Chapter 2

I floated out of my body and drifted towards Eleanor.

The piercing pain, like a truck had just run over my insides, was completely gone.

Before I could even feel relieved, I heard the voice of a little boy who had been on the school bus with me.

"Dr. Vance, if Lily says she's in pain, don't believe her. She's the biggest liar!"

Recognizing the boy's face, I immediately knew something was wrong.

After all, at school, he always bullied me and spread rumors about me.

Eleanor's expression grew serious. She crouched down, asking patiently.

"Little one, what do you mean by that? Has Lily been misbehaving at school, doing something bad?"

"Dr. Vance, she likes my best friend, but she lied to the teacher, saying my best friend bullied her! Oh, and she cheated on her tests!"

Eleanor's frown deepened.

"Lily Vance, you've really grown some nerve! Not only are you chasing after boys, but you dare to cheat and slander others!"

"I worked so hard raising you all these years, only to raise such an ungrateful wretch!"

No.

Eleanor, I didn't!

I never did any of those things. Eleanor, please don't believe him!

He's the one who's always bullying me!

I panicked instantly, rushing over, trying to grab Eleanor's hand to explain.

But I forgot I was dead. My hand just passed through empty air.

Eleanor looked furious. She quickly checked on the other students.

After seeing they had no major issues, she angrily took off her examination tools and stormed towards her office.

"You guys take care of these kids' injuries. I'm going to personally teach that disrespectful, ungrateful wretch a lesson. All she does is embarrass me!"

Leo's eyes lit up when he heard that. He immediately jumped off the hospital bed, yelling, and followed Eleanor.

"Time to watch the clown girl cry again! Clown girl, clown girl!"

The other kids heard him and, ignoring the nurses' protests, also jumped off their beds to join the commotion.

"Wait for us, I want to see too... I want to see the clown girl too!"

I'd been hearing "clown girl" for almost two years.

On my first day of elementary school, Eleanor had publicly announced her position as the hospital director.

She even left her private number so people could contact her directly for appointments.

And to avoid any appearance of favoritism, no matter what illness I had, she made me buy medicine myself.

Only when I was very seriously ill would she take me to the hospital.

All the kids in class knew that my mom didn't seem to love me.

Because even though I had a director for a mother, I was always sick, looking frail and sickly all the time.

"Clown girl" was the nickname Leo gave me.

He started bullying me every day after that.