Six Months After I Died, My Mother's Leukemia Returned Chapter 1

My brother came to my apartment to force me to donate bone marrow to our mother.

My landlord told him, "Chloe is already dead."

My brother sneered. "Chloe really never changes! To get attention, she'll make up any excuse. She's just rotten to the core, not even a fraction as good as Harper. You tell her to stop playing games and be a good girl and donate that bone marrow. Otherwise, I'll make her regret it!"

The white-haired landlady was furious. She grabbed a broom and chased my brother out.

"I said, Chloe is dead! You and your toxic family killed her!

"Chloe has been dead for six months! How exactly are you going to make her regret it?

"Chloe had the worst luck in the world to be born into a family like yours!"

Realizing I was truly dead, my brother's face turned ash-white, and he fled in a panic.

* * *

I have been dead for six months, but I haven't moved on to the afterlife.

My soul uncontrollably followed the Sterling family.

Day after day, I watched the four members of the Sterling family live in perfect, happy harmony.

Harper and Liam were getting married. The wedding date and venue were all booked.

It was only then that the family finally remembered me.

"Is my sister still mad? Will she come when Liam and I get married?"

"If she doesn't come, I won't acknowledge her as my daughter anymore."

"Just goes to show, if you didn't raise them from birth, you can't trust them."

"I said from the beginning we shouldn't have brought her back. We should have just let the mistake be."

My father, my mother, and my brother sat there, listing all my faults.

I watched Harper, tears in her eyes, secretly curl the corner of her lips into a smile.

She won. I, the true biological daughter, had nothing. I didn't even have my life anymore.

The family took turns calling me, but it wouldn't connect.

It had been six months; my phone battery had died and shut off ages ago.

After failing to reach me, they cursed me out together, then tossed me aside and forgot about me again.

Even when I occasionally crossed their minds, it was quickly paved over with an insult.

My mother went with Harper to try on wedding dresses.

Harper spotted a gown displayed in a glass case.

"Mom, look! That dress is so beautiful."

I looked at the dress too, and for a moment, I was dazed.

Meanwhile, my mother had already called an employee over to bring the dress out.

"I'm very sorry, but that dress is custom-made for a private client."

Harper really loved the dress and kept asking for information about the client who ordered it.

Finally, the employee checked their records. "The design sketches were provided by Ms. Chloe Sterling herself. Our company just handled the tailoring."

Harper immediately covered her mouth, her voice choking with sobs. "My sister must still not be over Liam. I should just give him back to her."

Give him back to me?

I smiled bitterly.

Liam and I were childhood sweethearts. We used to be the couple everyone envied.

But then I was found by the Sterling family and met Harper.

Everyone loved Harper.

My childhood sweetheart loved her too.

That wedding dress was indeed designed by me, for me.

Once, filled with overflowing love, I designed that dress.

I thought I would wear it to marry Liam.

But now, that dress was something I could never touch.