I died beneath the Ferris wheel. The killer took a photo of the Ferris wheel and sent it to my mother.

'Mom, I want to ride the Ferris wheel with you too,' wrote the killer.

In my mother's voice message, her tone was filled with hatred as she replied, "How dare you ask to ride the Ferris wheel with me when you killed your own sister? Why won't you just die?!"

As she wished, I was dead. However, what she didn't know was that the one who killed me was my so-called dead sister.

I'm Dead

When my mother arrived at the crime scene, she was stopped outside the police line. Her assistant handed her the camera and began reporting the situation. "A victim was trapped and tried to escape. However, they had likely fallen to their death. We still need to wait for the police to have more details."

My mother nodded calmly after hearing her words.

As a seasoned journalist, she was used to rushing to the front lines. Thus, she never flinched, no matter how tragic the scene looked. This was also one of the reasons I admired her.

Sadly, she didn't know that I was the victim this time.

I was desperate, hoping that she would quickly realize this.

However, she took out her phone and opened her chat with Angel instead. The second she did, her expression softened. She even smiled as she typed, 'Sweetheart, I might come home late since I'm quite busy today.'

I could do nothing but hover in the air, feeling a pang in my heart as I watched her actions.

It had been a long time since I last saw my mother smile at me. Yet, she would always check in with Angel no matter how busy she was. Meanwhile, she would always curse at me no matter how many messages I sent her over the past five years.

When her assistant looked over and saw the screen, she said, "It's been a while since I last saw Angel and Melissa."

At that moment, my mother's gentle expression changed drastically.

"You can see Angel, but why would you want to see Melissa, that murderer?!"

I felt the urge to cry when I saw the hateful scowl on my mother's face.

I knew she still hated me.

My mother had given birth to a triplet. When we were eight, my second sister, Vanessa, was pushed down a flight of stairs and died from the fall. Back then, she held my sister's body and screamed at me, "You monster! I'll have you thrown in jail!" she cried.

Alas, I wasn't sent away to juvenile detention even after she was armed to the teeth with the best lawyers available, as I was too young back then.

She hated me to the point she cut ties with me and took my older sister, Angel, away, abandoning me.

Thinking about it, I sobbed, though no tears came.

On the other hand, the assistant was baffled by her words. Then, she said, "She was young back then. Maybe she has changed…"

My mother's face twisted in disgust as she spat, "She was born evil. I should've strangled her to death the moment she was born. They are both my children. However, Angel is a sweet girl, while she is a menace.

"Honestly, who knows when she'll get a sudden fancy to go after Angel."

With that, she dismissed the topic and turned on the camera as she began examining the photos.

The image showed my corpse, a gruesome scene with blood splattered around. My face and fingers had been melted with acid, rendering me unrecognizable. My body was severely decomposed and gnawed by rats.

Officer John was conducting a preliminary assessment.

"The victim's face and fingerprints were destroyed. She had wounds across the chest and injuries from a fall. We suggest that the cause of death was the sharp wound."

My mother crouched and jotted down the notes on her notebooks with one hand holding the camera.

Officer John approached her and sighed. "This is a severe case, Ms. Elina. We'll release details once there's progress. I'll call you then."

He frowned and looked slightly uneasy. "This was likely done by someone who knew the victim well. After the victim boarded the Ferris wheel, someone cut the power and trapped her up there.

"She had to break a window to escape. I don't even know how she managed to climb down. She was a strong girl. It's a shame she didn't survive."

The other reporters inhaled sharply upon hearing his words.

They couldn't imagine what kind of deep-seated grudge could drive someone to kill a girl so cruelly.

"She was discovered far too late. She had been dead at least a week." My mother sighed pitifully.

When I heard her words, I couldn't help but wonder if she would feel regret if she knew it was me who'd died.

At the same time, she continued to look through the photos.

She froze when she flipped to one of the photos.

She Can Be Dead for All I Care

At that moment, I became anxious.

It was a photo of my coat, the one that my mother had bought for me five years ago. I cherished it so much that I had a tailor make it bigger so I could keep wearing it.

I wondered if she could still recognize it.

My mother hesitated for a moment before saying, "Angel has a coat just like this."

When I heard her, I was at a loss for words. The hope I had within me had vanished instantly.

My mother remembered everything about Angel but never about me.

Then, she added with a sigh, "For some reason, she reminds me of Angel. I guess it's because they're around the same age and build." She probably sympathized as she cursed, "This murderer is the same as Melissa. They are a danger to society. Just the thought of Melissa being somewhere in the world makes me sick."

Chills ran down my spine at her venomous tone, and my heart was torn apart.

In the meantime, my mother straightened and said to Officer John. "Let me know as soon as there's any progress. I'll be on standby." Then, she lowered her gaze and said softly, "My daughter has been feeling uneasy these past few days. I have to get home early to be with her."

Soon, I followed my mother back home.

As soon as she came home, Angel rushed up to hug her. "Mom, welcome home."

My mother lowered her gaze and looked at Angel warmly. "Thank you for waiting for me, Angel."

Suddenly, her phone rang. My mother answered it without moving away.

"Did Melissa contact you? Her landlord just called me and said she hadn't paid her rent for over a week. They haven't been able to get in touch with her. Plus, she hasn't been home."

Tears filled my eyes as I heard those words.

It was Dad.

Although he hadn't forgiven me all these years, some part deep inside of him seemed to be still worried about me.

However, my mother sneered and spat, "What's that got to do with me? It's none of my business whether she sleeps on the street or not."

My dad fell silent when he heard the hatred in her tone. Then, he paused for a moment before saying, "I've already paid her rent. Let's check on her this week."

"Why? I told you she has nothing to do with us anymore!"

My dad sighed and replied, "She's still our daughter."

His words seemed to have triggered my mother as her expression darkened. "What about Vanessa then? Is she not your daughter? Are you feeling sympathy for that murderer?"

Her words tore my heart apart.

It didn't matter how many times I explained that it wasn't me who killed Vanessa, as my mother had never believed me.

My dad seemed to want to say more, but she cut him off.

"I'm telling you. I will never be at peace as long as she lives. If you pay her rent again, we're getting a divorce!" Then, she hung up angrily.

Angel squeezed her hand and comforted her, "It's been years, Mom. Don't be sad. She may be a terrible person, but I don't hate her. After all, she's still my sister."

When my mother heard her words, her expression softened. Then, she hugged Angel and sobbed.

"You're so kind. I'm afraid people like Melissa will hurt you one day. Just knowing that she's out there and could hurt you makes me feel like I have failed my job as a mother. I should've put her in jail myself. That's why I became a journalist. I want to protect you."

The sting in my eyes became sharper, and tears blurred my vision.

She had only protected Angel right from the start and never once tried to save me from despair. When I was eight, she even made me a headline and labeled me as a heartless monster, putting me through endless online abuse and bullying.

Still, I suppose she would be happy now that I was dead. No one could hurt her precious Angel anymore.

Missing

My dad called again around noon. This time, his voice was filled with urgency as he spoke, "I visited Melissa, and she really is missing. I asked the neighbors about her whereabouts, but no one had seen her recently. Do you think something bad might have happened to her?"

In the meantime, my mother was in the kitchen brewing tea for Angel.

When she heard my dad's words, she snapped, "You're such a fool! Why are you even looking for her? Do you want her to kill more people? Evil people never die. I've wished for her death for years, but she's still alive. So, what could have possibly happened to her?"

My dad took a few deep breaths, but his voice was still shaky. "Listen to me. When I went to see her, I saw that she was living in a filthy, rundown basement. The landlord told me she barely managed to pay the rent and often fell behind.

"I know you're still angry about what she did, but she has indeed gotten her punishment for these past five years. It feels different this time. No one knows where she is. I think we should call the police."

When my mother listened to his reasoning, she became infuriated and swiped a bowl off the counter, causing it to break into pieces.

"A monster like her deserves to live miserably! What is there to be pitied of? She killed someone and feigned innocence about it. Do you think she really knows what she did wrong?"

She inhaled sharply before she continued, "Call the police? I'd be thrilled if she's finally dead. That way, I will live more happily."

I shrank into myself and felt my soul tremble at the utter hate in her voice.

I could tell that her hatred for me ran so deep that she genuinely wished for my death.

When Angel tried to pick up the broken bowl, my mother quickly grabbed her hand since she was worried Angel might hurt herself.

Then, she said to my dad, "You didn't even notice that Angel has been eating and sleeping terribly lately. All you care about is that murderer. Why are you so biased?"

Although I knew that I wasn't welcome, I still felt devastated to witness the warmth between Angel and my mother.

After all, Angel always had it all.

"Could you please at least contact her?" My dad's voice was hoarse as he spoke. "It's just to make sure that she's okay. She will definitely answer your call."

"Why should I call her?" My mother's face was full of resentment as she hung up the phone once again.

At that moment, a sudden knock on the door broke the silence.

Her assistant entered the room and handed her a set of documents. "The police's autopsy report just came out."

Angel, who was listening by the side, suddenly spoke, "Mom, doesn't the timing of Melissa's disappearance match with this case?"

My mother held her hand and said sternly, "Don't bother thinking about her. After all, she would be the last person who would go missing. This is likely just one of her schemes."

My heart ached painfully as I listened to her tearing me down.

To her, my sincerity was nothing but manipulation.

"It might be best to at least check up on her," the assistant chimed in.

Angel said thoughtfully, "I'm not saying this to curse her, but the timing is just too coincidental."

My mother grabbed the report and flipped through a few pages. "You mean Melisa may end up like this girl that no one stepped forward to claim her body?"

You're right, Mom. I died miserably, but do you care?

As I floated before her, I saw her eyes were akin to chips of ice.

"If that happens, I would be thrilled." Her expression didn't change even the slightest as she spoke.

Just then, a piercing pain shot through me.

At the same time, the atmosphere became tense.

Suddenly, Angel asked, "When did she last reach out to you, Mom? Did she leave any messages?"

My mother was about to curse me again when she seemed to recall something. Then, she unlocked her phone and unblocked me.

In the chat window was the Ferris wheel photo. A clear shot of the crime scene.

She must not have looked closely before, as she blocked me immediately after cursing me. However, it didn't surprise me one bit that she would remember something after listening to Angel.

Then, she blew up the photo.

At that moment, my heart raced, and I wondered if she would finally realize the truth.