Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Unable to reach me and under pressure from my grandmother, my family finally found themselves reluctantly standing in front of a run-down rental in the city. Flynn Patterson pinched his nose. “How can that good-for-nothing live in a place like this? Mom, Dad, I don’t want to go in!” “Alright, alright. You two can head back. Your dad and I will take it from here,” my mother replied. Scarlett Patterson clung to my mother’s arm, her face a mask of concern. “Seriously, can’t Whitney grow up for once? She didn’t answer our calls or texts, and now you two had to come all the way here.” “I’ll make her pay for this!” My mother’s eyes flashed with anger as she pulled my father inside. They trudged up four flights of stairs, panting as they finally stopped in front of apartment 401. When my father knocked, a burly man with no shirt answered the door. “Who are you looking for?” Seeing him instantly ignited my father’s temper. “What’s your relationship with my daughter, and why are you living here?” My mother stormed past him, fuming as she shouted, “Whitney! Get out here! Have you really had the nerve to live with someone without telling us?” Just then, a heavily pregnant woman stepped into view. “Did you come to the wrong place? We’ve been living here for two months now,” she said. My mother’s impatience was evident. “This is the address my daughter, Whitney, gave us. How could we be wrong?” The middle-aged man, frustrated by my mother’s refusal to listen, shoved her out of the way. “Get lost! You don’t even know where your own daughter lives, and you dare call yourselves parents!” Suddenly, the pregnant woman chimed in, “Is Whitney the previous tenant? The landlord said she owed a month’s rent and couldn’t be reached, so we took the place.” Hearing this, my mother’s brows shot up in anger. “She moved out without a word? Well, this was a pointless trip. What an ungrateful daughter!” Just as they were about to leave in a huff, the landlord returned. Upon learning that they were my parents, he immediately began demanding rent. “You need to pay her back rent now. And get her stuff out of here, so it doesn’t take up my space!” My parents, skeptical, followed the landlord to the storage room where my things were kept. Dust covered everything, having been untouched for two months. My father recognized a few of my favorite clothes. “Those are definitely hers.” My mother frowned, coldly stating, “Is Whitney doing this on purpose? Leaving all this junk behind for us to clean up after her?” The landlord couldn’t take it anymore and said, “It’s not junk; these are her things! There are albums and important documents in there. She’s a nice girl; I kept everything for her.” My mother dismissed him with a wave of her hand. The storage room reeked of mildew. Holding her nose, she stepped back outside and called my phone. After several unanswered calls, she left a message. “Whitney, are you done with this nonsense? Your dad and I are at your rental right now. Hurry up and come back!” Her usual tone dripped with disdain, her disgust unfiltered. She wasn’t surprised that I hadn’t replied to Flynn’s messages. After all, my little brother and I had become enemies thanks to Scarlett, my elder sister’s, instigation. But ignoring a message from her own mother? That was unprecedented. Frustrated, she turned to my father and said flatly, “Let’s just forget about her and go home. I can’t stand being here a second longer!” The landlord, overhearing, glared at her. “Hey, that’s rude. Anyway, are you taking her stuff or not? If not, I’ll just throw it out,” he said, clearly fed up. Realizing he wouldn’t get the rent from my parents, the landlord decided to let it go. Without looking back, my mother walked away. Enraged, the landlord barked, “Don’t you have any compassion? Your daughter hasn’t been in touch for two months. Aren’t you worried something might have happened to her?” My mother sneered. “That girl has a strong spirit. If anything happened, I’d be shocked!” When they got home, my mother called my grandmother.
“Mom, what’s so special about that ungrateful girl? You can leave everything to Scarlett and Flynn; why bother with Whitney?” My spirit hovered nearby, unable to suppress a bitter laugh. I was her only real daughter. Why did she hate me so much?

Chapter 2 My grandmother was so furious she could hardly catch her breath. “How did I end up with such a heartless child like you? I hadn’t heard from her in the two months I was abroad. I’d been worried sick while I was abroad, and now I can’t even reach her since I came back. You must’ve bullied her! She’s living with you, isn’t she? Get her on the phone right now!” My mother hesitated, shooting a glance at my father. Two months ago, Flynn had an impulsive idea to go camping in the restricted Wild Valley. I knew it was risky, but I was eager to bond with my family and had even taken time off work. I never expected Scarlett would fall into the water. When she was pulled out, she immediately accused me of pushing her. My mother slapped me several times in a fit of rage, completely ignoring my attempts to explain, left me in the wild. Little did they know, I never made it out of those woods. After two months of silence, they couldn’t contact me now, yet my mother still managed to calmly complain to my grandmother. “It’s her fault for being so disobedient. She’s constantly jealous and refuses to get along with her siblings. And now, who knows where she’s run off to?” When did my mother go from being indifferent to treating me like a heartless demon? When I lived with my grandmother, she would always insist on their visits before my parents would even think of coming back to see me. But without Scarlett and Flynn around, they would be focused on me, albeit reluctantly. Those were moments I cherished. Later, when they decided to take me away from my grandmother to live with them, I was hopeful that they were finally giving me a loving home. But once I arrived, I quickly realized I was just a marginalized orphan. Even though my parents’ home wasn’t as grand as my grandmother’s villa, Scarlett had a room full of Barbie dolls and beautiful princess dresses. Because Scarlett didn’t like to see me wearing the designer clothes my grandmother bought for me, my parents shoved them into a small, shabby box in the corner, leaving me to wear the clothes Scarlett didn’t want. Flynn had a full set of top-of-the-line soccer gear and the latest gadgets, while I simply wanted a computer. My parents promised to get me one, but it never materialized. I had lived my life constantly trying to please them, yearning for even a sliver of their attention. Now, I no longer had to force myself to seek out that pitiful warmth. Through the phone, my grandmother said that she would donate her entire fortune to charity if she didn’t see me before hanging up in a fit of anger. My mother’s expression darkened upon hearing that. My father flicked the ash from his cigarette as he remarked, “All she does is throw tantrums. We should have never brought her to live with us.” My mother sat down on the couch, her face grim. “We need to start keeping a closer eye on her. If we keep letting her have her way, who knows what kind of trouble she’ll cause next?” With that, my father personally called me. It was rare for him to take the initiative like this. After searching for a while, he finally found my number. But when he dialed it, the line rang without response; there was only a mechanical voice saying that the phone was turned off. His face darkened as he cursed under his breath, “That ungrateful girl is deliberately hiding from us. Does she think our family can’t live without her? She should take a good look at herself! I want to see how long she can keep this up!” Just then, Flynn came downstairs. Hearing our parents’ angry remarks, he chimed in, “Mom, Dad, you shouldn’t worry too much. Whitney cares the most about Grandma. She’ll definitely come back for her birthday party.” With those words, my parents finally began to relax a little. Flynn, as usual, picked up the remote and turned on the TV, eager to catch the game. But he inadvertently switched to the local news channel. The headline was striking. [A body was discovered by a tourist in Wild Valley. Effective immediately, the area will be completely closed off to visitors.]

Chapter 3 The news anchor continued to urge the public to steer clear of the hazardous area, emphasizing the need to avoid any potential accidents. Flynn sat up straight, disbelief etched on his face. “They actually closed off Wild Valley?” My mother’s brow furrowed as a thought crossed her mind. Then Flynn sprang up from the couch, excitement bubbling over as he slapped his thigh. “This is fantastic! That camping trip we took to Wild Valley is now a legendary last hurrah! I can’t wait to tell my classmates! They’ll be so jealous, especially since they never got a chance to go before it was shut down.” Slowly, my mother’s tense expression began to relax. “Alright, enough of this childish excitement. Have you two picked out a birthday gift for your grandmother’s party?” My father, who had initially worn a dark scowl, finally seemed to ease up. “This time, you kids had better come up with some charming words to flatter her.” Flynn rolled his eyes. “Whitney always helps me pick the best gifts for grandma anyway. Grandma will love it. You guys don’t need to worry.” With that, he turned his attention back to the game on TV. When my name was mentioned, my mother’s expression shifted back to one of disdain, and she turned to retreat into her room. After sitting on the bed for a moment, she picked up her phone, seemingly indifferent, and opened our chat history. There were no new texts. Our last conversation felt like a distant memory now, and those few brief exchanges seemed strangely foreign. An unnameable emotion washed over her, and she pressed down on the voice message button, her voice laced with frustration as she spoke for several tense seconds. “Whitney, get back home by tomorrow, and I can arrange for you to move back in with us. If you keep hiding, I swear I’ll sever our ties!” With that, she tossed her phone aside and lay back down, drifting off to sleep. I sat there, wanting to cry but finding myself unable to produce a single tear. Six months ago, I graduated, but my parents missed the ceremony they had promised to attend because Scarlett had scraped her knee. Afterward, when I quietly voiced my disappointment, they used my age as an excuse to kick me out of the house. Fearing my grandmother would find out and scold my mother, I kept quiet about it. I didn’t even dare to use my grandmother’s connections to help me find a job. My mother knew that I had spent my whole life longing for her and my father’s approval. She was my Achilles’ heel. As long as she threatened to cut ties, I would rush back to apologize, eager to make things right. But now, she no longer held that power over me because I had been dead for two months. When my mother woke up, evening had already fallen. Checking her phone, she found only a message from her close friend. It was from Aunt Lillian. [Hey, Ginny. I remember you all just went to Wild Valley recently. Hope everything’s alright. [How’s Whitney? I tried calling her, but she’s not answering.] Seeing Aunt Lillian’s message made me feel moved. Over the years, besides my grandmother, Aunt Lillian had been one of the few people who cared about me. I usually only shared good news with my grandmother, and during tough times, it was only Aunt Lillian who would pat my shoulder and reassure me, “Your mother just needs some time to think. She loves you.” I had always believed that. Until I tried calling her before I died, and she repeatedly hung up on me. That was when I realized what a ‘white lie’ was. Maybe my unwillingness to let go had kept me lingering near my mother even after death. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to witness their happy family life in the afterlife. My mother pinched the bridge of her nose, typing a reply. [Who knows where she’s gone? My mom’s birthday party is coming in a few days, and you have to come with me.] Aunt Lillian had a close relationship with our family. She immediately agreed, adding that she had brought me a hand-stitched silk scarf by Sophia Dallas, which I had long wanted. My mother paused mid-text. She realized that the scarf I had asked Aunt Lillian to reserve was meant for her. Earlier this year, I had subtly asked what she wanted for Mother’s Day, and she casually showed me a video of it when she was scrolling on social media. I had made a mental note of it right then. Chapter 4 The next day, there was still no news of me in the family. My grandmother showed up at the door bright and early. “Grandma!” I exclaimed, floating over in delight. Since my death, I had often wished to see her again, but my spirit was tethered by my mother’s presence, making it impossible to leave. Thankfully, my grandmother had come to me. To see her one more time made my departure feel a little less sorrowful. Before I could even touch her, Flynn barreled over, affectionately calling out, “Grandma!” Over the years, Flynn had been charming my grandmother by leveraging our relationship. With my support, she had long accepted him as her ‘grandson’, even without any blood ties. She had no intention of acting aloof with him either. Gently pulling Flynn down beside her, she said, “Look at you, all grown up, and still so loud! Where’s your sister?” “Scarlett!” Flynn shouted. Scarlett immediately came running out. “Grandma, you’re here!” When my grandmother saw her, the warmth in her expression quickly faded. She offered only a curt hum as acknowledgment, her tone lacking any enthusiasm. My mother frowned at this and said, “Mom, Scarlett is greeting you! How can you be so cold?” After hearing my mother, my grandmother, slightly annoyed, replied, “How I treat her is my business. Just look at her behavior; there’s nothing likable about it.” My mother was visibly hurt for Scarlett. “Mom, Scarlett is a good kid. Can’t you be a bit more understanding?” My grandmother’s face reddened with anger as she pointed at my mother. “You always protect her. You’re blind to how she bullies others. I just don’t like her. What’s wrong with that?” Not one to back down, my mother put her hands on her hips, confronting my grandmother. “Scarlett hasn’t bullied anyone! You’re just repeating what that ungrateful girl, Whitney, has been saying!” The truth was, I had only cried in front of my grandmother once. That time, my grandmother had defended me, and my mother punished me by making me write ‘I’m sorry, Scarlett’ ten thousand times. My hand nearly fell off from the writing, and I never dared to complain again. Ever since my parents brought me to live with them, Scarlett had harbored nothing but hostility toward me. She would intentionally bump into me and fall dramatically when our parents were around, claiming I had pushed her. She would tear up my completed homework, resulting in me being punished by teachers. She hid my backpack, almost making me late for school. She even drew on my clothes, embarrassing me in front of my classmates. Seeing my mother favor her only encouraged Scarlett to bully me more. When I tried to tell my parents about it, they dismissed my complaints as overreactions or being overly sensitive. I felt truly wronged, but I stopped voicing it. As we grew up, Scarlett made sure to assert her status in the family by causing small troubles during family gatherings. For birthdays, she always encouraged everyone to go out for fancy meals without inviting me. During family vacations, I was always the one left behind to look after the house. Eventually, my parents became accustomed to my sidelining, and I accepted that I was meant to play the role of the outsider. - In the living room, my grandmother and mother exchanged heated words, creating a palpable tension. Finally, it was my father who intervened. “Ginny, your mom is getting older, so just let it go. We’re family, and there’s no need to quarrel over something so trivial.” Though my grandmother wasn’t entirely satisfied with my father, she tolerated him for my mother and my sake. However, she couldn’t accept Scarlett, her adopted granddaughter. After casting a brief, disdainful glance at Scarlett, my grandmother quickly averted her eyes, seeming irritated by the very sight. “Where’s Whitney? I want to take her back for a couple of days.”

Chapter 5 My grandmother had disapproved of my mother’s relationship with my father years ago, fearing the hardships they would face because he was broke. As a result, my mother had spent many nights drowning her sorrows in alcohol, only to be assaulted by a thug, which led to her pregnancy. At the time, she was still young, with many better options ahead of her. But she chose to punish my grandmother and make her feel guilty by insisting on giving birth to me. When I turned three, my mother caught a glimpse of my father’s features on my face and took me for a paternity test. The results confirmed what she longed to hear: I was indeed my father’s child, not that thug’s. Elated, my mother used this revelation to win back my father. Yet, the couple always viewed me as a blemish in their pure love story, choosing to dump me, a young child, into my grandmother’s care as they set off for a new life elsewhere. At that time, my father had just divorced his first wife, and Flynn was already two. My mother showered all her love on her stepson. Feeling guilty for the years they had missed together, they then decided to adopt a four-year-old girl from an orphanage, naming her Scarlett. Since Scarlett’s adoption carried significant meaning, they spoiled her to no end, as if they wanted to give her the world. Despite being their true biological child, I became an afterthought in their home. My mother, unable to locate or contact me, simply said to my grandmother, “Since you’re here, let’s eat first.” My grandmother scanned the room, trying to steady her emotions. “Is Whitney not around?” My mother sighed with a hint of resignation. “I already told you—Whitney is throwing a fit. What can I do if she refuses to come out?” My grandmother’s brows furrowed. “What happened?” My mother hesitated, opting to skip over what had happened at Wild Valley. “Isn’t it obvious? We didn’t attend her graduation ceremony, and she’s been sulking ever since.” Upon hearing this, my grandmother’s face darkened. “That girl! I asked her when the graduation was, but she wouldn’t tell me. As parents, how could you not go? They say a graduation ceremony is like a little wedding for kids!” My mother opened her mouth to defend herself but couldn’t find the words. How could she explain that Scarlett had injured her foot and was holding onto her so they couldn’t leave? That would only make my grandmother dislike Scarlett even more. A heavy silence fell over the table as the steam rose from the food. My father called out, “Mom, stop standing there. Come and eat!” My grandmother didn’t want to make things worse with her only daughter and reluctantly sat down to eat. With the rare opportunity to share a meal together, my mother’s mood lifted. She even poured everyone glasses of imported soda. My grandmother, wearing a serious expression, reminded my mother, “Drink less soda and more water. After all, you’ve had kidney disease. Whitney even donated a kidney to you. Are you expecting her to donate another?” My mother froze, her hand gripping the cup tightly as she looked up in shock. “What are you talking about? Back when I had kidney disease, it was Scarlett who donated her kidney to me. How can you lie in front of the kids? It’s disgraceful!” Her eyes were filled with sincerity. Instantly infuriated, my grandmother shot up from her seat. “You’re so foolish! I told you that you shouldn’t take in that ungrateful wretch! Look at what a tale she spun!” Scarlett was immediately frightened, tears streaming down her face. “Please don’t argue! Mom, Grandma said it was Whitney’s kidney, so it must be! Please don’t be mad.” Her words only solidified my mother’s belief that my grandmother was causing trouble for no reason. Furious, she issued an ultimatum. “Mom, I didn’t want to escalate things, but it’s obvious you’re siding with Whitney. If you can’t even be objective and fair for once, you should just leave!” Listening to this, I couldn’t help but shed tears. Years ago, when my mother was battling kidney disease, I anonymously donated a kidney to her. But somehow, it had become a story about Scarlett’s sacrifice. My grandmother had guessed I was the anonymous donor, but I begged her not to say anything. I wanted my mother’s love for me to be free from any guilt. My grandmother felt guilty for having separated my parents in the past, so her indulgence toward my mother came with a sense of obligation. Putting herself in my mother’s shoes, she had agreed to keep quiet. None of this was known to my mother. When my grandmother brought it up today, my mother refused to believe it. What should have been a simple family meal ended in discord. As soon as my grandmother left, my mother’s phone buzzed. The screen flashed the name ‘Whitney’.

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