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After Death, I Gave Up
After Death, I Gave Up
Author: Perfect Timing

Chapter 1 Shadows of the Past

Author: Perfect Timing
"Charlotte, do you feel confident about this competition?"

The chatter in the office snapped me back to reality.

And then, it hit me that I had been reborn.

"Charlotte has won the company's Outstanding Designer Award several times in a row. How could she not be confident?"

Her shoulder bumped mine as she smiled warmly.

Her words left me momentarily speechless. Only I knew what awaited me.

In my previous life, I had poured days of effort into my designs for the National Jewelry Design Competition, only to have them accused of plagiarism at the event.

The organizers displayed two identical design drafts, every line of the patterns matched perfectly, but the other one had been turned in first.

It belonged to my own sister, Melody Sutton.

She stood in the crowd, eyes red, staring at me in disbelief.

Grabbing the microphone beside her, she demanded loudly, "Charlotte, why did you copy my work? If you couldn't come up with a design, I could have helped you find inspiration, but why steal mine?"

I froze. That was my design, safely stored on my computer, never shown to anyone.

I opened my mouth to explain, but the crowd erupted.

"Plagiarist! Get out!"

"How dare you submit a stolen design? Bold move."

"Someone like this doesn't deserve to be a designer. Ugh!"

I snatched a microphone, trying to defend myself, but hardly anyone believed me.

Then, my parents displayed photos of Melody working late into the night on her designs, claiming they regretted having a daughter like me and that they would disown me.

Nobody believed me anymore.

Security escorted me out. My phone buzzed nonstop with hateful messages.

I checked my computer and found no viruses or remote access. Every sketch, every note, every draft was with me. There was no way anything had leaked. So, why did Melody's design match mine exactly?

Every line, every idea, every sketch had come from me, painstakingly drawn by hand. I could never have copied her.

"Charlotte, I heard your sister is entering this competition too. Who do you think will take first place?"

Not long after I joined the company, Melody somehow ended up at the same place.

Fear clenched my chest when I heard her question. My fists were so tight that it felt like my palms might break open.
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  • After Death, I Gave Up   Chapter 10 Shattered Reflections

    Melody glared at me, her brows furrowed. "Don't try any tricks. Give me the statue. When you're gone, I'll honor you, but I will take your place as chief designer. I'll live better, stronger, in your stead."I studied her smug expression, a faint smile curling at the corners of my lips. Without hesitation, I smashed the statue to the ground.A horrifying scream sliced through the air. "Ah!"A swirl of dark energy dissipated into nothingness.Melody stared in terror, her eyes locked on the shattered remnants of the statue."No! Don't!" she screamed, her face twisted with rage. She looked at me as if she wanted to tear me apart with her bare hands.Just as she lunged toward me, the stage curtains were drawn open. The audience below had witnessed everything. Reporters whipped out their phones, snapping photos.Thomas and Evelyn sat in stunned disbelief, staring at Melody. The truth was clear now; they had been wrong from the start.Melody's emotions spiraled out of control, her fe

  • After Death, I Gave Up   Chapter 9 Whispers From the Statue

    When I opened the backpack, the statue was there, just as I'd suspected.It was pitch black, its face savage, part cat, part fox, with two long fangs jutting down. The room's air chilled immediately.I grabbed the statue, ready to smash it. Then, to my horror, it spoke in a voice that sounded exactly like my grandmother's."Charlotte, it's Grandma. I miss you so much. Won't you come and keep me company?"My pupils dilated. Every hair on my arms stood up. It was mimicking a loved one.Without thinking, I flung the statue toward the floor.Just then, Melody shoved open the door. The statue's call must have reached her; she came straight away. I held the statue like a weapon and warned her to back off. If she didn't, I would smash it.She froze, terrified at my look, and hurried aside, afraid I really would destroy it. Using that moment, I bolted out of the lounge.The stage curtains were drawn. The auditorium was packed with people from all over the country. I ran onto the

  • After Death, I Gave Up   Chapter 8 The Cursed Statue

    There was never any surveillance footage. I'd only bluffed to test her.I let out a cold scoff and strode toward her. My hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her back.Her eyes widened in terror. She screamed, "What are you doing?"I slapped her hard across the face. The sharp crack echoed through the living room."Next time you try something that pathetic," I said through clenched teeth, "try using your brain first."The whole fiasco had killed my appetite. I went upstairs, too drained to care about food.…When the day of the competition finally arrived, our parents went with her to the event. Perfect. That gave me the chance I needed to find the cursed statue.I searched room by room, careful and quiet, until only one was left, which was Melody's. I pushed open the door. The room was decorated delicately, almost obsessively neat.Holding my artifact, I swept it slowly across every corner. Then, I stopped in front of a painting.The snake bracelet grew

  • After Death, I Gave Up   Chapter 7 The Jewelry Room

    I happened to run into Melody coming upstairs."Charlotte, what are you doing in front of my door?"My heart skipped a beat, but I forced a smile and met her gaze."I heard Mom and Dad bought you so much jewelry over the years," I said. "I've been drawing designs lately but hit a creative block, so I thought I'd come see if I could find some inspiration with you."Melody's wary expression softened immediately.I was about to start working on new designs again, and as long as she could beat me to it, she'd have a brand-new piece to claim as her own.She stepped closer and looped her arm through mine. "Mom even made a special inspiration room just for me. I'll take you to see it."I swallowed my disgust, forcing a polite smile and nodding.She led me to the room. It was a former guest room, now converted into a storage space for Melody's jewelry collection. And it was filled from floor to ceiling, every surface covered in sparkling gems.I stared at the glittering piles, my ches

  • After Death, I Gave Up   Chapter 6 The Snake Bracelet

    It turned out my parents hadn't brought me home to make up for twenty years of lost family ties. They had another purpose entirely.A numb, hard place grew inside me.I knelt on the floor and bowed to Cassandra. "Please tell me how to break it."She ruffled my hair. "Leave first thing tomorrow. I'll give you an artifact. Use it to find the statue of the corrupted spirit and shatter it. That should break the spell. The person who set the trap will be undone by their own scheme and dead within a day. Don't worry about them. Evil people get what they deserve."I nodded, said goodbye to Cassandra, and went back to my room alone. I hugged my knees on the bed, my eyes cold. 'Just wait,' I thought. 'I will make you pay.'I followed Cassandra's instructions and said goodbye to my grandmother first thing the next morning, heading back to the city.I stared at the artifact she had given me. It was a snake bracelet so lifelike it seemed to coil around my wrist as if it were alive.When I g

  • After Death, I Gave Up   Chapter 5 The Old House

    After packing my bags, I bought the earliest ticket I could find and headed back to the countryside.Before the bus even arrived, I spotted that familiar figure waiting by the entrance to the village. My eyes stung with tears.When I called my grandmother, I hesitated for a long while before finally saying, "I miss you, Grandma."She chuckled on the other end of the line, the sound warm and comforting. Then, her voice softened, full of affection. "Come home, sweetheart. I'll make your favorite lemonade fried chicken."In my previous life, my grandmother, who'd spent her days quietly in the countryside, somehow found out my death. She mourned for a long time, fell ill, and her health never recovered. She passed away not long after.As soon as I got off the bus, she hurried over and took the luggage from my hands. "Come on," she said cheerfully. "Let's go home. The lemonade fried chicken is ready."The small house wasn't much to look at, but it held every piece of my childhood.In

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