Chapter 1 · Blood Owed, Blood Taken

I was framed as a homewrecker. After a full year of online harassment, I jumped from a rooftop and ended my life.

After I died, I didn't disappear. I became a ghost, drifting through this world.

I watched my brother, who was always gentle and calm, quietly wipe my blood from the ground as he spoke into the phone. "No one on the list gets away."

My ever-tender mother held my body tightly. No tears fell. There was only hatred, sharp and quiet, radiating from every line of her face.

My father, stern and unyielding, hung up call after call before saying just one thing to his secretary. "Make the Watts family disappear."

In the end, they went to a wedding, carrying my photo and my urn. It was the wedding of my ex-boyfriend, Fabian Watts, and Jane Shelton.

My brother smiled. "Elise, don't be afraid. We'll take you home, but before that, let's watch a truly spectacular fireworks show."

*****

The wind was so strong it felt like it could knock me over.

I "stood" at the edge of the rooftop, looking down at the broken body beneath the white sheet.

That was me, Elise Holden.

Just a few hours ago, I was still breathing, still alive. Now, I was nothing but a frozen fragment of awareness.

The wail of police sirens grew louder, drawing closer.

I saw my elder brother, Alvin Holden, rush up, shoving past the officers who tried to stop him.

When he saw the sheet and the blood seeping out from beneath it, he stopped in his tracks, shock and grief flickering in his eyes.

He didn't cry or shout. He just walked over quietly, crouched down, reached out his hand, but it hovered in the air, unable to touch.

"Elise." He whispered my name softly, without the slightest tremor in his voice.

I floated over, wanting so badly to hug him, but I could only pass right through him.

My mom and my dad showed up, too.

My mom wavered, and my dad immediately caught her, holding her up.

She didn't cry either. She just stared at the sheet, her gaze hollow and chilling.

My phone kept ringing. Not far away, the screen lit up, displaying the name "Fabian Watts".

A young cop walked over and answered the call.

"Elise? Are you done with this? I'm warning you, stop threatening me with your suicidal stunts. Jane got sick from all the stuff you posted." Fabian's voice came through the phone, sounding annoyed and disgusted.

He added, "You deserve every bit of blame. Do you think I'd feel guilty if you died? I'd only feel disgusted."

The cop froze, glancing at my body on the ground, then at my family.

"Hello? Elise, let me tell you, the wedding is going ahead as planned. Even if you die, it won't spoil my day," Fabian said.

I saw Alvin walk over and take the phone from the cop.

His voice was still gentle, even with a polite smile in his tone. "Hello, Mr. Watts."

Fabian froze for a second. "Who are you?"

"I'm Elise's brother, Alvin," Alvin said. "I'm sorry, but she won't be able to answer you anymore."

"What's she up to now? Put her on the phone," Fabian said.

Alvin glanced up at the cloudy sky, his tone as casual as if he were talking about the weather. "She jumped from the rooftop. She hit the ground so hard. There was nothing left but a mess."

There was a long, heavy silence on the phone.

Fabian's voice was unsteady. "What did you say?"

"I said my sister died," Alvin replied, enunciating every word. "As you wished."

He hung up and handed the phone back to the cop. "Thanks. Can this count as evidence? It proves he was verbally abusing my sister before she died, right?"

The cop nodded, his face blank.

Soon, Fabian showed up.

Just then, Jane Shelton called.

Alvin snatched Fabian's phone and hit the speaker button.

"Fabian, did that bitch Elise really die?" Jane's voice was shrill and dripping with glee. "Serves her right. She should have been dead ages ago. Now we can finally have some peace.

"Fabian, did you hear that? She's dead. We can finally get married without her messing things up. Aren't you happy? Don't blame me for being harsh. She chose to get in our way. This is her karma."

Jane's piercing voice echoed across the silent rooftop. Even the officers, hardened by death, frowned.

I saw my mom slowly raise her head. She looked at Alvin, her lips moving slightly.

Alvin leaned down so she could whisper to him.

My mom whispered almost inaudibly, "Alvin, I want him and that woman on the phone to die."

Alvin raised his hand and gently wiped a small smear of blood from the railing. It was my blood.

"Sure," he said.

Chapter 1

I was framed as a homewrecker. After a full year of online harassment, I jumped from a rooftop and ended my life.

After I died, I didn't disappear. I became a ghost, drifting through this world.

I watched my brother, who was always gentle and calm, quietly wipe my blood from the ground as he spoke into the phone. "No one on the list gets away."

My ever-tender mother held my body tightly. No tears fell. There was only hatred, sharp and quiet, radiating from every line of her face.

My father, stern and unyielding, hung up call after call before saying just one thing to his secretary. "Make the Watts family disappear."

In the end, they went to a wedding, carrying my photo and my urn. It was the wedding of my ex-boyfriend, Fabian Watts, and Jane Shelton.

My brother smiled. "Elise, don't be afraid. We'll take you home, but before that, let's watch a truly spectacular fireworks show."

*****

The wind was so strong it felt like it could knock me over.

I "stood" at the edge of the rooftop, looking down at the broken body beneath the white sheet.

That was me, Elise Holden.

Just a few hours ago, I was still breathing, still alive. Now, I was nothing but a frozen fragment of awareness.

The wail of police sirens grew louder, drawing closer.

I saw my elder brother, Alvin Holden, rush up, shoving past the officers who tried to stop him.

When he saw the sheet and the blood seeping out from beneath it, he stopped in his tracks, shock and grief flickering in his eyes.

He didn't cry or shout. He just walked over quietly, crouched down, reached out his hand, but it hovered in the air, unable to touch.

"Elise." He whispered my name softly, without the slightest tremor in his voice.

I floated over, wanting so badly to hug him, but I could only pass right through him.

My mom and my dad showed up, too.

My mom wavered, and my dad immediately caught her, holding her up.

She didn't cry either. She just stared at the sheet, her gaze hollow and chilling.

My phone kept ringing. Not far away, the screen lit up, displaying the name "Fabian Watts".

A young cop walked over and answered the call.

He added, "You deserve every bit of blame. Do you think I'd feel guilty if you died? I'd only feel disgusted."

The cop froze, glancing at my body on the ground, then at my family.

"Hello? Elise, let me tell you, the wedding is going ahead as planned. Even if you die, it won't spoil my day," Fabian said.

I saw Alvin walk over and take the phone from the cop.

His voice was still gentle, even with a polite smile in his tone. "Hello, Mr. Watts."

Fabian froze for a second. "Who are you?"

"I'm Elise's brother, Alvin," Alvin said. "I'm sorry, but she won't be able to answer you anymore."

"What's she up to now? Put her on the phone," Fabian said.

Alvin glanced up at the cloudy sky, his tone as casual as if he were talking about the weather. "She jumped from the rooftop. She hit the ground so hard. There was nothing left but a mess."

There was a long, heavy silence on the phone.

Fabian's voice was unsteady. "What did you say?"

"I said my sister died," Alvin replied, enunciating every word. "As you wished."

He hung up and handed the phone back to the cop. "Thanks. Can this count as evidence? It proves he was verbally abusing my sister before she died, right?"

The cop nodded, his face blank.

Soon, Fabian showed up.

Just then, Jane Shelton called.

Alvin snatched Fabian's phone and hit the speaker button.

"Fabian, did that bitch Elise really die?" Jane's voice was shrill and dripping with glee. "Serves her right. She should have been dead ages ago. Now we can finally have some peace.

"Fabian, did you hear that? She's dead. We can finally get married without her messing things up. Aren't you happy? Don't blame me for being harsh. She chose to get in our way. This is her karma."

Jane's piercing voice echoed across the silent rooftop. Even the officers, hardened by death, frowned.

I saw my mom slowly raise her head. She looked at Alvin, her lips moving slightly.

Alvin leaned down so she could whisper to him.

My mom whispered almost inaudibly, "Alvin, I want him and that woman on the phone to die."

Alvin raised his hand and gently wiped a small smear of blood from the railing. It was my blood.

"Sure," he said.