บททั้งหมดของ After Death, I Gave Up: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

"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

I pulled out a blank sheet of paper and began sketching a new jewelry design.Once I'd mapped out the structure and materials, my pencil started moving almost on its own.I didn't know how long I'd been at it when I finally looked down.A delicate ring had taken shape on the page, its band made of fine strands of rose gold, gently intertwined. A platinum violet bloomed at the center, set with a rare purple gem that gave off an air of mystery and quiet luxury.I named it "Violet's Kiss."Suddenly, a voice rang out from across the office. "Wow! Melody's got another new design, and it's gorgeous!"My brows furrowed. A new design?"Oh my gosh, this is stunning!""Charlotte, your sister's so talented. I'm jealous!"One after another, their voices filled the room with admiration.Everyone was holding their phones. I picked up mine and opened my social media app.Right at the top of my feed was Melody's latest post. 'I'll keep working hard to create even more beautiful designs for

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

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

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