Chapter 1

Queenie Dunn's voice was icy, edged with restrained anger. "Who asked about your father? Whether your father is dead or alive has nothing to do with me. Put Steven Sutton on the phone right now. I want to speak to him."

Sean, Sean Sutton, was so frightened that even his sobbing stopped.

After a moment, urged on by Queenie's impatience, he said sheepishly, "B-But Grandpa said my dad's name is Steven."

I saw Queenie's fingers freeze around the phone. Then she let out a short, mocking laugh. "Did Steven teach you to say that? He really hasn't changed at all. He's still making up whatever he wants.

"This little act of playing hard to get is just his way of forcing me to go and fetch him myself, isn't it? Fine! Seeing as he saved Zayn with that kidney, I'll go fetch him myself!"

At daybreak the next morning, Queenie headed for the residential complex where I had lived.

After she rang the doorbell, Sean, dressed in pajamas printed with little teddy bears, opened the door.

Queenie frowned deeply, her annoyance obvious. "Are you serious? Are you still keeping up this act?"

She shouted into the apartment, "Steven, don't push your luck! If you don't come out right now, I'm leaving!"

But things didn't unfold the way she imagined. I didn't come running out to throw my arms around her.

Queenie's expression darkened. She shoved Sean aside, pushed past him, and walked straight in.

On a shelf in the shabby living room stood a framed black-and-white photo of me. My smile was bright, bold, and alive, a stark reminder that I wasn't there anymore.

Queenie picked up the photo, her expression twisted with disdain. "Ha! Just to fool me, he's photoshopped a black-and-white photo. Looks like Steven learned absolutely nothing over these seven years!"

With that, she slammed the framed photo onto the floor. The glass shattered instantly, scattering shards across the room.

"You're a bad person! Why did you do that?" Sean cried as he ran over, trying to pick up the photo.

However, shards of glass cut into his hand, and bright red blood trickled over his pale skin.

Only then did Queenie look him in the eye. "Is Steven really your father?"

Tears shimmered in Sean's eyes as he nodded pitifully. The very next second, Queenie kicked him hard with her sharp high heel, sending him crashing to the ground.

"No!" I shouted.

My heart clenched. I rushed to his side, reaching out to pull him up.

But the moment I touched him, my hand passed straight through. Only then did I remember that I was already dead.

Queenie's shrill, furious voice rang through the room. "No wonder Steven doesn't dare come out to see me! So he cheated on me and fathered a child by another woman!"

Her eyes were filled with malice as she looked at Sean. She then kicked his body again, viciously.

Sean let out a broken cry, tears streaming down his face.

My heart ached as I watched him. I lunged forward, positioning myself in front of him, shouting at Queenie with all I had, "That's not true! I didn't cheat on you!"

Sean was Queenie's biological child.

Back then, Queenie had planned to remain childfree. When she became pregnant by accident, her health made abortion impossible, so she had no choice but to give birth.

But she despised the child. The moment Sean was born, she ordered someone to send him to an orphanage.

I secretly brought Sean back and asked my parents to help raise him.

Unaware of the truth, Queenie believed Sean was born from my affair with another woman. Fueled by resentment, she beat him without mercy.

Sean's shattered sobs echoed throughout the room.

I desperately wanted to explain the truth to Queenie, but I was already dead. No one could hear my voice.

Just as I was breaking down, my mother finally returned from buying groceries, limping heavily as she came in.

When she saw what was happening, she was so shocked that the groceries slipped from her hands. Dragging her injured leg, she rushed over and shielded Sean with her body.

"Queenie, you've already caused Steve's death! I'm begging you, please spare Sean! He's just a child!"