Before long, the banquet hall was fully set up. The dining table was covered with salmon—Esme's favorite—and the cake bore her name in delicate icing.

Just as Dad had said, the entire celebration was meant for her. There was no trace of my name anywhere.

"Mom, maybe we should order another cake. What if the guests talk behind our backs?" Esme clung to Mom's arm, her voice syrupy sweet.

"No need. Given her personality, what kind of friends could she possibly have? She's failed at her career, and she's never had a real friend in her life."

Mom patted Esme's hand, soothing her. "Think about how she has treated you all these years. You can't be too kind, or you'll just end up being taken advantage of."

How did I treat her? From the time we were little, she took everything from me, and I never once refused. I gave her everything willingly.

I used to feel lucky just to have a sister, so I would let her have her way again and again. But the more I gave in, the bolder she became.

On her graduation day, the project I made for her won her an international award.

I didn't think much of it then, as it had been one of my simplest works. But afterward, once she tasted success, she began stealing everything I'd created.

If I refused, she would have someone beat me up. And whenever I begged for help, not a single person believed me.

They all said I was just jealous of her so-called talent and that I had gone mad with envy.

That was when I finally understood. What I had lost wasn't a trophy. It was the love of my parents and the trust of my husband. To them, Esme was a genius. I was nothing but her shadow.

The memory of that scene made me turn away, unwilling to look at them ever again.

But Esme wasn't done. She stomped her foot in a show of concern. "Mom, keep your voice down! What if Claudia hears you?"

"Hmph! I don't care. If she shows up, I'll say it to her face." Mom's eyes held nothing but disdain. There was not a trace of love left for me.

And so I stood there in silence, quietly listening to them talk about me.

Time ticked on, the start of the banquet drawing near. Esme returned to her room to get dressed.

Edwin frowned at his phone, searched the villa again, but still didn't see me. "Rebecca, Thomas, I'll be right back. I need to pick something up."

Before heading out, he sent me another message, "Stop sulking. It's just a dress. I'll buy you one. Come back quickly. The party's about to start."

Watching him rush away, I felt nothing at all.

If he knew that the wife he was desperately searching for was right beneath his feet, swarmed by flies, what would his reaction be?

I sighed and let the thought go. My gaze fell on the stack of boxes in the corner. I wondered how they would look when they finally opened them.

Moments later, Esme came twirling out of her room, holding up her gown with delight. "Mom, where did Edwin go?"

Mom sighed. "He's probably looking for Claudia. He's too kind-hearted for his own good. If you ask me, he's such a perfect son-in-law, and you're the only one worthy of him."

At that, Esme's smile faltered, her eyes flashing with malice before she hurried back into her room.

Before long, Edwin returned with a dress, his forehead slick with sweat.

Just as he reached for his phone again, a piercing scream erupted from Esme's room. "My designs! Who ripped up my designs?"

Mom, Dad, and Edwin rushed over, only to find Esme collapsed on the floor. She was sobbing uncontrollably, scraps of shredded paper clenched in her hands.

"I-Isn't this the collection you were supposed to unveil tonight? How could it be destroyed? Who did this?" Mom immediately crouched down to help Esme up, her eyes full of concern.

Esme gasped through her tears. "I knew these designs were important, so I was extra careful. I even locked them up in the cabinet Claudia and I shared before I left…"

At that, a sharp laugh escaped me. With just a single sentence, she had pointed the finger clearly enough.

Dad slammed his fist against the door and roared, "Claudia has gone too far! No wonder she hasn't come home. She must have done this out of spite. When she shows her face, I'll break her legs myself!"

Chaos erupted upstairs. Edwin only sighed, sounding weary. "Enough. What matters now is figuring out how to salvage this. Many influential guests came tonight expecting to see Esme's new pieces. I'll check the basement. Maybe there are tools or supplies we can use."

He turned toward the door, but Esme quickly grabbed his arm. "Edwin, it's useless. She didn't just rip them up. She took some of the pages with her. They can't be pieced back together."

"What?" Mom gasped.

Edwin quickly comforted her, pushing the thought of going to the basement aside. He crouched down and wiped the tears from Esme's eyes. "It's okay. I'll handle this. What matters most is that you enjoy your birthday."

At that moment, he stood like the pillar of the family—someone everyone could lean on.

Esme met his gaze, and the very next second, she pressed her lips to his.

Edwin froze, instinctively wanting to pull away. But in the end, he didn't. He wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss.

Even though I had died, it felt like I was suffocating at that moment. I had thought Edwin merely admired her. I never imagined his admiration had turned into something more.

But I should have known. Every Christmas, he would carefully choose thoughtful gifts for Esme while I was overlooked. If I received anything at all, it was something cheap and meaningless.

Year after year, my jewelry box was filled with trinkets worth nothing. The only piece of real value was the diamond ring he gave me on our wedding day. Back then, his heart still belonged to me.

But that didn't matter anymore because I would be giving it all back to him at this very birthday party.

Edwin and Esme's lips finally parted.

Her cheeks were flushed, while he slipped out of the room, looking flustered. His heart was still pounding when his gaze fell on the gown lying on the couch.

He picked up a bottle of red wine and poured it over the fabric without hesitation. The stark white cloth bloomed with a dark red stain, like blood splattered across it.

After tossing the ruined gown into the trash, he left me a message. "Claudia, I actually went out of my way to buy you a dress. But you're nothing but a venomous woman. You don't deserve it!

"Do you realize what you've done? Your parents were so angry that they nearly had heart attacks because of you. I suggest you come back immediately and apologize to everyone. Otherwise, when you return, we'll have to discuss divorce."

His venom words no longer stirred anything in me. My heart was numb. Instead, I looked down at the shredded paper scattered across the floor, a thought crossing my mind.

If Esme could no longer create flawless designs, would they still love her? After all, she had already burned through every draft she had stolen from me. And the pieces she'd torn apart with her own hands this time were her final leverage.

I was already dead. But her descent into hell was only just beginning. This birthday banquet might be her final celebration.

"That deserves a toast," I thought.

Soon, the guests began to arrive. They kissed Esme on the cheek, showering her with warm wishes. Not one of them mentioned my name, except for the old family butler, Brendan Pace, who asked softly, "Where's Claudia? Why don't I see her?"

Dad gave a derisive snort. "She's dead!"

Brendan paled, but Esme quickly intervened. "Dad's joking. Claudia had something to do tonight, so she couldn't make it."

Her tone was gentle, but Brendan didn't so much as glance at her. After all, he had witnessed the day she'd pushed me down the stairs years ago.

Later, she had framed him for speaking up, and Dad had driven him from the household.

Sensing his indifference, Esme shot him a sharp glare without anyone noticing.

Meanwhile, Edwin was busy talking to the guests about the ruined designs. They all comforted him. "Esme is so talented. One lost design doesn't matter. She'll keep creating masterpieces, no matter how hard jealous people try to tear them apart."

Their words pleased Mom and Dad. Dad beamed. "Exactly! Esme is a prodigy. The mediocre can never compare to her."

The chorus of praise grew louder until Mom suddenly turned to Edwin. "What's truly a shame is that such a wonderful man ended up with such a terrible wife. If you ask me, Edwin belongs with Esme. They're the perfect match."

Esme blushed, nudging Mom shyly before sneaking a glance at Edwin.

He lowered his head and sipped his wine. He neither refuted nor agreed. But his answer came during the gift exchange.

He presented Esme with a ruby necklace. It wasn't just any necklace. It was his late mother's heirloom.

He had told me about it, promising that he would personally place it around my neck on our fifth wedding anniversary.

Now, he was placing it around Esme's neck. I watched without a trace of emotion, my heart completely hollow.

One by one, guests handed Esme their presents. She eventually pointed to the stack of boxes in the corner. "Are those for me too?"

Her face lit up as she lifted one, but then she noticed the inscription. "From Claudia."

Before she could open it, Dad stormed over, snatched the box from her hands, and tossed it aside. "Don't touch that. Who knows what tricks she's trying to pull? What if it's something harmful?"

I finally realized what kind of person I was in their eyes. I let out a bitter, self-deprecating smile. Instead of watching, I turned toward the window and looked at the moon.

Just then, a low buzz filled the room as a dozen flies swarmed inside in a circle. My body must have begun to rot.

Everyone wrinkled their noses. Brendan studied the insects and then said, "They're probably coming from the basement. Maybe some of the produce has spoiled."

At that, Edwin stood. "Everyone, please continue. I'll go check."

Esme rushed to grab his arm. "There's no need for that. It's just a few flies."

But he shook his head. "It's your birthday. I want everything to be perfect."

Without hesitation, he headed toward the basement. The closer he got, the more flies swarmed, and the stench of blood grew stronger. He covered his nose, grimacing.

Esme scrambled after him, but Brendan stuck out his foot, sending her stumbling to the ground. He had long since suspected her behavior.

"What is that smell?" Mom and Dad hurried down after him.

Edwin kicked open the basement door. And there, in the dark, he saw my body sprawled lifelessly on the floor. He froze. "C-Claudia!"