Three years after my death, my sister Daisy was finally marrying my boyfriend, Jason. My mom, for Daisy’s sake, had kept my death a secret from Jason for three long years. The day before the wedding. Jason received a commission for an estate clearing service. Daisy reminded him to come back early. But she didn’t know, this order, it was placed by me, three years ago. “Jason, does this wedding dress look good?” Jason, sitting on the couch, gazed at the wedding dress, lost in thought. He unconsciously murmured, “Anne?” Daisy froze for a moment, then asked, “What did you say?” Jason snapped back to reality, giving her a faint smile. “Yeah, it looks good.” Daisy turned away, her expression immediately turning sinister. She clutched the brand-new wedding dress, wrinkling it. “Anne, even after three years, he still can’t forget you. You really had a knack for it.” My mom stepped forward and patted her shoulder, signaling her to mind her image. She yanked the dressing room curtain shut and whispered, “She’s dead, why do you care about any of that? Anyway, Jason’s marrying “you” now.” I stood behind them, imagining myself in a wedding dress. This wedding, it should have been mine.
Daisy and I were half-sisters, sharing a mother but having different fathers. My mom hated my dad, and that hatred extended to me. When I found out I was sick, I once begged my mom to lend me money for treatment. But what did my mom say? “If you’re going to die, go die far away. Don’t be an eyesore.” “I wish you’d just drop dead already, you’re as shameless as your father.” She claimed she had no money for my medical care, yet Daisy just had to pout a little, and my mom immediately bought her an expensive piano that very night. When she learned I was dead, she wouldn’t even claim my body. She hired a courier to scatter my ashes in the river. Jason thought I’d run off because I didn’t want to get married, so he hated me too. “Jason, we’re getting married in a few days. Don’t you want to tell Anne?” Jason frowned, a hint of impatience on his face. “She left three years ago and never came back. Why bother looking for her?” I tried to wave at him, “No, no, Jason, I’ve always been right here beside you, always.” But he couldn’t hear me. Daisy leaned her head on Jason’s shoulder, one hand stroking her stomach, happiness radiating from her. “Thank you, Jason. I love the wedding dress, and the baby does too.” She was pregnant, and the baby was Jason’s. A wave of sadness I couldn’t suppress washed over me. He loved kids, I always knew that. He used to say he wanted me to give him a strong little man, so they could both spoil me. But now he had a child, and the one he spoiled, wasn’t me. Jason’s phone rang. He let out a sigh, gently pushed Daisy away, and answered. It was a commission for an estate clearing service. The customer service agent said the order had been placed three years ago. Jason just mumbled “Oh” and hung up. It wasn’t unusual for clients to pre-order an estate clearing for themselves. I once asked Jason why he, a computer science whiz kid, chose this profession. He said that when his mother died as a child, while organizing her belongings, he discovered those items could reveal things the eye couldn’t see. He said that an estate clearer helps the departed mark their final chapter in this world. So Jason, I chose for you to write my final period on this world too. “What’s wrong, Jason? Is it an order?” Daisy asked softly, coming closer. Jason nodded. “Yeah, a last-minute job. I can’t go to the rehearsal with you. You go ahead, I’ll be back as soon as I’m done.” Daisy was understanding. She put her purse in Jason’s hand, then kissed him lightly on the corner of his lips. “Okay, then come back early.” She didn’t know, this order, I had placed it for myself three years ago.
The unique nature of his profession meant Jason had few friends. He took only one assistant to the address for the estate clearing. He offered a silent homage at the door, put on his mask and gloves, and entered the house. I looked at the messy room, my soul trembling. Three years had passed, but the pain seemed to have not lessened at all. The assistant noticed the scratches on the door and was surprised. “Jason, these scratches on the door…” Jason knelt down to examine them. “These scratches are so deep. The deceased must have suffered inhumane treatment before death.” “Never mind. Let’s just clear out the stuff. That’s not our business.” His assistant nodded and began working. Jason looked around, found a box, opened it, and picked up a card. It read: “Happy Birthday to Myself.” I hadn’t been back here in a long time. I floated over to him and looked. When was this from? Probably when I was twelve. My parents’ divorce turned into a messy legal battle. I stood in the large courtroom, and the judge asked me, “Who do you want to live with?” My dad turned away, refusing to look at me, and my mom glared, threatening me not to choose her. I was so scared I cried. I ran over and cautiously pulled at my mom’s skirt, asking, “Mom, can I stay with you?” Ultimately, the judge honored my wish and awarded custody to my mom. She rushed off to buy Daisy a cake, leaving me alone at the courthouse entrance. That day, it was pouring rain. When I got home, my mom was softly cooing Daisy to sleep because she was afraid of thunder. But she forgot, that day was also my birthday. I picked up the cake card, licked off the leftover frosting, and wished myself “Happy Birthday” in the mirror. Such a distant memory. So distant it made my head ache to recall. Jason caressed the card, then picked up another small plushie. Underneath it was a torn diary page. Seeing that plushie, I instinctively recoiled, screaming at Jason. Don’t touch it! Don’t touch it! I stared at the plushie, my soul forced to relive that terrifying memory. I got first place in my exam, I was so happy! Mom had said whoever got first place could make one wish. I’d wanted that little plushie at the supermarket entrance for a long time. When I smiled and said I wanted it, she crumpled my test paper and threw it in the trash. My mom’s eyes were icy: “Daisy improved a lot this test. That one’s already bought for her. Maybe next time.” I turned to see Daisy smugly twirling the plushie at me. For the first time, I couldn’t hold it in and ran outside. My mom’s furious voice followed me: “Get out and don’t come back!” I cried my heart out. Lance, the supermarket owner, asked me what was wrong. He told me to go to the back room and pick one. Oh God! The back room of that store was a devil’s lair. He pinned me down and brutally violated me. I cried and screamed, but he wouldn’t let go. When I finally managed to run out, I tore that plushie to shreds. Do you believe that a soul can cry? I stood before Jason, watching him frown as he read that diary page. Tears streamed down, passing through the diary page and landing on Jason’s hand. “Phew—” Milo heard Jason sigh and turned to ask him, “Jason, what’s wrong?” Jason thought for a moment, then spoke, disbelievingly, “She… she seems… to have been assaulted.” Jason continued to pick up the remaining diary pages. “My sister brought many people to beat me. I was so scared. She said I deserved it.” “My sister told Mom I was messing around instead of studying. Mom called me shameless, but that was actually her boyfriend.” “Mom got a new boyfriend. I was taking a nap when he came in and touched me inappropriately, but Mom called me a slut and said I was trying to seduce men at such a young age.” Jason’s hands trembled as he held the diary. Several times, he had to take deep breaths to suppress his emotions. He continued to go through my past, despite his discomfort. When he picked up the next item, he couldn’t hold back anymore.
A diagnosis for severe depression, with my name on it. The moment Jason saw my name, his eyes widened in shock. His hand trembled uncontrollably, failing to pick it up several times. “Milo, come here, look. Am I… seeing things?” His assistant, Milo, heard him and put down what he was holding, coming over. “Anne? How could it be…?” He was equally disbelieving. Jason quickly pulled out his phone and asked his office for the order’s contact number. Only when they read out a number he knew like the back of his hand did he confirm that the person was me. Jason, you finally found out. I didn’t abandon you and run. I didn’t not want to marry you. I just, died! Jason looked as if all the strength had been drained from him. He slumped to the floor, squatting. Milo tried to help him up, but he refused. He murmured, “Milo, you can go. I’ll finish the rest.” “Jason…” “Go!” Milo had no choice but to leave. I sat beside Jason, suddenly remembering that summer we sat like this on the school field. I was quiet, and so was Jason. When two reserved people were together, most of the time was spent lost in thought and silence. Our teacher said we were a perfect match, always in sync. That was the first time Jason ever smiled at me. “You’re amazing!” I replied, “You are too.” There were no epic romances between us, but in all our important moments, we chose to be by each other’s side. Jason buried his head between his knees, and I began to hear choked sobs. “Why? Why? Why did this happen?” I floated beside him and gently stroked his head. “Jason, don’t cry. It breaks my heart.” Jason’s profession wasn’t very popular, so his studio had always struggled. When I found out I was sick, I placed an order for myself. It wouldn’t do much, but I still wanted to boost his business a bit. I had never seen Jason cry like this before. Half an hour later, he composed himself, stood up, and continued to look through the items. Jason locked himself in the house for two full days. He spent those two days coming to terms with the fact that I was dead. Jason, pale-faced, was curled up on the floor when his phone buzzed. “Hello? Jason, where are you?” Hearing Daisy’s anxious voice on the phone, Jason’s eyes suddenly cleared. He pushed himself up from the floor, his voice icy. “I’m coming now. Wait for me.” Jason left the rental with my pile of belongings. He held the box with one hand, constantly stroking it with the other, mumbling as he walked, “Anne, they owe you, and I’ll make sure they pay.” I sighed, trailing behind Jason. I was already dead, what was there left to settle? You were the only one I couldn’t let go of, Jason. Perhaps, that’s why I always lingered by his side. Tomorrow was Jason’s wedding. Daisy wrapped her arms around Jason’s neck, trying to kiss him. “Jason, I’m so happy, so incredibly blessed.” Whether intentional or not, Jason avoided her kiss. He gently pushed her away, using the excuse that he had a busy day tomorrow, and went to bed. Daisy frowned, thinking he was just tired, so she didn’t dwell on it. It was true they had to get up early tomorrow, so she lay down on her side and went to sleep. The wedding proceeded as scheduled. Jason wore his custom-made suit. I floated in front of him, gushing about how handsome he looked. When I was alive, I didn’t realize how precious it was to be able to speak. Now that I was dead, I found myself talking more. Jason picked a bracelet from my box and put it on. He said, “Anne, this way, it’s like we’re married, okay?” I turned my face away. “Who wants to marry you, Jason? You haven’t even proposed to me yet!” But why did my face feel warm? Daisy wore a loose-fitting wedding dress; she looked beautiful. My mom escorted her to the altar. Jason lingered, and the officiant started to look anxious before he finally forced a smile and stepped forward to take Daisy’s hand. Daisy was so nervous she almost shed tears. The officiant asked, “Do you take this woman, Daisy, to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Jason suddenly looked in my direction. He slowly said, “I don’t.” The entire venue fell silent instantly. Even I was startled. Daisy’s hand, gripping Jason’s, began to tremble. “Jason… you…” But Jason suddenly smirked. “Just kidding. I do.” He said “I do,” but for some reason, I saw coldness in his smile. After the wedding, Jason got completely drunk. On their wedding night, Daisy slept alone. Not only that, the next day, rumors even spread that Jason had slept with one of the bridesmaids. I was always with Jason, so I knew best: he was just drunk and slept at a hotel for the night. But Daisy didn’t believe it. She angrily confronted her bridesmaid and, without a word, slapped her. “I made you my bridesmaid, and you? You tried to seduce my husband, didn’t you?” Her friend was stunned by the slap. “I didn’t! What are you talking about?” Daisy didn’t want to hear her explanations. She took another step forward, about to slap her again, but this time, someone grabbed her arm. Daisy looked at Jason in disbelief. Her husband, who should have been home, was here, helping another woman. “What in the world are you doing, going crazy here?” Daisy saw the coldness in Jason’s eyes; she couldn’t quite believe it. “Jason, where were you last night? Were you with this slut?” Jason flung Daisy’s arm away, nearly sending her to the ground. “Don’t act like a lunatic here. Go home.” Before Daisy could react, Jason turned and walked away. It was the first time Daisy had ever been abandoned like that. That day, just like the day I was abandoned, it was pouring rain. I sat in Jason’s passenger seat, watching him with a strange amusement. “Thank you, Jason. I know you’re getting revenge for me.” Jason suddenly turned his head in my direction, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Anne, are you feeling a little better now?” I was stunned. Could he see me? I waved my hand in front of him, but he just slowly rolled up the car window. Oh, he was just looking outside. You scared me! From that day on, Jason was no longer gentle with Daisy. He started drinking heavily, smoking, giving Daisy the silent treatment, and sometimes even hitting her. He wanted Daisy to experience my pain, but Jason, you shouldn’t be like this. You shouldn’t fall apart because of me. At first, Daisy thought she had upset Jason in some way, so she tried to please him, enduring everything. But gradually, she sensed something was wrong. It wasn’t until Jason, once drunk, called out my name in his sleep that she finally understood. Jason still couldn’t let me go. She saw Jason constantly staring at that box. While he was asleep, she opened it. As she looked at the contents, Jason stood behind her, staring at her with an eerie intensity. “Put those things down!” Daisy was startled, and with a clatter, the items fell to the floor, scattering everywhere.
“Jason, how did you wake up?” Jason looked at the scattered items on the floor, his fists clenching. “Who told you to touch those things?” Daisy suddenly panicked. She rushed to hug Jason. “Jason, listen to me…” Jason, his eyes red, violently pushed Daisy to the ground. Daisy’s stomach hit the corner of the table. It took her a while to recover, a thin layer of sweat breaking out on her forehead. Jason had lost all reason. I wanted to stop him, but I couldn’t. I could only watch helplessly. Jason advanced, grabbing Daisy by the throat, and snarled, “Why? Why did you all hide it from me? She’s been dead for three years, three years! I thought… I thought…” Daisy was being choked, her eyes starting to roll back. Beneath her white nightgown, a crimson stain began to spread. I floated up and down frantically. “Ring, ring!” Daisy’s phone ringing brought Jason back to his senses. But he just calmly walked away, picking up a towel to wipe his hands. Daisy crawled to her phone and called 911. When my mom arrived, Daisy was already unconscious. She had lost the baby. My mom slapped Jason. “How could you let this happen to Daisy? She’s so afraid of pain! What did you do to her?” My heart ached for the red half of Jason’s face where she’d hit him. My mom had a heavy hand, I knew that. My face would often be swollen and red for hours after she hit me. Jason didn’t turn around. He let out a soft laugh. “Your slaps, they really hurt.” My mom frowned at him. “Jason, look at me. I’m your mother. Are you cursed? You’ve been acting so strange lately.” “The ones who are cursed, that would be you.” Jason said, seemingly out of nowhere. Jason didn’t want to stay there any longer. He turned and strode away. I wanted to follow him, but for some reason, I wanted to see if my mom would feel heartbroken for her eldest daughter. Daisy woke up, and my mom brought her a glass of water, gently moistening her lips little by little. I suddenly wanted to laugh. So, she knew to give water to someone who’s thirsty. Daisy always had milk to drink; I never did. One year, I had a fever of 104 degrees, and my lips were so dry they felt like they were on fire. I saw less than half a glass of milk left on the table and couldn’t resist secretly taking a sip. My mom came out, saw me, and started violently kicking me. “Who told you to drink that? What will Daisy drink if you finish it? So young and already stealing things, you ungrateful brat.” Stealing? Mom, I never understood. Just a sip of milk. How much did you truly hate me? “Mom, my baby, my baby!” Daisy cried out, throwing herself into my mom’s arms in pain. My mom patted her back, just like she used to comfort her when she was scared as a child. Daisy sobbed, “Mom, Jason… he seems to know Anne is dead. What do we do? Will he never want to come home again?” My mom’s hand, holding the water, paused. She seemed a little nervous. “He just knows she’s dead? What about the other things?” Daisy shook her head. “He doesn’t seem to have discovered anything else.” My mom sighed in relief. “That’s good, that’s good.” What “other things” was Daisy referring to? I imagine, it must be the truth about my death. “It’s all that slut’s fault, even dead, she still comes back to ruin my family!” Daisy gnashed her teeth, cursing me, wishing she could pulverize me to dust. My mom said she’d hire a spiritual master another day to suppress my spirit, so I wouldn’t haunt them. But I hadn’t done anything, had I? I couldn’t stand to watch their mother-daughter bonding, so I turned and floated away. If you didn’t love me, why did you give birth to me?
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