Chapter 1

When the nuclear power plant exploded, Amelia Smith, my scientist mom, forced me to hand over the last hazmat suit to my younger sister, Olivia Smith.

I clung to the suit, begging her not to take it. But Mom kicked me aside and snatched it away.

"Is this really the time to fight for attention? You're not going to die from a little radiation," Mom snapped. "Olivia's always been frail. She needs two hazmat suits to stay safe."

But Mom had forgotten that three years ago, in her lab accident, I had pushed my body to its limit to save her from radiation exposure.

*****

My whole body was falling apart from the radiation. I lay on the hospital bed, mouth half open, breathing hurt like hell.

My doctor, Charlotte Brown, paced back and forth, hoping to fulfill my last wish, for my mom to come see me one last time.

But after seven or eight calls, all she got was a single reply. "Quit acting. If she wants to die, let her go ahead and die. As if I don't know a bit of radiation won't kill her."

With the cold beeps ringing in my ears, I closed my eyes with tears in them, and my soul drifted out of my body.

The hospital was massive, but I could still hear Mom's voice ringing in my head.

"That brat is always fighting for attention. She even tried to fake her death to trick me when she was already in the hospital. If I had known, I might as well have strangled her right after she was born," Mom snapped.

She was so pissed that the nurse looking after my sister, Olivia Smith, winced at her words.

Bitterness flooded my heart, and I kept crying. I kept asking myself a question, over and over. Would Mom be happy if I died?

She should be. After all, it was not her favorite little girl who died.

Olivia was lying in bed, gaming on her phone, not a scratch on her, looking totally energetic.

When she heard Mom, her gaze shifted, and she replied with a heartbroken tone. "Mom, you should go see Emma. It's all my fault. I took her hazmat suit. She has every right to hate me. I've dragged her down. I'm awful. I don't deserve forgiveness."

She tossed her phone aside, and Mom's face changed instantly, panic flashing in her eyes as she rushed over and hugged Olivia tightly.

"Olivia, you're too kind and too timid. That brat keeps bullying you. She's the one who should die. You've always been frail, and Emma never cared about you," she said.

It had always been this way. I was the older sister, the strong one, so I always had to put Olivia first.

If she wanted something, I could never compete for it. Otherwise, I'd be called unfilial and heartless.

It was almost laughable. Olivia flashed a smug little smile when Mom comforted her, but in the blink of an eye, she switched to looking all aggrieved.

"Mom, why does Emma hate me so much?" Olivia asked.

She looked like a delicate porcelain doll, pretending she was clueless about what she'd done wrong.

Mom's eyes brimmed with tears as she gritted her teeth. "That brat's rotten to the core. Olivia, don't be upset. Next time, I'll teach her a lesson for you."

Mom stomped her foot hard, like she was stomping on me instead of the floor, standing up for her precious daughter.

It felt like someone was crushing my chest with their bare hands. I looked down at myself.

Even the healthy parts of me were ravaged by radiation, every single day and night.

And it was all thanks to Mom. When the explosion happened, she only cared about Olivia.

She snatched my hazmat suit away and shoved it onto Olivia, leaving me to watch my own skin fall off piece by piece, dying in agony.

The hospital room was full of gentle, comforting words, but my attending doctor, Charlotte Brown, rushed in, looking flustered and out of place, breaking the calm.

She said, "Professor Smith, I'm really sorry. We did everything we could, but your daughter, Emma Smith, passed away. When would you like to come by..."

Mom cut her off before she could finish, impatient and not willing to listen. "Dr. Brown, faking someone's death is illegal. How much did that fool pay you to cover for her?

"Tell Emma to stop using these pathetic tricks to get my attention. I work at a nuclear power plant. Do you really think I don't know that a bit of radiation can't possibly kill anyone?"

Mom was so furious that she started coughing violently, her expression full of resentment.

Charlotte could only give Olivia a long look before hurrying out of the room.