Dad refused to pay for my cremation after I donated my heart to Mom.
82%
The moment my breath stopped.
My mission in this parallel world was finally complete.
My heart went to Mom, my kidney to Dylan, and my spleen to Michael.
When I died, beneath the white sheet, both my legs were missing.
They were amputated to save Dad when he nearly fell down the stairs.
They knew nothing of this.
So, when Mom didn’t see me after her surgery, her heart turned so cold she wanted to
disown me.
Dad immediately canceled my card.
Then, a call from the crematorium reached Mom, who was busy preparing Chloe, my
adopted sister’s, coming–of–age party.
“Excuse me, but your daughter’s body is starting to smell.”
“When will you transfer the cremation fee?”
1
When the call from the crematorium came, Mom was laughing and chatting with guests.
In the lavish ballroom, Chloe, wearing a princess dress and looking utterly innocent,
stood beside her.
Mom had the phone on speakerphone, and the crematorium employee’s words clearly reached everyone present.
00:30 Wed, 25 Jun MO.
Mom was startled at first, then her face morphed into a furious glare.
“What nonsense are you talking about? My daughter is standing right here in front of me, perfectly fine! And her body is smelling? Scammers nowadays will do anything for money?”
Chloe glanced at the phone screen, her expression subtly shifting.
“Mom, that looks like Audrey’s phone number. It’s not a scammer.”
My transparent body trembled slightly,
Ever since I died, I’d been following my family around.
They just couldn’t see me.
But I never expected Chloe, who always bullied me, to remember my phone number.
Mom’s face gradually twisted into horror, and the phone almost slipped from her grasp.
Chloe calmly took the phone, her voice soft.
“Audrey, stop with the pranks. Mom just had heart surgery, she can’t handle this kind of
shock.”
“Even though you weren’t there when Mom had her surgery, you’re still her biological child. She won’t blame you.”
Mom exploded in a rage, snatching the phone back.
“You have the nerve to play pranks? You didn’t even come home for your own mother’s surgery! How could I have given birth to such a heartless wretch? If you want to die, then die outside and don’t ever come back!”
She hung up abruptly.
Wiping away tears, she helplessly explained to the guests.
“Audrey has always been rebellious and unruly, always trying to take Chloe’s things, forbidding us from being nice to her sister, or else she’d throw tantrums and self–harm.”
00:36 Wed, 25 Jun MO
<
“A kind person donated a heart to me for my surgery, and she didn’t even bother to visit
me in the hospital. Her conscience is completely gone!”
“Now, to ruin her sister’s coming–of–age party, she’s throwing a tantrum and running away from home, even hiring shady characters to threaten us and extort money.”
“I truly wish I had never given birth to this daughter!”
“If only Chloe were my biological daughter.”
I heard those words, and tears streamed down my face.
No, Mom.
I was right there beside you when you had your surgery.
I wasn’t threatening you, I just…
couldn’t be a dutiful daughter to you anymore.
Chloe’s coming–of–age party was grand.
The gift wall was overflowing.
Michael, my eldest brother, a busy lawyer, gifted Chloe a villa in the city, so she wouldn’t
feel like an outsider anymore.
Dylan, my second brother, who owned a Taekwondo studio, gave her a platinum credit
card, with an unlimited spending limit.
Dad gave her a 10% ownership stake in his company, so no one would ever look down on
Chloe.
Mom gave Chloe her most treasured artwork.
I remembered that piece; I accidentally stained it a year ago.
Mom was so furious she grounded me and didn’t let me eat for three days and nights.
00:36 Wed, 25 Jun O
<
But now, that same artwork was so easily given to Chloe.
I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe.
Chloe and I were a year apart. After I was kidnapped at seven, Mom and Dad adopted six–year–old Chloe.
Six months later, the police found me, and I returned home to find I had a younger sister.
The System told me it was the butterfly effect of this parallel world, and Chloe was the
variable.
It also said I’d suffer a bit, but I didn’t care.
Just being able to see my parents and brothers safe and sound again, I was content.
To ward off disaster for them, I was more than willing.
But the surging memories quickly swallowed me.
Last year today was my coming–of–age party.
Although Mom and Dad favored Chloe over me, they still arranged a grand party for me.
But before it even started, Dad twisted his ankle going downstairs, breaking a bone and
ending up in the hospital.
Michael got into a minor car accident on his way there.
Dylan’s phone was stolen while camping, and he lost contact.
Mom was so anxious she had a heart attack.
I stayed by Mom’s bedside. When she woke up, she displaced her anger onto me, throwing her phone at my forehead.
She called me a jinx and told me to get out.
Carelessly wiping away the blood streaming down my forehead, I quietly left the hospital
<
Wed, 25
< 82%
I curled up on the cold floor by the door, and stayed there all night.
My one–in–a–lifetime coming–of–age party, with no blessings, no gifts.
All I remembered was Mom’s look of hatred and disgust, and the cold, dark night in the hospital hallway.
