Chapter 2

The live teaching session was scheduled for that very afternoon.

The conference room was massive, filled to the brim with attendees.

Before the session officially began, the host asked Claire to say a few words.

Claire waved her hand dismissively. "Everyone's time is precious. Let's just get the dissection started. I have to consult with a few patients afterward."

I really envied those few patients Claire mentioned.

I had also been a patient, yet my mom had never come to see me.

In fact, when Cinderella brought me here two months ago, she had called Claire.

Cinderella told Claire that her daughter had ALS, couldn't eat, and had lost the use of her limbs. She hoped Claire could come and personally devise a treatment plan.

I knew deep down that my life was already at its end.

Cinderella just wanted Claire to come and offer some end-of-life care.

But Claire didn't believe her at all. She thought Cinderella was a scammer.

After Cinderella called three times in a row, Claire furiously told her, "Even if Sophie really has ALS, I won't save her. She killed her brother because she was greedy. Now she can't eat. It's her punishment."

After that call, Claire blocked Cinderella's number.

I saw Cinderella's body trembling with anger and used the eye-tracking device to operate the computer, telling her, "Stop calling Mom. She's right. It's my punishment."

That day, Cinderella cried.

She had shed too many tears for me.

Just like now, as Cinderella sat in the audience with her eyes moist.

Soon, my body was wheeled up.

Looking at my disfigured appearance, I couldn't help but worry.

I was afraid that if my mom recognized me, she would feel disgusted.

Claire glanced at the file in her hand and, with a poker face, touched my body with her gloved hand.

My worries were unnecessary. After ten years apart, she didn't recognize me.

Claire led everyone in a bow to me.

After the bow, her assistant, Mia, gave a brief introduction of my body. "Today's body donor is a 15-year-old girl. She was diagnosed with muscle atrophy and weakness three years ago. She was admitted to Lunavista General Hospital just two months ago, but her condition rapidly deteriorated. She passed away at 12:10 PM today."

The crowd murmured among themselves.

"Only three years, and she's gone so quickly. What a pity."

"How could her parents be so careless as not to take her to the doctor earlier?"

Amidst the chatter, Claire looked at my body, a flicker of pity in her eyes.

She raised her hand to quiet the audience and picked up the scalpel.

"Let's begin." With that, she skillfully cut open my chest, examining my organs with focused precision while giving a professional explanation.

But as she examined my lungs, she suddenly stopped.

She had discovered a small piece of bone protruding into the chest cavity, just a few inches away from my lung.

Claire's brow furrowed. "This girl has a fractured rib that almost injured her internal organs," she said.

A murmur of surprise rippled through the conference room.

Cinderella's gaze was fixed intently on Claire. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and a strange, almost vindictive smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Claire put down the scalpel with a hint of irritation. She felt along my arm, turned over my left hand, which was missing a finger, and pinched my leg.

I couldn't help but lie down and merge with my body, wanting to feel my mom's touch.

She hadn't touched me in such a long time.

I remembered the day she left me at the refugee zone. I had cried and refused to let her go.

I clung to her leg, but she kicked me away with a look of utter disgust.

She brushed off her pants and frowned. "Sophie, your brother is dead. Your father and I are divorced. It's all because of you. How dare you ask me to take you with me? The sight of you makes me sick. I feel like vomiting just touching you."

"Just stay here. I will never come back for you. You might as well die," she said coldly before walking away without looking back.

That was ten years ago. I had fulfilled her wish and become a corpse.

Claire looked up at the host. "Please contact the person in charge of the hospital that provided the body."

The host seemed a bit bewildered by this unusual request.

Cinderella had already stood up. "Dr. Cooper, I am the hospital liaison and also the patient's attending physician."

Claire's voice was tinged with anger. "You guys are not rigorous enough. Did this child's inability to move and eat result from trauma or ALS? Have you even figured that out?"

Cinderella remained calm. "Sophie did suffer many injuries that caused multiple fractures, but the ultimate cause of her death was still ALS."

Upon hearing Sophie's name, Claire took two steps back. Her fingers twitched nervously, and her breathing seemed to grow louder beneath her mask.

Cinderella looked at her with a sneer. "Dr. Cooper, Sophie's medical records are right there in your hands.

"All the test results are included. If you find any discrepancies during the dissection, you can come to me afterward."

Claire slowly turned her head back as if with some trepidation, and looked at my face again.

After a moment, she let out a sigh of relief, shook her head in self-mockery, and whispered, "It's not her."

Mia glanced at Claire curiously.

I felt a pang of disappointment.

Claire had heard my name but still didn't recognize me.

She thought it was just a coincidence, a case of mistaken identity.