Chapter 3

Eleanor stormed into the office shortly after, kicking the door open with her foot. Her face was dark as she shouted my name.

"Lily Vance! Get over here!"

"I've been busy saving lives, and I forgot to discipline you. Now you've really become bold!"

But I, who was always timid and obedient in front of Eleanor, surprisingly didn't respond.

I was still sitting on that cold chair, my head tilted to one side, my whole body hanging precariously, as if about to fall.

When Eleanor saw me like this, the anger in her eyes intensified.

She rushed over and shoved me hard.

My body, from the inertia, slammed onto the nearby desk like a rag doll.

"Lily Vance, I'm talking to you! Are you deaf?!"

"You just bled a few drops, don't pretend to be dead here! Get up right now!"

Crying, I quickly floated to Eleanor, shedding non-existent tears, desperately waving my ghostly hands at her.

"Eleanor, I'm here, look at me..."

"That's my body. I'm already dead..."

Just then, Leo rushed in. Seeing my blood-covered hands, he shouted.

"Dr. Vance, Lily's blood must be fake! We didn't bleed at all, why is she the only one?"

"She must have put it on herself!"

"No, Eleanor, don't believe him!"

"That's all the blood I coughed up..."

But Eleanor believed him. She glared at me fiercely.

"Lily Vance, do you think doing this will make me give you special treatment?!"

"How can your mind be so twisted? Do you know how much effort I put in to stand in this position?"

"Are you trying to ruin me? Are you? Answer me! Are you mute?!"

"No! Eleanor, I never thought that!"

"I really wanted to talk to you!"

"But I was too useless..."

"I couldn't hold on until you came."

"Fine! Lily Vance, you're just great!"

"I see you're determined to..."

Eleanor's words were cut short by Nurse Chloe, who rushed over.

"Dr. Vance, your daughter's complexion doesn't look right. You can discipline your child anytime, but why don't you check on her first? What if something serious happened..."

"Check what? She has perfectly good arms and legs. Did you see her bump or bruise anywhere?"

"She's just throwing a tantrum because I didn't see her first. That's why she's deliberately ignoring me!"

"Even a child can see through it, why can't you?"

Nurse Chloe took half a step back after Eleanor yelled at her and didn't say anything more.

"Lily Vance, someone just stood up for you. Are you happy? Go ahead and smile! Why are you still pretending to be dead?"

Eleanor, I'm not happy at all.

I want to cry so badly.

But I'm already dead. I don't even have the right to shed tears.

Eleanor's patience quickly ran out. She lunged forward and grabbed my collar, only to find my body soft like a sheet of paper.

She paused for a moment, then sneered.

"Heh. You're quite good at pretending. You love to act, don't you? Then I'll beat you until you stop!"

Eleanor said, raising her hand and giving me a harsh slap.

She let go.

My body fell straight onto the cold floor like a dead fish.

*Thud*, the sound was not small.

I lay face down on the ground, still motionless.

"Hahahaha... Look everyone, the clown girl looks so ugly like this!"

"Ugh, even her mom hates her! I told you I was right, she's just a clown girl!"

"That's not true!"

I rushed to them, trying to argue.

"Eleanor doesn't hate me. She just doesn't want me to affect her work. She loves me..."

But as I spoke, my voice faded.

I just realized.

Ever since Eleanor became the hospital director two years ago, she hadn't taken me to the amusement park in a long time, nor did she tell me bedtime stories anymore.

Every time I held her hand, wanting to spend more time with her, she would find all sorts of excuses to refuse me.

"I said we need to avoid favoritism, so we have to be thorough. It's the same at home; don't let anyone see!"

"I told you not to call me Mom at the hospital. I'm not your mom here; I'm the hospital director, do you understand, the director?"

...

Those painful memories flooded back.

Even though I was dead.

My heart, which no longer beat, felt like it had been brutally stabbed, bleeding with pain.