Chapter 1 I Died

• I died.
• I was brutally murdered by a serial killer. After my death, my body was made into a specimen and trapped in a glass display case.
• Mosvil City, Flynn Residence.
• I don't know why, but after I died, my soul returned to the home where I had lived for nearly ten years.
• "Maddy still can't be reached? It's been days now," Bernice Mora muttered quietly to herself, sitting on the couch. "She's always been such a good girl. She wouldn't just ignore my calls. Do you think something might have happened to her?"
• I was the adopted daughter of the Flynn family, taken in when I was eighteen.
• My mom had been Bernice's best friend. After my parents died in a car accident, I had been living with her, growing up in the Flynn Residence.
• "Mom, stop worrying about her. She's an adult, what could possibly happen?" Marcus said impatiently, glancing at the time. "It's Bella's birthday today. I'm heading out."
• "Marcus ... there's been all this talk about the serial killings lately, targeting young, beautiful girls. I've been feeling so anxious, my eyelid keeps twitching. Please, try to contact Maddy and tell her I miss her," Bernice pleaded softly, clearly worried.
• My soul stood next to her, wanting so badly to hug and comfort her, but I couldn't.
• "She's just an ungrateful brat. Even if she's mad at me, she shouldn't be ignoring your calls. She's gotten too bold," Marcus said, full of disdain when he talked about me.
• I had loved him for ten years, and all that time, hatred was all I got from him.
• "Marcus, I'm dead. You're free now."
• I stood in front of Marcus, telling him he was free.
• But he could no longer hear me.
• "Marcus, I know you don't like Maddy and don't want to marry her, but Maddy is innocent. You two were already engaged, and then that happened. If you don't marry her, how can I face her mother?"
• Two months ago, Marcus had gotten drunk and forced himself on me at home.
• He had called out Bella's name afterward. It was a fate worse than death.
• Marcus's face darkened, his voice turning icy. "Who knows if she seduced me? She'd do anything to marry me, even lose her dignity."
• Bernice sighed and shook her head.
• What a sin.
• I stood there numb, shaking my head desperately, crying out.
• I didn't.
• I didn't seduce him.
• That night, he was the one who went crazy.
• ...
• My soul followed Marcus to Bella's birthday party.
• As soon as he walked in, Marcus's buddies greeted Bella with laughter, calling her "sister-in-law."
• "Happy birthday! Marcus went all out for your birthday."
• Marcus smiled dotingly at Bella and handed her a gift amidst the cheers of their friends.
• "Marcus, any news about Maddy?" Bella asked softly as if she had just remembered.
• Marcus frowned. "Don't spoil the mood by mentioning her."
• Bella smiled a little. "She's your sister, after all. Don't be like that."
• "Sister?" Marcus snorted. "She almost got you killed, and you're still defending her. You're just too kind."
• Bella hugged Marcus, snuggling into his arms. "I don't mind ... "
• I stood in front of Marcus, desperately trying to explain. "I didn't. I never hurt her. It was her, she got me killed!
• "Marcus! She got me killed!"
• But Marcus couldn't hear me at all.
• I cried out in frustration, desperately trying to explain.
• Explaining so much suddenly felt exhausting.
• Marcus had never trusted me.
• "Have you heard? They still haven't caught that serial killer. The police have found six bodies, all beautiful women."
• Someone was discussing the killer.
• "Didn't that killer target Bella a while back? Good thing Marcus protected her so well. Otherwise, it would've been really dangerous."
• "Madeline used herself as bait to lure the killer but couldn't. Even the killer didn't want her, haha ... "
• "Yeah, even the killer didn't want her. How can she compare to our Bella?"
• Marcus's chest tightened, and he felt inexplicably annoyed. "Why are you talking about this?"
• He lit a cigarette, and when his phone rang again, he answered it.
• "Hello?"
• "Is this Mr. Marcus Flynn? We're with the Mosvil City Police Department. What is your relationship with Madeline West?"
• Marcus stood up abruptly, signaling everyone to be quiet. "Shut up, all of you!"
• He was a bit nervous, his fingers turning slightly white. "Madeline is ... my sister."
• I looked at Marcus and suddenly laughed.
• Even in death, I was still just his sister.
• "Something might have happened to her. We found her phone and belongings at the crime scene. Could you come and confirm?"