Chapter 2

I pounded on the door, forcing out a faint sound through gritted teeth.

“Mom, Dad, please help me…”

But then came a loud bang as someone kicked the door from the other side. Dad’s last bit of patience was gone.

“You drained all the nutrients from your mother in the womb—that’s why your brother’s health is so bad now.”

“And you dare complain? You clearly don’t see what you’ve done wrong!”

Mom gasped. I thought they’d finally found the diagnosis in the trash.

“Honey! Felix’s temperature is ninety-nine point five. Any higher and he’ll have a fever.”

“Take him to the hospital, quick!”

Dad ignored my muffled cries from behind the door. Keys jingled.

I heard the front door slam shut. I touched my face—two streaks of blood were running from my eyes.

Mom, Dad, it hurts so much.

I slowly lost consciousness. The piercing pain gradually faded.

When I woke, I was floating in midair.

I passed through the door easily. Good—Mom and Dad finally let me out.

I sat properly at the dining table. I’d apologize and explain later.

I didn’t know how long had passed before Mom and Dad came in carrying a large cream cake.

It smelled so good. I couldn’t help swallowing.

Usually I only got a bite of cake on my brother’s birthday. I didn’t expect to get a whole cake just for having cancer.

Mom looked impatiently toward the door.

“Chloe! Come out and have cake.”

“Lucky your brother didn’t get sick from your scare, or you’d be getting the belt.”

I stared at them in shock.

“Mom, Dad, I’m right in front of you. I’m sitting right here at the table.”

I stood and walked toward them to hug them, but I passed right through.

They kept staring at the bedroom door. After ten seconds, Mom pounded on it hard.

“Now you’re ignoring us? Your brother ended up in the hospital because of you, and I didn’t even blame you—how dare you throw a tantrum!”

I was confused. I walked back and forth through them.

I shouted right in their ears.

“Mom! Dad! I’m right here! I’m not throwing a tantrum!”

But no one responded. Dad threw my slice of cake straight into the trash.

“This is what happens when you spoil her. Let’s teach her a lesson. Three days without food won’t kill her.”

I realized what had happened and passed through the bedroom door.

A crumpled figure lay curled by the door. Scratch marks from my fingertips still marked the wood.

So ugly… no wonder Mom and Dad never liked me.

I was already dead.

I didn’t know how to feel. Was I sad? It didn’t seem like deep sadness.

Just regret that the three months of care I’d hoped for hadn’t even lasted one day.

But it was okay. At least now I could stay by Mom and Dad’s side without worry.

Mom noticed the diagnosis paper smeared with cake. She frowned and picked it up with her fingers.

“Honey, this diagnosis looks real…”

Dad glanced at it and scoffed.

“Babe, you’re a nurse—how can you not tell? AI is so advanced now, it can forge documents that look this authentic. If you don’t believe me, I’ll ask Chloe.”

He walked to my bedroom door and kicked it a few times.

“You forged this, didn’t you? Tell the truth and you’ll get food tomorrow.”

I shook my head over and over in midair, fighting the burning in my eyes.

Dad, I didn’t forge it. That’s a real diagnosis from the doctor.

Only my brother’s mocking laughter answered him.

“See? She’s not saying anything—that means she’s admitting it.”

“Never thought the little brat learned to lie so young. If only she were half as well-behaved as me.”

I’m not afraid to speak—I can’t. I rushed into the room and hugged my stiff corpse tightly.

So cold.

Maybe because I’d never ignored Mom and Dad before, after checking on my brother for a while, they came back to my door.

“Chloe, we need to record your physical condition now. Don’t you dare play dead with me!”

I’m not playing dead, Mom. I really am dead.

Dad took a deep breath.

“I think you need a beating.”

I watched him walk toward the cat bed in the hall, a sense of dread rising in my chest.

“Dad, no…”

The tall man grabbed Whiskers from the cat bed I’d built and carried him to my door.

“If you don’t speak up, I’ll make your cat pay!”

I lunged forward trying to grab my cat. He was the only one in the house who ever listened to me.

But I couldn’t catch him.

Dad! I am speaking! Please put the cat down!

I don’t have cancer! I lied about everything!