Chapter 1
When my father came to the hospital to find me, my soul was hovering above the office.
He pushed open the door and looked around. Not seeing me, he turned and called over a young nurse from the hallway.
“Has Judith not come to the hospital today?”
The young nurse sized him up, her expression odd.
“And you are?”
My father smiled. “I’m her father. I came to discuss something with her.”
“Oh… so you’re Dr. Judith’s father!” The nurse exaggerated the words, her tone laced with mockery, then sneered coldly at my father.
“Dr. Judith has been dead for six months. Her bones have probably turned to dust by now. Didn’t you know?”
I saw my father freeze for a moment, then take a deep breath before furiously shouting at the nurse.
“What kind of staff does this hospital employ, joking about something like this? Tell that ungrateful girl Judith, if she doesn’t want to come home, then she shouldn’t bother coming back ever! There’s no need to lie to her parents like this. What did I do to deserve such a troublesome daughter?”
The nurse’s face turned red with anger, and she was about to argue back.
But my father didn’t give her the chance. After his outburst, he stormed into the elevator, still swearing.
I watched the nurse, her eyes brimming with fury, stamping her foot in frustration.
“Dr. Judith was such a good person, how could she have parents like that? If she heard what her father said, it would break her heart.”
I floated over, patted her on the shoulder, and gently comforted her.
“Don’t be upset. I’m already dead, and dead people don’t get hurt.”
Even though I said that, I still felt stifled.
No parent should hear about their daughter’s death six months after it happened, and even then, their first reaction shouldn’t be to accuse her of lying.
As the elevator descended, I found myself following my father back to our luxurious villa. Standing in the bright, luxurious villa, I felt a little dazed.
This was the Smith family home, but I had never lived here because my parents never allowed it.
Even meeting them was a rare and extravagant occasion.
That’s why my father’s sudden visit today struck me as unusual.
As I was thinking, a well-dressed mother and daughter walked toward us—my mother and sister, Jennifer.
“Dad, how did it go? Did you see my sister?”
My father’s face darkened, and he snapped, “What sister? How many times do I have to tell you, she’s not your sister! Not only is she avoiding me, but she also had the hospital nurse lie to me, saying she’s already dead. Hmph, I wish she really had died out there—such an ungrateful wretch!”
Jennifer froze for a moment, but I noticed the corner of her mouth curl slightly.
Standing beside her, my mother quickly chimed in to criticize me.
“She’s nothing but an ingrate. To avoid her family, she’s even resorting to telling such ridiculous lies!”
After venting her anger, my mother frowned, her tone anxious.
“But honey, if we can’t find Judith, how will we raise the money to save the company?”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
My father gritted his teeth in frustration. “She can’t hide forever. That hospital isn’t that big—there’s no way I won’t find her!”
My mother nodded in agreement. “That CEO may be in his fifties, but he’s single. Once she marries him, she’ll be a wealthy lady, enjoying all the luxuries life has to offer. It’s far better than that pitiful job she has now. We’re doing this for her own good, yet she’s too ungrateful to see it!”
So that’s why my father had come looking for me at the hospital today.
I hovered above them, watching their angry faces, as if I were some unforgivable villain. A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
It’s a good thing I died early.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to resist asking them again and again how they could treat me this way.