But what they didn’t know was that this time, after being locked away in that damp basement, I truly died.

My soul drifted lightly through this world, like a wisp of smoke, silent and unseen.

I watched my mother and Leisha laughing together by the seaside, the sunlight bathing them in a warm, golden glow as if blessing them with its light.

Meanwhile, I was nothing more than a speck of dust in a forgotten corner of the world, untouched by even the faintest ray of sunshine.

"Sweetheart, do you like this necklace? Go ahead, buy it," my mother said, her face filled with affection for Leisha.

The necklace, glittering with diamonds, sparkled even brighter under the sun.

"Thank you, Mom!" Leisha replied, delighted as she took the necklace, but then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she added, "Oh, by the way, Mom, what do you think Sarah is up to now? Should we video call her to show her the beautiful seaside?"

Her innocent suggestion carried a hint of mockery.

Hearing those words, I felt a sharp tug at my heart, but the worst was yet to come.

"Call her? Why bother with that useless thing? Just mentioning her reminds me of my poor Laura, skipping school with her and getting killed because of her! The only reason I let her stay in this house is because she's my own flesh and blood. Otherwise, I would have..."

My mother’s voice dripped with disdain and indifference.

"Compared to that dead girl, you’re a blessing. I’m so grateful I chose to adopt you," she continued, each word piercing through my soul like an arrow, echoing in the emptiness around me.

"If I’d known back then, I wouldn’t have given birth to her—such a curse…" she added.

My vision blurred. Though as a soul I couldn’t shed tears, my heart hurt so bad it felt like it was being stabbed over and over.

Memories flooded back, crashing over me like waves.

I thought back to when Laura talked me into skipping school. We were climbing over the wall when her foot slipped. That was when the awful accident happened that killed her.

I remembered myself, small and frail, with a desperate, helpless gaze.

I remembered the cold shoulders of my family as they placed all the blame on me and the realization that I would never again feel the warmth of a mother's embrace in this life.

The scene of them at the seaside, enjoying their happy vacation, stood in stark contrast to me, who had silently followed behind them, enduring the pain, always seeking approval and love but never receiving a moment of genuine care or tenderness.

Memories of similar scenes in real life resurfaced again and again.

Every time my mother happily took Leisha out to play, I was left alone, anxious, and uneasy at home. Each time I came back from school, hoping to share my day, all I got were cold words or complete indifference.

All these moments intertwined, proving that even in death, my existence was still denied and forgotten.

The sound of waves crashing against the shore reached my ears, clear and sharp, but I could no longer hear any warmth from this world—only the echoes of struggle and weeping deep within me.

Mom still didn't seem to realize I was dead.

She still thought I was the stubborn girl I used to be, always opposing her.

But she had long forgotten that for many years, I had stopped arguing with her, never once provoking Leisha, and instead worked tirelessly in what was supposed to be my own home, doing chores like a servant.

All of this, because I hadn't stopped Laura from climbing over that wall.

I felt so guilty, so I endured everything, believing that no matter how badly my mother treated me, I deserved it.

I kept telling myself that Mom was just heartbroken over Laura's death and that if she hated me, I should understand her more.

But with Leisha's arrival, Mom grew more and more distant. The woman who once held me close now hurt me repeatedly, with a cruelty I could never have imagined.

Even in death, I couldn’t escape her grasp, watching her grow closer to a daughter not of her blood.

“Leisha, once we get back, the test results should be ready. If a transplant is possible, I promise I’ll get you a healthy kidney, my sweetheart!”

Mom stroked Leisha’s hair affectionately, while Leisha, unable to hide her smile of delight, hugged Mom tightly, though her eyes were filled with disdain.

Maybe she was thinking the same thing I had wondered all those years: If Mom could treat her obedient biological daughter like a sinner, how could she ever truly care for an adopted daughter without blood ties?

I watched from above as the two of them enjoyed their carefree lives until my mother received a call from the hospital. The compatibility test had been successful—I could donate my kidney to Leisha.

Mom told Leisha to call me and tell me to get ready for the surgery as soon as they got back. But no matter how many times Leisha tried calling, no one answered.

Of course, that was because I was dead. How could I possibly pick up the phone?

"Mom, Sarah isn't answering! Do you think she doesn’t want to donate her kidney to me? Mom, I’m so scared..." Leisha whimpered, pretending to cry on my mother's shoulder, her face wet with fake tears.

"That useless thing can't even answer a phone! Who knows where she's gone? When I get a hold of her, I swear I'll make her pay!" Mom's voice echoed angrily through the seaside villa, her frustration growing with each unanswered call, each one only adding more fuel to her fiery rage.

"She's probably tired of living!"

Leisha stood to the side, her brow furrowed. "Mom, do you think Sarah might actually be angry and refuse to donate her kidney? After what happened before..." she trailed off, her words cut short by a harsh glare from my mother.

"Angry? What right does she have to be angry? Hasn’t this family treated her well enough? She’s living in a mansion—what more could she want? If it weren’t for losing Laura..."

My mother suddenly stopped, as if realizing she was about to dig up those painful memories. But she quickly reverted to her cold, angry self.

"Anyway, if she dares delay your surgery, I’ll make her regret it! Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll make sure you get your treatment! You’re my only precious one!"

Leisha gently tugged at my mother's sleeve.

"Mom... you promised me, you're the best! I love you so much, you'll always be my real mom!

"What if Sarah's got something going on she can't tell us about? Why don't we try giving her another call?" Leisha said, pretending to care.

"Something she can’t tell us?" My mother practically scoffed.

"What could she possibly be doing, other than causing trouble? She always thinks she's so smart, so pitiful. Hmph!"

At that moment, watching everything unfold from above, I felt a coldness and despair unlike any I had ever known. I had thought that at least in death, I could escape the accusations and hatred. But even that last glimmer of hope had dissolved into nothing.

By the time the housekeeper arrived at the front door, the sun was already setting.

No matter how hard she knocked, there was no response.

Finally, using the spare key, she unlocked the door, only to be hit by a nauseating smell of decay that made her immediately cover her nose and step back in shock.

Trembling, she dialed my mother's number.

"Ma’am, Sarah is dead! Oh..."

At that moment, my mother was silent on the phone for a moment before exploding into an even fiercer rage.

"Dead? Don't try to fool me! How could she be dead? When Laura died, she didn't have the decency to die with her. If she were going to die, she'd have done it long ago, not waited until now!"

She screamed hysterically, ordering Leisha to keep listening to the call.

"Tell Zoe to search the room thoroughly! She's probably just faking it to avoid responsibility."

Despite her fear, the housekeeper obeyed and returned to search the room. After confirming the situation, she reported back again.

"Ma’am... there's no mistake. If you don't believe me, you can call the police!" Her voice echoed in the dark, empty room.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

"She's just pretending, thinking I’ll forget the past. I'll call the police myself!" my mother snapped, her harsh words becoming the last thing I would ever hear from her, even after leaving this world.

When the police arrived, my mother was still in disbelief.

"Hello, my housekeeper says there's a dead person in the house. Is that true?" she demanded.

"It is true, ma'am. The deceased appears to have died from a ruptured brain tumor caused by trauma," the responder explained.

"How is that possible? She was perfectly fine, full of life! How could she have a brain tumor? How could she just die like that?" My mother's voice echoed down the hotel corridor, filled with disbelief and fury.

"You so-called experts must be mistaken!" she insisted.

Leisha stood nearby, her eyes brimming with tears, but a hint of calculation flickered within them.

"So... Sarah is really dead? What about my kidney..." she began, only to be cut off by a sharp glare from my mother.

"Shut up! This is not the time to talk about that!"

My mother turned back to the doctor on the phone, her voice sharp with accusation, "Have you checked thoroughly? How could she have a brain tumor all of a sudden? She was perfectly fine just a few days ago!"

The doctor, maintaining a calm tone, replied, "We've conducted multiple confirmations, and I regret to inform you that she indeed passed away due to the spread of a brain tumor caused by trauma. If you have any doubts, you can request an autopsy."

“An autopsy?” My mother scoffed. “Is that necessary? She’s just pretending! She’s been pulling stunts like this since she was a child, always trying to dodge responsibility. Wait until I get home, I’ll deal with her myself!”

Leisha nervously clutched my mother's hand, "Mom… what if she really…"

"Don’t talk nonsense!" my mother cut her off. "Let’s go. We’ll see for ourselves."

They rushed to the hospital as fast as they could.

Following them to the entrance of the morgue, my spirit could hardly bear what was about to happen.

The door slowly opened, and in the cold, sterile air, my lifeless body lay there, devoid of warmth or breath.

Leisha covered her mouth and began to sob, though I couldn't tell if she was mourning or lamenting the sudden loss of her promised kidney.

My mother, on the other hand, examined my corpse like a curious onlooker inspecting a strange object.

"So, this is your so-called confirmed death?" she asked, her voice still laced with challenge and disbelief.

The staff waited in silence for her reaction.

To everyone’s shock, all she gave was a contemptuous laugh.

"Ha! She’s putting on a good show.”