All Chapters of Love by Lottery: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

"Mom!"I rushed toward her in excitement, but Mom walked straight through my body and kept going.Only then did I realize that I could no longer touch her.I followed behind her and carefully voiced what I wanted to say. She couldn’t hear me, and she hadn’t come back out of concern for me.She had forgotten to take the car keys.When her gaze fell on the bedroom door, I panicked like a child who had done something wrong and hurried to explain, "I didn’t mean to die. I also dirtied the house. I’m sorry, Mom. I will—"My voice fell, crestfallen. "I can’t help clean anymore. I… I’m already dead…"Mom stopped at the bedroom door. Her tone was casual, almost careless. "So you don’t even come out to greet me now that I’m back? You’ve really grown up. Got a temper too, even daring to give me the cold shoulder."Then she added flatly, "But let me tell you, sulking is useless. You were unlucky and drew the short stick. You can’t blame anyone else for that."When I still didn’t open the

The lottery box had been knocked over and had fallen to the ground.Inside, there were no long sticks at all. So it turned out that Mom and Dad never loved me.Just like Grandma had said, they only used the lottery as a shield, putting on a show of fairness while secretly doting on Asher.I started to feel cold even though I had already become a ghost.Because they thought I was sulking in my room, after Mom and Dad came back from the hospital, they began treating me like I was invisible. They no longer set out a bowl for me at mealtimes or called me to draw lots.Instead, they indulged Asher without restraint. It was as if I had never existed in this house.The neighbors started to feel that something was amiss and came knocking."Elena Vale, our window is right next to the window of Silas’s room. Don’t you smell it? There’s a stench. It smells like something rotting. And Silas hasn’t gone out these past few days. He hasn’t even gone to school."Mom was preparing a crab for Ash

The stray cat, Snowy, suddenly appeared beside me. I was surprised to realize that it, too, had become a soul."Asher held a grudge against me for scratching him, so he beat me to death with a stick."I had just been happy that it could talk. After hearing that, though, I couldn’t smile anymore."I’m sorry...""It’s fine. Stray cats don’t live long anyway. Following you, I can go find your grandma. She was a good person. She even fed me tasty chicken breast."I wanted to go find Grandma, too, but I couldn’t leave this house at all.Asher was still crying his heart out. Truthfully, a small part of me felt satisfied. I guess I was a bad kid too.The autopsy was completed. It was confirmed that the body was indeed mine, Silas Vale. I had no external injuries, and only my fingerprints were found on the short stick embedded in my neck. So Mom and Dad were released without charge.They returned home in silence. Like walking corpses, they sat down on the sofa, staring blankly for near

Dad was afraid Mom would strangle Asher again, so he carried Asher away.The house fell into chaos.Only then did Mom realize that in the past, whenever the floor was dirty, I would quietly sweep it up. Asher wouldn’t.Even without drawing lots, I did the housework. I helped her shoulder the burden. I loved her quietly, without asking for anything."In this house, it's only you," she sobbed. "Your father goes to work, comes home, drinks, and plays cards. Asher only knows how to play games and eat."Mom collapsed onto my body and cried until her voice broke. "Only you helped me the moment you got home from school. Only you were willing to help me."My son. My little Silas. I was wrong. I know I was wrong."Mom bought me a large coffin. She personally painted a little bear on it, the one I liked most. The coffin lid was painted teal and decorated with toys. It looked beautiful and expensive.I happily drifted inside and lay down, smugly sharing it with Snowy."Snowy, look. My le