My voice was so weak it was almost inaudible, but I still kept pounding on the door with everything I had.

I kept going until my palms were swollen, split, and streaked with blood.

I could not die yet. My paintings still had not been sent to the exhibition.

My life might have been colorless and bleak, but my work had to be hung up in a clean frame.

I did not know how long I kept hitting the door before it finally opened.

Vera stood at the entrance with a tight expression. When she saw me curled up on the floor, a flicker of panic crossed her eyes.

She quickly crouched down and touched my forehead. The heat made her pull her hand back instantly.

“You have a fever? How did it get this bad?!”

“Medicine… under my pillow…” I could barely string my words.

Vera immediately got up, rushed to my room, and found the medicine box. She poured me a glass of warm water and came back.

She carefully helped me sit up. Her movements were gentle, as though she was afraid of hurting me.

“Take this. You’ll feel better after you take it.”

The moment I swallowed the pills, Sean walked in. His face was pale white.

He looked at me and spoke in a low voice.

“Miles, why are you lying to everyone?

“I just checked your room. What you’re taking isn’t medicine. It’s just vitamins.

“You’re obviously pretending to be sick just to make everyone worry. How could you do that?”

Those words were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing any sympathy Vera had just started to feel for me.

She shoved me away, her voice filled with anger.

“Miles, you’re really losing your mind. What line won’t you cross at this point?”

My mother’s expression changed instantly. Her tone was full of disappointment.

“So it was all an act just because we made you reflect on yourself? I should’ve aborted you back then!”

My father shook his head in fury. “Hopeless. Completely hopeless!”

I shook my head desperately as my eyes turned red.

“No! I didn’t… I really didn’t…”

“Enough!” Vera cut me off. Her voice was hoarse and exhausted.

“I don’t want to hear your explanations anymore.

“Miles, I’m really disappointed in you.”

After that, none of them spoke to me again.

One day, right after I submitted my painting to the exhibition, I received a message from the cemetery center.

[Mr. Garrett, your vitals-monitoring device has recently detected unusually unstable signals. Please take care of yourself.]

I replied.

[Okay.]

I never thought that the only people who cared about me would be the people waiting to take my body away.

That afternoon, I was collecting my laundry from the balcony.

Sean walked over, a malicious smile spreading across his face.

“Miles, you really have no shame, do you? Everyone hates you, yet you still have the nerve to stay here?”

I ignored him and turned to leave.

Before I could, he grabbed my wrist and leaned close to my ear. His voice was like a devil's whisper.

“You probably don’t know this, but Vera has never forgotten you all these years. Her phone is still full of pictures of the two of you.”

A flicker of surprise crossed my mind. Then, he continued.

“I hate you so much, Miles. Why don't you just die?!”

Suddenly, Sean yanked me hard.

However, he did not expect to lose his own balance as well.

The two of us crashed to the ground.

My body lurched forward, and half of me tipped over the balcony railing.

The wind howled around me as my feet dangled in the air. One wrong move, and I would plunge to my death.

Sean panicked immediately and screamed in terror, “Help! Miles’s trying to push me!”

Everyone inside rushed out as though they had gone mad.

The three of them ran straight toward him. Not one of them looked at me, even though I was the one hanging over the edge.

They crowded around Sean, their voices shaking with fear.

“Sean!”

Vera pulled him tightly into her arms. Her eyes were filled with relief and concern.

Our mother looked at him, tears already gathering in her eyes.

Our father pointed at me furiously.

“Miles, you vicious little b*stard! What will it take for you to leave him alone?!”

Half my body was still hanging off the balcony. The wind stung my eyes. My arm felt like it was about to be torn from its socket.

Summoning every last bit of strength, I called out, “Vera...”

At last, she turned to look at me.

For a brief moment, hesitation flashed across her face. She started to reach for me, but my mother slapped her hand away.

“Vera, if he’s capable of something as horrible as murder, then let him stay there and think about what he’s done!”

Vera hesitated for a moment. Then, she slowly withdrew the hand she had reached out to me.

Even though I expected this outcome, my eyes still burned, and my heart still stung.

I looked at the four of them, so perfectly united on the same side against me. Suddenly, I let it all go.

“Maybe it'll take my death for you to finally believe me.”

I released my grip and let myself fall.