Seven years after my death, an engagement invitation from my ex-girlfriend arrives at my house.

Back then, I had broken up with her in my lowest, most desperate days and married someone else.

Now, she has reinvented herself as a rising powerhouse worth hundreds of billions, driven by revenge and eager to see me regret everything and beg for mercy.

Unfortunately for her, I am not the one who shows up.

She looks around in open contempt, convinced my absence means guilt, shame, and fear.

When I finally appear, all she sees is an urn.

The banquet hall glittered with gold and crystal as Helena Shaw stood arm in arm with her fiance, smiling as they greeted their guests. The warmth and celebration vanished as a girl appeared, and the hall fell dead silent.

Nellie Scott gripped her invitation. Her faded denim jacket, which was washed thin and pale, looked painfully out of place in a room glittering with silk and diamonds.

"Who's that? Showing up dressed like that to Ms. Shaw's engagement party?"

"Where's security? What are they even doing, letting a beggar like this in?"

The sharp, mocking remarks came nonstop. Instinctively, I reached out, wanting to cover Nellie's ears, but my hand passed straight through her.

That was when I remembered I was already dead. Seven years gone.

"I'm not a beggar. I'm here to see Helena."

Nellie's voice was clear, still carrying a trace of youthful softness, and it drew no real attention at all.

The insults only grew louder. People scoffed at her for not knowing her place and that someone like her had no right to approach Helena.

Soon, the security guards rushed over at the noise. One of them turned toward the woman at the center of the hall, apologizing over and over again.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Shaw. She does have an invitation, so we thought… We'll remove her immediately."

The two security guards were big, burly men. They didn't care that the person they were dragging was just a thin young lady. When Nellie struggled, their grip only tightened.

I screamed without sound, trying to pry their hands off her arms, but it was useless until a familiar, cool voice cut through the chaos.

"Stop. She looks familiar."

Helena walked toward Nellie step by step. The jewelry glittered on her body, each piece costing more than what our family would earn in a lifetime. She was clearly living the life now.

"Well, isn't this the Scott family's little burden?" she said, raising an eyebrow and glancing around. "Why are you the one here? Don't tell me your brother was too much of a coward to show his face, so he sent his little sister instead.

"That's funny. Wasn't he pretty gutsy back then? When he dumped me to chase a better future, he never even looked back. And now he doesn't even dare to show up?"

Her harsh laughter rang loudly.

Nellie's face flushed red as she suddenly raised her voice. "That's not it! I just came to tell you that seven years ago, Nathan—"

"He hooked up with a rich woman, right?"

Helena sneered. Beneath her icy gaze simmered a quiet fury. "Didn't he marry the only daughter of a building materials tycoon?

"Now that I'm worth billions, he sends you to play the sympathy card?" Her tone was dripping with disdain as she looked Nellie up and down again.

"Nathan really is something. Living the high life himself while letting his sister end up like this. It's no wonder he could do something so heartless to me back then."

"He's not like that! You don't know what Nathan did for you—"

"What did he do for me?" Helena snapped, interrupting Nellie again, her eyes flashing red as she laid everything bare. "Cheating without missing a beat? Or sneaking off to hotels with that woman who drove a Porsche?"

She suddenly grabbed Nellie's canvas bag and slammed it onto the floor. "Look at how pathetic you are now! He can't even afford to support you, and you still—"

Before she could finish, a pile of medicine bottles spilled out across the floor, clattering loudly as they rolled in every direction. Those were the meds that had once been used to treat my illness. Now, Nellie was taking them instead.

Helena froze when she saw the labels. Then, she let out a cold laugh.

"Figures, Nathan taught you well. Even your little performance is convincing. You think dumping a pile of empty pill bottles on the floor will earn my sympathy?

"Let me guess. Next, you're going to say Nathan was actually dying, that he had no choice but to leave me, and you want me to forgive him and the Scott family."

The moment the words left her mouth, Nellie's face went completely pale. Because what Helena said in a mocking tone wasn't a joke. It was the truth, but who would ever believe something that absurd?

Whispers surged through the crowd like a rising tide. Biting her lip, Nellie stubbornly dropped to her knees and began picking up the scattered medicine one by one. Her tears fell hard and fast onto the floor.

"Nathan isn't a liar… He really was sick. He already—"

"Shut up!" Just as Helena raised her hand to strike Nellie, I rushed forward on instinct, throwing myself in front of her.

Before the slap could land, someone stopped her. "Helena, today is our big day. Don't let unimportant people ruin it."

Christian Lowe easily caught her wrist and then held her hand gently, calming her down. "She's just some lowlife trying to cling to old connections. Have security throw her out."

With just a few cold words, he decided what Nellie was worth. Helena took a breath and seemed to settle.

"You're right. Why should I get upset over someone insignificant like her?

"Security. Take her and this trash out. Don't let them stain my engagement."

Two guards in black immediately moved in, ignoring Nellie's struggle as they dragged her toward the exit.

Around them, guests lifted their phones, snapping pictures and laughing under their breath. Voices overlapped, mocking how pathetic the Scott siblings were, laughing that people like them might as well be dead.

What they didn't know was that I was already dead. And Nellie was suffering from the same illness I had. She didn't have much time left either.

With all the tension cleared, the engagement party carried on as planned.

I stayed nearby, watching Helena with Christian, both of them completely caught up in each other. I felt a pang of relief that she had found happiness, but also a hollow ache that it wasn't me giving it to her.

Just as both families were about to lock in the wedding date, Helena set down her glass. "Sorry, I don't think we need to finalize this wedding just yet."

Christian exchanged glances with his parents, frowning in confusion.

"Helena, what do you mean? I went to all this trouble bringing everyone here to witness our love, and now you're telling me there's no rush to set a date?"

He noticed the unease flickering across her face. Taking a deep breath, he pressed further. "Are you still thinking about Nathan? You haven't really moved on from him, have you? You—"

"Ugh, can you stop being so annoying?"

Her patience finally snapped under the constant questioning. She stood abruptly, gathering the engagement documents.

"It's not that I haven't moved on. I just think marriage is a big deal, and it deserves more caution. If there's nothing else, I'm heading back to the office now. Christian, take care of the guests."

Helena turned and left, unaware of the fleeting flash of contempt in Christian's eyes. But just moments later, he restored his usual obedient mask.

"Okay, go handle your work. I've got this covered."

Back at the office, Helena furrowed her brows and pulled an emerald pendant from the bottom drawer of her desk. I remembered giving it to her on our one-year anniversary. I hadn't expected her to still have it.

She stared at it for a long moment before dialing out, her tone sharp and commanding as she issued her orders. "Find out everything about Nathan. Alive or dead, I want to know where he's been for the past seven years."

I lowered my head, watching my semi-transparent form, a pang of sorrow hitting me. "I've been right here this whole time. You just can't see me."

…

Three days later, Helena's assistant, Eli Jennings, timidly handed over a report.

"Ms. Shaw, there's no trace. Nathan disappeared seven years ago. Even his bank accounts were closed…"

"Useless!" Helena snapped, tossing the report to the floor. The papers were scattered across the office.

She walked to the windows, looking down at the city lights, her gaze sharp and merciless. "I don't believe a living man can just vanish. If he's hiding, he won't escape my wrath forever."

"Ms. Shaw, are you saying—"

Helena's lips curved into a cruel smile. "I hear she has kidney failure and needs regular dialysis. Halt her treatment immediately."

Eli froze.

"This…"

"Hospitals aren't charities. If they can't pay, treatment stops. She won't die that easily. He'll be forced to show himself sooner or later. Do exactly as I say."

Her tone brooked no argument. Eli hesitated, then nodded.

"No! What are you doing? Helena, how can you do this?"

She knew how serious my mother's condition was, yet she was using such a low, ruthless tactic to force me out of hiding.

I watched Eli leave, my emotions twisted, powerless to speak for my mother or sister, and I had no choice but to run after him, desperate to get to the hospital.

On the way to the hospital, Eli had already made all the arrangements. When I arrived, Nellie was clutching the bill, completely lost.

"Family of Jeanette Chesson, our system shows the account has been frozen. There's not enough balance to continue treatment. If payment isn't made today, we'll have to suspend her treatment."

Nellie's face went pale as she stared at the itemized charges, checking them again and again. "How could it be frozen? I paid just yesterday…

"Please just give me a few more days! I'll get the money, I swear! My mother can't have her treatment stopped!"

Tears welled up in Nellie's eyes. Her knees buckled, and she almost dropped to the floor, but the nurse didn't even spare her a glance.

"That's the hospital policy. There's nothing I can do. Either you pay, or she'll be discharged. If you don't have the money, you'll need to find relatives or friends to help."

With that, the nurse turned and left, leaving Nellie standing helplessly. Ever since everything fell apart in our family, everyone we knew avoided us like the plague. Family? Friends? There was no one left to turn to.

Nellie looked at the time, her eyes hollow. She reached into her canvas bag, took out a small bottle, and poured the last few pills into her palm. Without hesitation, she chewed them up and swallowed.

I'd taken that medication before. It was unbearably bitter, but Nellie didn't even frown. Expressionlessly, she finished the pills and stood, heading straight for the bank.

I followed close behind, like a shadow, watching her silently withdraw every last cent from her account. At the corner, I spotted a familiar figure again.

Eli had his back turned, methodically reporting Nellie's movements.

"Ms. Shaw, Nellie just went to the bank, but it's still not enough to cover the medical bills."

"Keep the pressure on." Helena's voice crackled faintly over the phone, chilling in its detachment. Isn't Nathan living it up now? I'll drive her into a corner until that coward brother of hers shows his face!"

"But—"

"No buts! This is all Nathan's debt to me. He will pay tenfold! Remember this. If he doesn't come forward, his mother gets no treatment."

Even in the bright afternoon, her words felt like ice. I had no way to tell her I was already dead, that I physically couldn't show up. I didn't know what it would take for her to leave us alone. All I could do was hope Nellie might somehow confront Helena again.

However, our mother didn't survive long enough. Due to Helena's orders, her medication and life-support treatments were cut off. By nightfall, her condition deteriorated rapidly.

By the time Nellie managed to bring in a doctor, it was already too late.

"Helena, if you have a problem with me, come at me! Don't torture my family! When will you leave us alone?"

I collapsed into a crouch and screamed the words. No tears fell, yet the pain in my chest was sharp and unmistakably real.

I watched Nellie clutch our mother's lifeless body, wailing in despair before she finally went quiet and called for a car to the funeral home.

Eli, who had been hiding off to the side the entire time, clearly hadn't expected my mother's death either. Panic was written all over his face, and he rushed to report everything to Helena.

As expected, the news made her lose her grip. An expensive porcelain piece slipped from her hands and shattered across the floor.

"How… How could she die? I… I never meant for this! Where is Nellie?"

"Nellie has gone to the funeral home to make arrangements," Eli replied, then added, "Nathan hasn't appeared at all."

The words drained Helena of all her energy. She collapsed back into her chair.

Finally, she realized something was wrong. She knew how much I cared about my family. There was no way I'd ignore something this serious.

That was unless… I truly couldn't do anything.

"Get a car ready for the funeral home. Now! Go!"