Crying, I cradled my red and swollen cheek and said, "I didn't give him the IV. Mia did. My fingerprints aren't even on the drug vial. If you don't believe me, check it for yourself."

Mia froze for a moment. Then, she looked at me with a teary expression and cried, "Are you still trying to pin the blame on me when I've already been beaten up for your mistakes?"

In the end, Max's mother stepped forward and said, "Alright, then. Let's ask the police to conduct an investigation. I'd like to find the person behind my son's death so I can make them pay for their actions."

While tests were being run, everyone at the scene was anxiously waiting for the results.

I wasn't feeling nervous. I didn't touch the drug vial, so there was no way my fingerprints would show up in the results.

However, I was soon proven wrong once again.

Nick was also present at the police station. He was quietly observing from the sidelines with a solemn look on his face.

Holding the test results, David scanned the crowd before stopping when he saw me.

"The fingerprints on Natalie's right hand match the ones on the drug vial. This is concrete proof that Natalie was the one who administered the IV," he announced.

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately turned to look at me.

Nick's expression was grim. He looked like he was heartbroken.

"That's impossible!" I yelled.

There was no way my fingerprints could've been on the vial unless David falsified the evidence.

We lived in the same household. If he truly wanted to, he would've been able to obtain my fingerprints without any difficulty.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't have any evidence to refute his claims.

David had always been a righteous and honest police officer. I found it disappointing that he would abuse his position like this.

In my previous life, I foolishly assumed that I'd made a mistake, and I'd disappointed him as a result. No matter how horribly he treated me, I'd never resented him for it.

As it turned out, David and Mia had been plotting to frame me since the very beginning.

Based on what I remembered, David had always been a loving brother to me. However, when he had to choose between me and Mia, he'd always prioritize Mia and sacrifice me instead.

Since that was the case, I'd be better off without a brother like him.

Before Max's parents could lunge at me, I yelled, "Don't you think this entire situation is highly suspicious? By the time you discovered what happened to Max, his body showed signs of livor mortis. That wouldn't have been possible if he'd just passed."

I continued, "Judging by how pronounced the lividity is, the patient must've died before 2:00 am. I was helping out in the ER during that time. The doctors in the surgery room can prove it."

As long as I can prove that Max died at around 2:00 am, I'd be able to prove that I didn't kill him.

"If you want to find the actual culprit behind your son's death, I'd suggest you conduct an autopsy on the body. I'm sure Max would've wanted the truth to come to light as well."

Max's parents looked devastated. After falling silent for a few moments, they nodded their heads in agreement.

"We agree to your suggestion. Let's conduct an autopsy."

Mia looked like she had come prepared. She exchanged glances with Nick and said, "If that's the case, let's have Dr. Nick Carter conduct the autopsy. I'm sure we'll be able to find the culprit if he's on the case."

Max's mother's face lit up. Upon hearing Nick's name, she instantly felt more relaxed.

"Is he the genius forensic pathologist I've heard so much about? I feel a lot more at ease if he's the one conducting the autopsy.

"I'm finally going to find the person who killed my poor son," she cried.

During my last life, I was just as excited for Max's autopsy results to be revealed. However, when that finally happened, Nick's report ended up incriminating me even further.

I know about their dirty tricks, and I wasn't the same person I was before.

"What's the matter, Natalie? Do you not wish to proceed with the autopsy? What are you so afraid of?" When I hesitated, Mia mocked me.

I stared at the text message that I'd typed beforehand and pressed send.

Subsequently, I looked directly into Nick's eyes and asked solemnly, "I know you're an extremely skilled forensic pathologist, Nick. You'll definitely find out the truth and prove that I'm innocent, right?"

Nick readjusted his glasses and glanced at me with an earnest yet condescending expression.

"I won't frame an innocent person. I'll make sure to identify the actual perpetrator," he declared.

Alright, then. I was going to give Nick one last chance. If he didn't identify the actual culprit, he'd be digging his own grave.

"Okay, I agree to let Nick conduct the autopsy."

…

While waiting for the autopsy results, David approached me.

With an earnest voice, he said, "Listen to me, Nat. You should confess before the autopsy report is released so you can ask for a lighter sentence.

"Since it was just a medical error, you'll only be sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison. Even if you do end up in jail, I can still use my connections to make sure you're well taken care of. You'll still be loved by the entire family once you're released from prison."

Mia was eagerly nodding along to what David was saying.

The first time this incident took place, I panicked. Hence, David managed to persuade me to do as he said without any trouble.

Back then, I thought that he'd genuinely cared about my well-being and was incredibly touched by his actions. Consequently, I was beaten to death in front of the police station by Max's family before I was even sentenced in court.

David just wanted me to take the blame for Mia's mistakes.

I lifted my head and shot Mia a look.

"Did you hear that, Mia?" I spat. "There's still time for you to confess to your crimes."

David sprang from his chair. "What's wrong with you, Natalie? I told you to confess, not ask Mia to take the fall for you."

I shrugged and scoffed at him. "I'm pretty sure the truth will come to light once the autopsy report is ready."

Mia was fuming.

"Alright, then. I tried to help you, Natalie. Since you're being ungrateful, I guess you'll just have to suffer the consequences of your actions," David spat.

Until the results of the autopsy were released, there was no telling who would truly suffer the consequences of Max's death.

…

Two days later, everyone gathered at the police station once again.

Nick solemnly explained his findings based on the autopsy report. Then, he pointed his finger at me and accused me of killing Max.

"The patient died of an allergic reaction to penicillin. His time of death was between 5:00 am to 6:00 am. This means that Natalie gave him the wrong drug, which caused him to suffer an anaphylactic shock," he declared.

Nick was repeating exactly what he said in my previous life back at me.

His accusations were incredibly hurtful. Despite the fact that I'd mentally prepared myself for this, I still felt extremely heartbroken and upset.

In order to help Mia, both David and Nick were going against their morals and trying to pin the blame on me.

Before I turned eight, the pair had always showered me with endless love and affection. They bought me delicious snacks and always hovered around me to prevent me from getting picked on by other people.

However, everything changed once Mia joined the family. After that, I practically became invisible. Mia's arrival made me expendable.

Since that was the case, I'd be better off without my brother and childhood friend.

I was temporarily placed in a holding cell while further investigations went on, but I didn't feel anxious about the situation at all.

Barely two days later, Max's family, the Campbells, stormed the police station once again and demanded that I pay for what I did to their son.

In my last life, while everyone in the police station had gone out to run errands, Mia suggested that I apologize to the Campbells in person.

Ultimately, under the watchful eyes of David and Nick, I was violently beaten to death by the furious members of the Campbell family right by the entrance of the police station.

Now, in this life, Mia was trying to do the exact same thing.

"I think we should try to calm the victim's family down. Maybe we should ask Natalie to apologize to them directly lest they cause a scene at the police station," she suggested.

She was clearly trying to get me killed so no one could attest to her crimes.

To my dismay, David and Nick both agreed to her suggestion. Ignoring my objections, they forcefully dragged me to the front of the building.

A group of tall and muscular men was camping around the main entrance. They looked extremely enraged. When they saw me, they immediately pounced in my direction.

Before the group of men could beat me up, someone in the crowd yelled, "Natalie Hoffman isn't the one who killed Max Campbell!"