Just then, I saw Yolana's extravagant birthday party on the massive screen across from me in the mall.

She stood in front of a towering cake, over six feet tall, wearing a luxurious gown studded with rhinestones, eyes closed as she made a wish.

"My wish is that my parents and I can always be together, and that all the sick children in the world recover quickly."

A round of applause erupted from the crowd below. Gifts piled up from the room all the way to the doorway.

My father raised his hand in a grand gesture. "I'm donating 10 million to sick children in my daughter's name!"

The applause grew louder, and the crowd cheered for my father and Yolana.

The three of them stood there, so happy together.

Tears finally welled up in my eyes.

The spectators crowded around the mall, creating a sea of people.

"One of these days, I'll make sure to take my child to thank Ms. Bowen. If it weren't for her donation, my child would have passed away long ago!"

"Absolutely. We'll spend a lifetime showing our gratitude to Ms. Bowen. She's our savior."

Just then, the doctor who had given me the prescription came running after me.

"Hey, we just received a donation for cancer treatment from the wealthiest family. It's a generous, no-strings-attached contribution. You still need treatment. How about I put your name on the list?"

As I looked at her kind eyes, my mother's harsh words resurfaced in my mind.

Even a stranger was willing to lend me a hand, yet my own mother wished I were dead.

"I'll take your silence as a yes. Whatever happens, we can't give up on staying alive!"

At that moment, my phone rang.

My father was asking me to apologize to Yolana and spend the rest of her birthday with her. They promised they wouldn't hold it against me anymore if I did that.

Fine. I'd go, and consider it my last time seeing them.

I hurried over, but they looked at me with disdain.

"What is this? Are you wearing beggar's clothes? Trying to ruin your sister's day on purpose?"

In the end, they tossed a staff uniform at me to wear.

Even though I added another layer to my thin outfit, I still felt cold. But it wasn't just the chill from the air—it was the coldness in my heart.

I walked downstairs, surrounded by guests, feeling completely out of place.

The sound of compliments filled the air.

"Ms. Bowen, you're so beautiful! No wonder you're the apple of your parents' eye!"

"Of course, the richest man only has one precious daughter. They spoil her, hand and foot. I heard they even bought a small asteroid and named it after Ms. Bowen!"

The only daughter.

I lowered my gaze, unable to hold back a bitter laugh. This place was never meant for me. What was I even hoping for?

I turned to leave, but a group of rich young women blocked my path.

"You're the waitress, right? Are you slacking off? Do you want me to tell Ms. Bowen so she can fire you?"

"Who do you think you're glaring at? I'll make sure you regret that!"

They splashed champagne in my face.

I squinted, stepping back to avoid it, but my foot slipped, and I fell into the pool.

I couldn't swim!

I thrashed desperately, trying to stay afloat.

But their laughter grew louder, mocking me.

"Look at the clown! Hurry up and swim to the edge!"

Right then, I heard Yolana's voice from the side. "What are you all doing here?"

"Yolana, your waitress was slacking off, so we thought we'd teach her a lesson."

Yolana smiled, her head held high with an air of superiority.

"Alright, let's go inside. She's just a waitress. After the party, my parents will take care of her."

Cold water flooded my nose and mouth, and I had no strength left to fight. I could only let my tired body sink to the bottom of the pool.

Before I closed my eyes, I could hear my father's voice. "Welcome, everyone, to my precious daughter's birthday party..."

...

After I died, my spirit lingered at home.

I watched my parents talking. "I haven't seen Grace in so long. Her birthday is next month, so let's call her back. She's turning eighteen."

"That ungrateful child. She doesn't even answer the phone. She might as well have died out there."

I really wanted to tell them I was already dead. I had died on a cold winter night. I would never see my eighteenth birthday.

I remembered when I was little, before our family became as wealthy as it was now. My father bought me a limited edition doll, just because I said I liked it. Back then, I dreamed of living the life of a doll—pretty clothes, a big house, and endless love.

Then, my parents became incredibly rich and were suddenly the wealthiest in the country. I got everything I had wanted: a big house, beautiful clothes, and all the love I could have hoped for. But once they decided to adopt Yolana, all of that was no longer for me.

I became a child without a home.

Months passed, and they thought I'd call them back, but no matter how long they waited, they heard nothing. They wanted to go to my school, but each time, Yolana made up an excuse to stop them.

"Russell, why hasn't Grace called us? I checked, and her card is empty. What do you think she's doing now?"

"She's probably with some man, lying around, not doing anything useful."

"Mom, Dad, don't talk like that about Grace. She's just upset, but she'll come back soon. Don't worry. She'll be home in no time."

"Yolana, stop defending her. You've always been sensible, unlike her—she's a waste!"

Today was my birthday. My parents had already bought a cake early in the morning, and my mother had made my favorite dishes, waiting for me to come home.

She kept calling me, but all she heard was the same "unable to connect" message.

My father had custom-ordered a gift for me. It was the same doll I had always loved. But on my birthday, he found that I still hadn't come home.

He was furious and went to the school to find my teachers, only to be told I hadn't attended for a year. The teachers even thought I was an orphan, since no one seemed to care about my disappearance.

Then, he received the list of cancer patients from the hospital. At the top was my name.

My father panicked completely. He ran through ten red lights to get to the hospital.

The doctor looked at him, confused.

"Excuse me, who are you to Grace? That poor girl...She had no money for treatment, not even a pair of winter shoes."

My father's eyes went red, and he rushed forward, grabbing the doctor by the shoulders.

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?"

"She passed away a year ago…"