Just because my sister, Yvonne Lindell, claims I swapped Grandma's medicine with sugar pellets and caused her death, Mom locks me inside the cremator.

I kneel and beg, but Mom spits at me in disgust.

"You wretched girl, stay still! You killed your grandma by secretly switching her medicine. Now go repent to her properly!"

Dad hesitates, unable to bear it. "Maybe we should let her out. What if—"

"What are you afraid of? Don't forget that she killed your mother! If we don't teach her a lesson this time, who knows who she'll kill next!"

The voices outside the door gradually fade, and my heart sinks to the bottom.

The flames slowly begin to lick at my body.

In despair, I clutch Grandma's cold hand beside me.

"Grandma, I'm sorry. I should've taken better care of your medicine. But I swear, I didn't replace it with sugar pellets. Maybe only in death, can I truly atone for this sin…"

My soul quickly left my body and floated around the crematorium. It was a small one with a few staff members slacking off.

All of a sudden, my soul was dragged back to my family.

Mom sorted through Grandma's belongings and started berating me. "That damn Natalie, looks like all those years of study were totally pointless! I should've sold her off when she was young. At least she'd be of some use!"

She pulled out the money Grandma had saved for my tuition from the bottom of a box and handed it to Yvonne like she was a princess.

"Vonnie, here's some pocket money for you."

Dad frowned when he heard this, but in the end, he didn't say a word.

Even in death, I was burdened with a crime I didn't commit. I stood nearby, crying with grievance.

I wanted to tell everyone that it wasn't me. It really wasn't me!

Grandma had heart disease, and every day I made sure she took her medicine properly. But that day, when her heart condition flared up, the pills she usually took had turned into sugar pellets.

I cried as I tried to explain to Mom, but she didn't believe me. She beat me with a clothes hanger until I couldn't move, then shoved me violently into the cremation chamber with Grandma.

Before I was turned to ashes, I still hadn't given up. I begged Mom desperately.

"Mom, I was wrong. I'm only 13. I don't want to die. I want to have a full meal. I want to live a good life…"

But it was destined that I couldn't hear a response from her.

Soon, it was time for dinner.

Dad started to worry since he hadn't seen me all day. "Where's Nat? Don't tell she's still locked in the cremation chamber?"

Before Mom could respond, Yvonne chimed in.

"How could that be? I just saw her come home. She even stole money from Dad's wallet to buy a gaming console."

Dad glanced at his now-flat wallet, and his expression began to darken.

With a loud slam, Mom put down her cutleries and started shouting, "Well, great! Now she has even learned to steal! No wonder she's afraid to come home. Just wait till she gets back. I'll break her legs!"

I clenched my teeth, looking at Yvonne in disbelief. The gaming console was hidden right beside her.

She was my only sister. I always respected and adored her, putting her first in everything. Even when I was hungry and tired, I took care of all the housework and never let her lift a finger.

But now, she could frame me without even blinking.

I clutched my chest as my nose burned.

I was already dead. So, why did it still hurt so much?

As night fell, Dad started to get restless. "It's so late already, and Nat's a girl. I really can't be at ease with her still not home. She's probably angry from being punished. We just need to find her and teach her properly."

But after searching the entire neighborhood, he still couldn't find a trace of me.

Just as he furrowed his brow and was about to head toward the crematorium, an anxious voice called out behind him.

"Jon, you need to get home quick. Something's happened to your father!"

Seeing Grandpa unconscious in the emergency room, I was nearly driven mad with anxiety.

Every time Mom punished me, Grandma and Grandpa would hold me in their arms and comfort me gently.

"Don't be afraid, sweetie. Grandpa and Grandma are here."

Now that Grandma was gone, Grandpa was the only one left. But now, even he…

I kept pacing around him, desperately wanting to do something. But my arms passed through everything, a cruel reminder that I was now just a soul.

Whether alive or dead, I was still useless.

Finally, Grandpa was wheeled out of the emergency room. Although his life had been saved, he now had total dementia.

He didn't recognize anyone. But when he saw Mom and Yvonne, he became agitated.

Dad was confused, but Mom was quick to call a nurse to give Grandpa a sedative.

Grandpa soon fell asleep. Meanwhile, Dad seemed to grow suspicious. The way he looked at Mom and Yvonne had turned colder.

"When I went out to look for Nat, only you and Vonnie were at home. Did Dad really just fall down the stairs by accident?"

Mom's eyes widened in fury.

Ignoring the presence of other patients in the ward, she shrieked curses at him. "You heartless bastard! I've served your family for so many years, and now you're accusing me of harming your father?"

Seeing her shouting at the top of her lungs, Dad's anger vanished in an instant. He tried to placate her instead.

"No, it's just that… so many things have happened lately. I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong."

Mom let out a sigh of relief, then hit him a few more times before replying, "What could be wrong? The problem is that wretched girl, Natalie! Ever since she was born, nothing's gone right!

"First, she caused me to never bear another child, then she killed Mother, and now Father's lost his mind. We really can't keep that damned girl around any longer. Tomorrow…"

Dad frowned and wanted to ask more questions, but the doctor pulled him aside for a conversation.

Mom took the opportunity to drag Yvonne home.

On the way, they ran into my teacher, who had come with good news.

"Mrs. Lindell! Your daughter Natalie won a prize for her essay! She's very talented, so you should nurture her well. She has even been invited to a state competition."

Mom was still in a bad mood from the fight with Dad. She didn't even glance at the certificate, just took it and tore it to pieces.

"You're her teacher? Natalie is dropping out of school in a few days. She can't even behave like a proper person, so what's the point of studying? It's better to marry her off early and have her help support the family!"

The teacher gave an awkward smile. "You shouldn't say that. Natalie's prize comes with a 5,000-dollar reward. And if she keeps doing well, she'll earn even more in the future."

The teacher tried hard to persuade her, but Mom only heard one thing—money. She snatched the envelope out of the teacher's hands and greedily counted the cash inside.

"That damned girl is only useful in moments like this! Vonnie, let's go. I'm going to buy you a new dress!"

Looking at the teacher's disappointed face made me feel even worse.

I wanted to study. I wanted to prove to Mom that I was worth something—worth more than Yvonne even.

All I wanted was for her to give me a little, just a tiny bit, of love. But no matter what I did, I could never earn a single word of praise from her.

Mom cheerfully took Yvonne shopping. But while trying on dresses, Yvonne stained one because of her period.

Mom saw the red on the hem and didn't show even a trace of disgust. Instead, she doted on her and went to buy sanitary pads.

Not long ago, I had also nervously gone to Mom for help during my first period. But all I got was a storm of curses.

She had yanked my ear hard and scolded, "You little wretch! Were you trying to embarrass me in public on purpose? Disgusting! Stay away from me!"

I wiped my tears as I cried and washed my underwear again and again under her disgusted glare.

But from being hungry all the time and constantly cold, my period came only twice before stopping altogether. Mom never cared. She just said I was useless.

Mom and Yvonne stayed out until late that night.

When they came home, they saw Dad sitting tiredly on the couch. "Someone needs to stay with Father tonight. Go take care of that."

It was hard work. Finally, Mom remembered me. "Where's Natalie? She's been a freeloader. Let her go!"

But she looked around and still didn't see me.

Anger flaring, Mom grabbed a clothes hanger and stormed through the house. "Natalie! Get out here this instant! If I find you, I swear I'll break one of your legs!"

Yvonne, eager to please, pulled out a small wooden box from my drawer. "Mom, this is Natalie's most treasured box. If you smash it, she's bound to come out!"

Mom looked at her with admiration. "That's my daughter. So clever!"

She then said, "I want to see what that little brat's been sneaking around to buy with the money she stole!"

Without hesitation, she smashed my box.

But it wasn't what she expected inside. There were just a few river pebbles, a stub of a pencil, and some maple leaves.

Mom froze for a second, then her expression turned to scorn. "Just a pile of junk! She treasures trash like this. People would think we abused her or something!"

I slowly crouched down and caressed the little treasures I had guarded so carefully. She didn't remember but those were all gifts she once gave me.

Maybe in her eyes, I was just like the gifts I cherished so much—nothing but trash.

After smashing my box and shouting threats, Mom still didn't see me. She was on the verge of going crazy and trashed everything in my room in a rage.

When Dad walked in and saw the mess, he was startled.

"I want to see how long she can keep this up!" Mom shouted.

She was sure I had no money and would have to come home to steal some. So, she pulled Dad to hide in the corner of the room and wait.

Sure enough, in the middle of the night, a shadowy figure crept into the room.

Mom flipped on the light, ready to lunge forward. But the moment she saw clearly who it was, her raised hand froze midair.

Dad frowned. "Vonnie, why are you stealing money?"

Before he could scold her further, Mom wrapped her arms around Yvonne. "Stealing? What stealing? My money is Vonnie's money! She's entitled to it!

"My precious girl, if you ever need money, just tell me. Don't follow that little wretch of a sister of yours."

Yvonne pouted and snuggled into her arms like she had nothing to fear. "Mom, I'm still 3,000 short for that phone. Will you buy it for me?"

Mom dotingly tapped her on the nose. "Of course. Once we sell off your sister, I'll buy it for you."

Those words were like knives, tearing through my soul. The pain nearly made me fade away.

I used to think that if I were just a little more obedient, a little more sensible, then Mom would love me a little more.

But in reality, some love simply can't be forced.

Soon, the crematorium called to inform the family that it was time to collect the ashes.

At the facility, the staff led the way while remarking with surprise, "Your mother's ashes are really something else. The sound during the process was like a child screaming."

Hearing that, Mom's hand began to tremble. Even her gaze grew unfocused and uneasy.

Dad quickly noticed her strange reaction.

These past few days, he had been so distracted by the situation with Grandpa and Grandma that he'd completely overlooked me.

Now, as he started to calm down, he suddenly remembered that I had been locked in the cremator.

His expression darkened. Then, he crouched down and questioned Yvonne. "Vonnie, tell me the truth. That day, did you really see your sister come home?"

His furious expression stunned Yvonne into silence.

Mom, distressed, slapped Dad's hand away. "What are you doing? Don't scare my daughter!"

But Dad was consumed with worry for my safety. He gritted his teeth and gripped Yvonne's wrist tightly.

"Answer me!" he demanded.

Yvonne burst into tears. "I… I only lied because I didn't want you to worry…"

Dad's face turned ghostly pale. He staggered to his feet and ran to the cremation chamber. Then he banged the cremator and shouted, "No! It couldn't be!"

His frantic behavior quickly drew the attention of the staff. "Sir, please calm down."

As he was held back, Dad's eyes reddened with grief.

Mom shoved him hard. "What are you doing?! Are you trying to make things worse for the family? You're not seriously still thinking Natalie is in there, are you? She's not stupid. If there was fire, she would've run out!"

"You locked the door that day. She's only 13! How could she possibly open it?"

Mom flinched deep inside. But she still forced herself to stay calm. "What's the rush? When the door's open, we'll know for sure, won't we?"

Veins bulged on the back of Dad's hand. He didn't speak again and just stared at the staff.

The moment the door finally opened, Dad rushed closer. A platform covered in white ash could be seen inside.

And among the ashes, two skulls, one large, one small, were nestled tightly together.