Dead Before My Mothers Scalpel

Three days after being kidnapped, my sister and I were finally found.

My mother, a renowned surgeon, prioritized every available medical resource to perform a full-body scan on my sister, who had merely been frightened. She didn't spare a single glance for me, even as I suffered a cardiac arrest.

When I begged for her help, she only snapped at me with cold fury.

"Serena almost had a heart attack from the shock. Can't you be more mature for once? Stop making up these pathetic excuses just to grab attention!"

In the end, I lay quietly in the corner and took my final breath.

It was only later, when it was far too late, that my familyDwho had always despised meDbegan to feel the crushing weight of their regret.

1.

My heart ached with an intensity I couldn't describe, as if a giant hand had ripped through my chest.

The fluorescent lights above were blinding, and my mother's anxious face seemed burned into my vision.

Yet, all that concern and frantic worry was directed entirely at my sister.

To her, I wasn't even worth a second glance.

It had always been this way.

I felt a surge of melancholy, and as the pain grew, my spirit felt strangely light.

When I opened my eyes again, I was looking at my mother's face.

She was dressed in her white coat, hovering nervously by my sister's hospital bed.

Serena seemed to be having a nightmare; her pale skin was damp with cold sweat, and her brows were tightly knit.

My mother gently stroked her forehead, her eyes filled with aching tenderness.

"My darling Serena, wake up soon. Mommy missed you so much"

I felt a hollow ache. My mother had never shown me such warmth.

My father stood nearby, his expression darkening as he gritted his teeth. "It's all Elara's fault. She couldn't even protect her own sister. When I get my hands on her, she'll regret this!"

"She's never been half as capable as Serena. What a total disappointment."

Elara was my name.

True to its meaning, they had always viewed me as an unnecessary, lingering surplus.

Listening to my parents air their grievances, the familiar, suffocating bitterness rose in my throat.

Mom, Dad, I know you never liked me. You won't have to be annoyed by my existence anymore.

Because I was already dead, trapped as a wandering soul unable to move on.

As the chief surgeon, my mother personally conducted a full examination on Serena. She checked the reports over and over until she was certain Serena was truly fine, finally letting out a long, shuddering sigh of relief.

Seeing my mother finally relax, a young intern hesitated before speaking up. "Chief, shouldn't we also examine the other patient who was brought in at the same time? She looked like she had sustained serious injuries"

My mother's warmth vanished, replaced by instant irritation. She didn't even turn to look. "Why bother with her? Elara has been acting out and begging for attention since she was a child. She's probably just trying to play the victim again!"

"I won't give her the satisfaction. Don't waste any more hospital resources on her!"

A bone-deep chill washed over me.

Even though I knew my mother favored my sister, I was still her daughter.

We were both her flesh and blood, yet the disparity was cruel.

My mother pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed my number.

But I had already stopped breathing in some cold, forgotten corner of the warehouse

A nurse, who had been tasked with handling my remains, noticed the phone ringing. She picked it up before she could even say a word.

My mother's furious voice erupted from the speaker. "Elara, where are you? Stop hiding in some dark hole! Don't think you can just run away from the mess you made. You put your sister in this conditionDwhy haven't you come to apologize? You have no manners! Don't force me to deal with you!"

The young nurse tried to explain, her voice trembling. "The patient has already passed away. No one has come to claim the body, so we are preparing to move her to the morgue"

My mother, convinced I was still playing a sick game, scoffed. "Enough, Elara. Do you really think I'll let you off the hook just because you hired someone to act for you? Stop using such low-class tactics to get my attention!"

With that, she hung up, clearly fuming. "That girl is just so incredibly immature," she muttered.

Just then, Serena slowly opened her eyes. She rubbed her drowsy lids, sat up, and feigned innocence. "Mom, Dad am I am I really safe?"

She buried herself in their arms, acting as if she had barely survived a brush with death.

"Where's my sister? Is she okay?" She added, putting on a perfect show of concern.

I had to admit, Serena knew exactly how to manipulate people.

Seeing her act this way only made my parents love her more and hate me with renewed vigor. "If Elara were half as sensible as you, Serena, I wouldn't have to live with this constant headache!"

My father rolled his eyes. "Don't even bring up that heartless brat. She's probably off somewhere enjoying herself, without a care in the world!"

A flash of triumph crossed Serena's face, but she quickly suppressed it, knitting her brows to look like a compassionate victim.

"Mom, Dad, please don't be angry at my sister. I think she's just having trouble accepting that I won the piano competition. She didn't mean to be cruel"

Listening to her spin such a web of lies, I could only scream in silent, powerless rage.

I wanted to tell them the truthDthat the kidnapping was all Serena's plan, designed to get rid of me for good.

But I knew my parents would never believe me.

In their eyes, Serena was the perfect child, while everything I said or did was inherently wrong.

2.

As I expected, the moment my mother saw Serena feign tears, her expression hardened, and her resentment toward me deepened.

"Serena, why are you still defending that venomous girl? You're far too soft-hearted, and that's exactly why she took advantage of you!" She looked at her with such tenderness.

"If I'd known she would turn into such a lying, greedy brat, I never would have spent money on her piano lessons. It was a complete waste of resources!"

Serena clung to my mother, like a small animal finding safety.

It was always like this. No matter what happened, my parents took her side unconditionally, creating a sharp contrast to my reality.

Over the years, I had tried to expose Serena's schemes, but I was always shut down and accused of being jealous.

Eventually, I gave up, too exhausted to even try.

I was lost in my sorrow when I felt a gust of wind.

My brother, Caleb, burst into the room in a panic, rushing to Serena's side to fuss over her with exhaustive checks.

Only after he was satisfied that she was fine did he spit on the floor in disgust.

"Elara is truly useless. She couldn't even keep her own sister safe. What's the point of her even being alive?"

Serena waved her hands, as if to defend me. "You're all wrong about my sister! Before I passed out, I heard her telling the kidnappers to take me with her. Maybe she was trying to protect me"

The room went silent.

"What did you say?" my mother gasped, trembling with rage. "That wretched girl actually actually"

My father's face turned livid. "The unfilial brat! She put her own sister's life at risk for her own selfish gains!"

"When I find her, I'll break her legs myself!"

My brother clenched his fists, his knuckles white. The sheer malice in his voice sent a shiver down my spine.

Serena hadn't expected such a volatile reaction. Afraid things would spiral out of control, she quickly backtracked. "Oh, I I might have misheard. Don't be too hard on her! She'd be so heartbroken if she heard you talking like this."

"She's my sister, after all. I'm sure she hoped for the best"

My mother patted Serena's head, her heart melting. "Oh, my sweet Serena, you're just too kind. It's truly touching that you want peace in this family."

"But she's infuriating. Let's not talk about her anymore."

"Serena, listen to MomDjust rest. We'll handle the rest!"

Serena nodded obediently and closed her eyes.

The three of them looked at her with such doting affection that my heart broke all over again.

I was standing right there, yet I felt like a complete stranger they wanted nothing to do with.

Even in this warm, crowded room, I felt a loneliness that was chilling to the bone.

Maybe they all wished I had never existed in the first place.

3.

Since Serena was faking her illness, the doctors couldn't find a single thing wrong.

After a few days of observation, my motherDthe chief surgeonDinsisted on discharging her.

My father called for a private driver, and my brother spent his entire morning waiting in line for Serena's favorite pastries.

I was long used to this.

There was never a limit to how much they would pamper her.

On the way home, my brother complained about me, his brow furrowed so deeply it looked like it could crush a fly.

"Mom, Dad, Elara is truly beyond the pale. She hasn't even shown up to check on Serena once! She started this whole disaster, yet she refuses to take any responsibility."

My father exhaled sharply, his expression grim. "It's appalling. I've said it before: she has no upbringing. She doesn't deserve to be a Vance. Once we get home, I'll teach her a lesson she won't forget."

Hearing my father devalue me to the dirt, I felt a familiar, dull throb in my chest.

Since I was a breech birth, my mother had blamed me for her postpartum depression. From that moment on, she had detested me.

On the day Serena was born, I wasn't even allowed in the room to see her; I was considered bad luck.

As Serena grew, she was a brat who insisted I play the role of her servant.

Once, during a family outing, Serena ignored my warnings and insisted on flying a kite near a rocky path.

She stumbled and scraped her forehead against the ground.

Without hesitation, my father backhanded me, knocking me to the ground.

"I told you to take care of your sister! Look at what you've done, you useless waste of space!"

It felt as if my only purpose in life was to orbit around the sun that was Serena.

This happened all the time.

One day, she wanted a doll of mine.

It was a birthday gift from my parents, one of the few things I cherished.

But because Serena wanted it, she staged a performance to make it look like I was bullying her.

One moment she was gloating, the next she was sobbing at the top of her lungs.

My mother rushed in, scooping her up. "Serena, my baby, what happened?"

Serena wailed, shedding crocodile tears. "Mom, I'm sorry. It's all my faultDI made my sister angry"

My mother glared at me, screaming, "Elara, you've crossed the line once too often! Serena is only humble because she's your sister. How dare you act like this?"

"I think I've spoiled you far too much!" My father's voice roared as he arrived to back Serena up.

Before I could speak, he grabbed a feather duster and beat me mercilessly.

The physical pain was bad, but the heartbreak was far worse.

I begged for mercy, but only received deeper punishment and verbal abuse.

Meanwhile, my mother held Serena close, while my sister gave me a smug, innocent smileDa silent, cruel taunt.

After that, it happened every time.

I learned to endure, to swallow my pain, and to give everything away.

Just like now, Serena only had to utter a few words, and they acted as judges, handing down a verdict against me.

Even as a soul, the residual phantom pain in my heart was still so vivid.

My spirit followed them home.

The moment they walked through the door, my mother hurried to set up Serena's bed so she could rest.

"Quick, quick, don't let my sweet angel get tired!"

Serena touched her empty stomach. "I'm starving after that long drive!"

My father dove into the kitchen to prepare her favorite dishes.

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry. I didn't think it through. Serena, just wait a moment, I'll whip up a feast for you!"

My brother, ever the sycophant, opened her tablet and queued up her favorite show.

The entire family busied themselves for Serena, creating a picture of domestic bliss.

Watching this familiar yet alien scene, I felt like an outsider once again.

Serena's face finally lit up with a satisfied smile, and she happened to be looking in my direction.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

My brother rushed to answer it.

A handsome young man in a white shirt stood there, holding boxes of Serena's favorite snacks. He smiled politely, "I heard Serena was sick, so I came to check on her."

It was Silas Sterling, my childhood sweetheart and fianc.

Hearing his cool, calm voice, Serena's eyes lit up. She didn't even bother with her shoes as she rushed to him, feigning bashfulness. "Silas, why are you here? My brother must have told you, right?"

"I'm okay, don't worry about me!"

Under her adoring gaze, Silas smiled with such indulgence, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

The school heartthrob, usually so proud and unreachable, stepped down from his pedestal just to catch a glimpse of her smile.

I had never seen him look at me that way.

4.

Serena pulled Silas into the house.

He glanced around, suddenly frowning. "Where's Elara? Is she not home?"

The moment my name was mentioned, my brother's smile vanished. He sneered, "That heartless, bad-luck charm? She's probably out somewhere having fun. She caused Serena's injury and is too cowardly to face the consequences."

My mother joined in, her tone sharp. "I must have been cursed to give birth to her. If she's not coming back, she can stay away forever!"

"Don't let it affect your health, Auntie. If she doesn't want to come back, then so be it," Silas said, playing the role of the dutiful, respectful neighbor.

My mother looked relieved, her eyes crinkling with satisfaction.

"Good, good. Silas, you're so mature. You and Serena are a perfect match!"

"Don't waste your time on someone like Elara. Look at SerenaDshe's the one who's truly talented!"

Serena gave my mother a playful look. "Mom, stop it!"

But she couldn't hide her triumphant grin.

Silas stood by her side, chuckling. "You're right. When I see her, I'll definitely break it off. I won't let Serena be mistreated."

The family nodded in unison.

To celebrate Serena's recovery, they threw a party.

Amidst the joy and laughter, a hollow ache expanded in my chest. I reflexively reached to rub my heart, only to remember I was already dead.

Even though I was accustomed to being abandoned and considered the surplus, the desolation threatened to swallow me whole.

The next morning, my mother paced the house, looking visibly agitated.

She tried calling me again.

The line just rang and rang until it went to voicemail.

She blew up, sending me a text: "Elara, your wings are getting a bit too big, aren't they? You actually dared to block my number."

"I'm warning you: this is your last chance. Come back and beg your sister and me for forgiveness, or don't bother coming back at all!"

I desperately wanted to tell her, "Mom, I'm dead. I can't come back."

But even if I screamed it, she couldn't hear me.

She sat on the edge of my bed, staring out the window, lost in thought.

Then, her phone rang.

The screen displayed my name.

My mother sighed in relief and answered, prepared to lash out. "Elara, finally calling back? Did you learn your lesson? Where have you been these past two days? Don't test meD"

Before she could finish her tirade, a stranger's voice cut her off.

"Hello, are you Elara's family? We are calling to inform you that if you do not come to claim her body, we will proceed with the cremation procedure"