Born Again, Not Broken

Synopsis

I've died three times. The first time on an operating table, with a do-not-resuscitate order signed by my own mother. The second time at a press conference, when my father announced to national media that he was cutting ties with me. The third time in the freezing waters of a river. And every single time, they were too busy fawning over their adopted daughter, Elena Shaw, to even notice. But this time is different—I've been given a second chance. I woke up on the day of the surgery. The nurse made her third plea. “Mr. Ellington, Mrs. Ellington, we can't delay Miss Ellington's liver transplant any longer. She won't survive another postponement." My mom rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with impatience. “She's not going to die. That one's tough as nails. Every time they say she's at death's door, and she always pulls through." My dad sat in the hallway chair, scrolling through his phone without even looking up. “We'll get to the paperwork later. How's Elena doing? Did her test results come back?" The nurse hesitated. “Miss Shaw just has a common cold. Her fever's already broken—" “Still, we should go check on her." Mom stood up, grabbed her purse and headed toward the ward. “What if her condition relapses? Elena's always been fragile. Not like some people—thick-skinned and tough as leather."