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Ethan frowned."Should I?"
Sophie,delighted,grabbed his arm,her voice bright."Kidding!I wandered in here by mistake.That body nearly scared me to death…"
They chatted,but I couldn't hear.
I stood behind them,silent,steeped in disappointment.
Ethan gazed at Sophie tenderly, yet as they left,glanced back at my body and muttered,"Why does that corpse look familiar?"
That night,the family gathered for dinner.
It was meant to be a reunion,but the atmosphere was heavy. Everyone seemed burdened… Except Sophie.
After some small talk, an awkward silence fell.
Mom broke it."Lily,that brat,hasn't come home in days!"
Dad put down his chopsticks and sighed."She's getting worse.So hard to manage."
"Always worrying us."
Sophie nudged Ethan under the table and whispered,"Say something nice about her."
Ethan snorted."Nice?If she were as good as you,I would."
Sophie sighed,feigning helplessness,and passed Mom a piece of meat."Don't worry,Mom,Dad.I saw Lily leaving a hotel with some guys a few days ago.She's probably fine,just doesn't want to come home."
Mom slammed her chopsticks down."Shameless girl!How did I raise such a daughter?She's better off dead than disgracing us like this!"
"She's no better than a call girl!"
Dad rubbed Mom's back and said,"If she doesn't want to come home,don't!Never come back!"
Ethan sipped his soup,unfazed,serving Sophie some meat.
I laughed bitterly,at a loss for words.
My family was siding with an outsider against me.
Sophie had become their real daughter, their good sister.
If she were their biological child, I could accept their lack of love.
Maybe I wouldn't linger as a soul.
Mom's phone rang.She answered it.
"Hello,is this Lily Harper's guardian?"
"Yes,I'm her mom.What's up?"
"Your daughter passed away in the hospital a few days ago.
Please come to handle her remains."
Mom's breath hitched.
A faint smile crossed my face.They finally knew.
"Hello,ma'am,are you listening?"
Mom paused,then screamed,"What nonsense!My daughter's fine!Stop cursing her!"
"I'll call the cops if you keep this up!"
She hung up.
Dad asked,"What's wrong?"
"You won't believe this,honey.They said Lily's dead.Impossible!"
"Exactly,"Sophie chimed in."Lily's fine.It's a scam."
"She'll live to a hundred,right,Ethan?"Sophie glanced at him.
"You little schemer,worry about yourself,not her."
But Ethan's body was trembling. Was he actually scared?
I shook my head.No way.He'd always wanted me dead.
