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Alice hung her head, tears falling one by one onto the floor.

A vivid red handprint bloomed on her cheek, making her look sweet, obedient, and deeply wronged.

I was beside myself with fury. The look on Alice's face was clearly meant to suggest that I had come out and hit her!

I stood right there and shook my fist at her, furious!

Stop acting, Alice. Mom and Dad won't believe you!

But my mother rushed forward and gently touched Alice's cheek, her heart aching.

"You don't get a handprint from tripping. Alice, tell me the truth. What happened?"

Alice flinched back, then bit her lip and shook her head desperately.

"Mom, please don't ask... Grace didn't mean it... she was just in a bad mood..."

My mother's eyes turned red in an instant.

"And you're still defending her! She hit you this hard and you're still defending her!"

My father hesitated, though.

"Grace really hit you? Why would she suddenly do that?"

Alice trembled, then threw herself into my mother's arms.

"I... I just wanted to bring Grace something to eat and apologize to her.

"But Grace burst out and slapped me. She called me a filthy mongrel and accused me of taking the moonstone on purpose to kill her."

Alice sobbed so hard she could barely catch her breath.

"She said... she said you're the most useless wolves, that after ten years you still can't cure her silver poison. She said she hates you.

"She's the one who drained the portal's power crystal too. She wanted me to miss the registration deadline!

"I've already let her have all your love... Why is she doing this to me..."

I was shaking with rage, hovering right in front of my parents, screaming.

"I didn't! Alice is lying! I'm already dead! How could I have hit her!"

But my voice passed through the air and through every one of them.

No one could hear me.

My mother comforted Alice, her face livid with anger.

"Just now I was worried about her. I was afraid something had happened to her. And this is what she does? Coming out and hitting people!

"Grace, you seem to be doing just fine!"

My father's expression hardened. He kicked the bedroom door hard.

The bookshelf braced against the door shuddered and shifted slightly.

"Grace, it seems we really have spoiled you."

I floated in front of my father, frantically waving my arms and stamping my feet as tears streamed down my face.

"I didn't... I never said any of that... Dad, Mom, I've always loved you..."

But my father only closed his eyes for a moment, then gently wiped Alice's tears.

"Alice, don't cry.

"I brought berries back from the southern border. Let's go have some. Forget about your sister."

Alice sniffled, tears still clinging to her lashes, but the corners of her lips curved upward.

Obedient as could be, she linked one arm through my father's and took my mother's hand with the other.

"Dad, Mom, having you with me makes me so happy."

I drifted behind them into the living room.

On the table sat a plate of berries.

My father had brought them back just for me. I had been looking forward to them for so long.

Alice picked up a berry and offered it to my mother.

"Try one, Mom. They're so sweet."

My mother took it but didn't put it in her mouth for a long time.

No matter what she said about being done with me, her eyes kept drifting toward my bedroom door.

My father sighed and carried the plate of berries to my door.

"Grace, stop this. Come out and apologize to Alice, and we can go back to the way things were."

I wanted so badly to open that door and throw myself into his arms.

But I was dead. The dead can't answer.

My father waited one minute. Two minutes. Three minutes.

He finally sighed, straightened up, and turned to walk away.

My mother snapped. She stormed over and kicked the plate, sending berries scattering across the floor.

"If she won't eat, let her starve in there! She's not my only daughter!

"Craig, starting today, you are not to bring her anything. Not a single thing!"

My spirit wouldn't stop trembling.

Right... at least you still have Alice.

Maybe when you finally find out I'm dead, it won't hurt as much.

Just then, the communication crystal in the living room lit up.

It was Elias Morin, the grand elder of Blackrock Pack and its liaison with outside academies.

My mother quickly put on a pleasant face.

"Elder Morin, Alice's application has been submitted. Don't worry."

But Grand Elder Morin had a more urgent question.

"We can discuss Alice later... Where is Grace? Which academy did she end up choosing?"