him to give up because he won't get a single penny from me!"

She turned back to Dr. Harrison with a venomous glare that left the older doctor stunned in place.

"Please don't ever bring him up to me again. If it weren't for him, our parents would still be alive. I wish he was the one who died back then!"

I hovered aimlessly beside her, feeling as though a massive void had been carved into my chest.

All my years of yearning and waiting dissolved into dust at that very moment.

Dr. Harrison's face hardened as he scolded her. "Audrey Mercer! Do you even hear yourself? He is your flesh and blood!"

"If I had a choice, I would rather not have a brother at all!"

"Audrey!"

The sudden ringing of a cell phone interrupted their argument.

Dr. Harrison glanced at the screen and held the phone out to her.

"It's Lance's teacher. You're his sister, Audrey. Don't wait until something terrible happens to regret this."

Audrey didn't reach for it, keeping her eyes fixed on Toby in the room.

Having no choice, Dr. Harrison answered the call himself. "Mr. Parker, any news on Lance?"

"Understood. Thank you for your trouble. Please let me know immediately if you find anything..."

Before Dr. Harrison could finish, Audrey snatched the phone from his hand and spoke with venom in her voice.

"Mr. Parker, unless he is dead and needs someone to collect his corpse, do not call me again."

She hung up without waiting for a reply.

Dr. Harrison clutched his chest, struggling to catch his breath from sheer anger. "Audrey! Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"I'm doing this for your own good, Dr. Harrison. He's a walking curse. Staying far away from him is the only way to stay safe."

Dr. Harrison stood frozen, rendered speechless by her cruelty.

I couldn't hold it back anymore, crouching beside her and breaking down into silent tears.