Chapter 2

At the case briefing, the officers wore somber expressions after listening to my mom's autopsy report.

My death had been gruesome, leaving my face completely unrecognizable.

The abandoned building where my body was dumped wasn't the primary crime scene, which significantly complicated the investigation.

Dad ordered his officers to canvas the area around the dump site for any signs of suspicious activity.

"Have the medical examiner run another autopsy to see if we missed anything, and rush those DNA samples to the lab," he instructed.

He left my mom with those words before hurrying off with his team.

They showed more concern for this unidentified body than they ever did for me.

I remembered a time when my mom stroked Chloe's hair, telling her that being a forensic pathologist was a noble profession. She believed speaking for the dead was a sacred duty.

I had watched Chloe nod in earnest agreement, only to wipe her hair in disgust the second my mom looked away.

I slapped Chloe across the face for that, but my dad punished me by shaving my head.

Now, my mom gently touched my matted hair. A hint of sadness crossed her face as she whispered, "To die so horribly... her family must be heartbroken."

I smiled bitterly. My family would probably be relieved by my death. Julian might be the only one who felt a little sad.

Mom’s gloved hand moved down my back.

She paused over a large burn scar—the one I got when I was kidnapped.

When I was finally rescued and brought home, my mom had caught sight of it while I was changing. I still remembered the flash of disgust on her face. "How did you get that on your back? It’s repulsive. Make sure you don’t scare Chloe."

Would she recognize me now because of it?

I braced myself, a phantom nervous sweat forming on my forehead.

But a second later, Mom dismissed it completely. "This is an old injury. Unrelated to the cause of death."

Beside her, Maya suddenly gasped. "Dr. Margaret, there’s a piece of paper in the victim’s stomach!"

My mom’s eyes widened. She carefully extracted the fragment and sighed. "The stomach acid has already eaten through most of it. We’ll see if the Crime Scene Unit (CSU) can analyze it later."

A phone suddenly rang out, playing Chloe's favorite song.

Mom quickly stripped off her gloves and hurried into the hallway. When she answered, her voice was soft and loving.

"Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Mommy’s at work."

"Tomorrow?" Mom paused for a moment, then her tone firmed with resolve. "Dad and I will absolutely be there to cheer you on. Julian is on a business trip and won’t make it back in time, though."

Chloe’s sweet voice drifted through the receiver. "Love you, Mom! I really hope Sophie can come watch my match. If she’s there to support me, I know I’ll win.

"But it’s fine if she doesn’t want to come. It makes sense that she doesn't like me. After all, I’ve monopolized you and Dad for so many years."

Chloe and I had never gotten along. From the day I finally returned home, she had been secretly setting me up to fail.

Yet in front of our parents, she loved playing the part of the devoted, loving sister.

Knowing how this usually played out, I figured Mom would be criticizing me soon.

Right on cue, Mom’s voice sharpened. "You are my precious daughter. What does Sophie even count for? She steals from this family and bullies you behind our backs. She doesn’t deserve to be my daughter.

"Don’t worry. Even if she breaks her leg, I’ll make sure she wheels herself in to watch your match."

Chloe giggled sweetly. "Dad called me today to remind me to stay safe. Mom, if you get the chance, make sure you remind Sophie too."

"Just focus on taking care of yourself. As long as Sophie doesn’t drop dead in front of me, I couldn't care less what she’s up to." Mom always spoke about me with that same cold disdain.

Maybe it was because the biological daughter they finally found hadn't been raised properly and didn't fit their pristine standards.

Even after I was brought home, they refused to change my last name.

In their hearts, their only true daughter was Chloe.

While they obsessed over her safety, no one remembered that I was their real daughter.

I wondered what their reaction would be when they found out how I died.

After all, Chloe was the one responsible for my death, and they had played their part in it too.