My soul was forced to follow Queenie.

I watched her swallow her pride as she roamed the small park in search of Zayn's lost dog, ignoring the scratches from the branches and the damage to her designer suit.

When the dog was finally found, Zayn invited her to dinner, but she turned him down and said, "Steven is sulking! He still won't see me. I need to buy him some gifts, then coax him in a couple of days. Can't have him upset."

This was the first time Queenie ever turned Zayn down because of me.

If it had been seven years ago, I might have been dancing with joy. Now, all I felt was heartache.

A fleeting shadow of resentment passed through Zayn's eyes. "It's all my fault. Because of my weak body, Steven had to give me one of his kidneys. Queenie, when you go to pick him up in a couple of days, bring me along! I want to thank him in person."

Of course, he wasn't looking forward to thanking me. He wanted to see if I was truly gone.

Queenie gave it some thought and, surprisingly, agreed. "You really should thank him. After all, he saved your life."

Zayn clenched his teeth until his jaw threatened to snap, but he forced a smile and nodded in agreement.

…

Two days later, Queenie arrived at the place I had lived, bringing Zayn, a group of bodyguards, and a carload of gifts.

Mom was already there with Sean, and even my father had rushed over from the construction site in his dirty work clothes, unable to change in time.

Once dignified, he now looked worn and tired. My heart ached.

Queenie, seeing him, pinched her nose in disgust. "I gave you ten million dollars in compensation! How are you still living in such misery?"

I smiled bitterly when I heard that. She hadn't given a dime, and she had deliberately ruined Dad's career as a lawyer, saddling him with massive debt. She even spread false rumors at the high school where Mom used to teach, getting her fired and stripping her of her teaching license.

Seeing Dad's incredulous expression, Queenie didn't bother asking further. In a frustrated tone, she questioned, "Where on earth is Steven? I've already come to get him personally. Tell him to stop playing hard to get."

Dad shook his head helplessly. "I'd like to see Steve too, but he really is dead!"

Queenie pinched the bridge of her nose, holding back her fury. "I admit disappearing on him for seven years was a cruel punishment, so I'll let the supposed affair slide. Once he comes out and apologizes sincerely, it'll be as if it never happened."

She assumed I was avoiding her because of guilt over an affair, but in reality, I was long dead.

Dad handed her a death certificate and said, "Steve's wound had been healing, but it suddenly became infected. Medicine and injections didn't work. Eventually…"

His eyes reddened as he spoke, and he let out a long, heavy sigh.

Queenie froze when she saw the name on the certificate. Her face turned pale.

Zayn, standing beside her, laughed. "Mr. Sutton, stop lying to Queenie to make her worry. My friends told me Steven's alive! And he even has a girlfriend. How could he be dead as you claim?"

I wanted to leap forward and strangle Zayn when I heard that. Queenie was the only woman I had ever been romantically involved with, and besides, he knew exactly why I had died.

Doubt had started to show on Queenie's face, but the moment she heard those words, her face went icy. She tore the death certificate to pieces and threw it at Dad, yelling, "Really? Even now, you dare lie to me!"

With that, she gestured to her bodyguards, then turned to Mom. "Break her other leg!"

"No!" I screamed in despair, but I could do nothing.

The bodyguards ignored Mom's struggles and Dad's protests, breaking her leg with iron rods. Her screams echoed through my ears just as they had seven years ago.

Sean's cries were even more heart-wrenching as he shouted, "Stop hurting my grandma!"

My soul ached, and I fell to my knees, begging Queenie to stop.

Seven years ago, when Queenie had heard my pleas, she generously told them to stop. Now, her eyes were dark with malice as she fixed her gaze on the entrance, grinding her teeth.

"Steven really is ruthless! Even now, he's hiding and won't come out!" she said.

I cried out, "Queenie, I'm here! Please, spare my family!"

Obviously, no one could hear me.

Queenie's cold voice then cut through the air. "Search the apartment. Search every corner! Steven is a devoted son. He won't leave his family behind. There has to be some trace of him!"

She glanced at Mom, unconscious on the ground, and then at Sean, who was crying pitifully beside her.

A streak of malice flashed in Queenie's eyes. I sensed danger and dove in front of Sean to shield him.

But in an instant, Queenie's body passed through me. She yanked Sean by his collar and threw him into a nearby pool.

The pool was part of the residential complex's landscaping. It wasn't very deep, but more than enough to drown a child.

Sean flailed wildly in the water, screaming for Dad to save him.

Dad, however, had already been pinned down by Queenie's bodyguards. He struggled desperately, crying until his voice broke.

"Queenie, take it out on me instead! Sean is just a child! He's a sensible child! He's been waiting all these years for you, hoping his mother would come back to be with him. Don't do this to him!"

But Queenie didn't believe a single word. "My child was sent to an orphanage a long time ago! That thing can stay in the water until Steven comes out!"

I watched Sean's small body grow weaker by the second as he struggled in the water.

Despair tore through me as I screamed at Queenie, "I'm right here! Look at me! When I was alive, you never cherished me. Now that I'm dead, why are you so desperate to see me? Queenie, please let my family go!"

If I had once loved Queenie with all my heart, I now hated her just as deeply. I hated her so much that I wished I could turn into a vengeful spirit on the spot and take her life.

Time dragged on, second by second. Sean slowly began to sink.

I lunged forward in a frenzy, trying to pull him up, but every attempt failed. All I could do was watch helplessly as my hands passed straight through his body again and again. Slowly, his face turned blue.

I was already dead, yet my chest hurt so badly it felt as though I couldn't breathe.

Choking back sobs, I murmured, "Sean, hold on a little longer, okay?"

I cried and begged the heavens to protect Sean, but it was all useless.

In the end, I watched with my own eyes as Sean drew his last breath.

At that moment, one of the bodyguards finally came over and reported, "We searched the entire place and didn't find Mr. Steven. But we found this urn. His name is written on it."

Queenie let out a harsh laugh when she saw the urn. "You folks are really committed to this lie, aren't you? Steven, I came here in good faith to take you home, and this is what you give me? You think you can fool me with this?"

As she spoke, she opened the urn and flung the ashes into the air. After that, she tossed the urn into a nearby trash bin.

"No! No!" Dad screamed, his voice ripping apart. He collapsed on the spot and lost consciousness.

Suddenly, a young man's voice rang out across the scene, tight with urgency. "Ms. Dunn, the investigation results are back. Mr. Steven really did die seven years ago."

Queenie froze.

At the same time, her phone rang.

"The paternity test is complete. Sean's DNA matches yours at a 99% probability. He's indeed your biological son."