After I Died, My Brother Cried Until His Eyes Turned Red

After three days of relentless efforts, Tristan finally found my body, but the sight was unbearable. My nose and mouth were clogged with soil, and the first signs of decay had already set in. Overcome with grief, Tristan collapsed beside my corpse, his hands trembling as he tenderly cleared away the dirt. His movements were slow, as though he feared even the gentlest touch might cause me to vanish completely.

I heard Tristan’s choked voice calling my name, his sorrow palpable. “Aliyah… Why did you try to please them? They owe you, not the other way around!”

"I wished I stopped you from going..." he sobbed.

The rescue team quickly notified Lauren, who arrived almost immediately. Her face turned pale at the sight of my decayed body, and she nearly retched from the stench and horror. Paul, her husband, gently patted her back, trying to shield her from the painful reality.

“Don’t look, honey. She’s gone. Let’s just find a cemetery and lay her to rest,” Paul said softly, though his tone was cold.

Lauren nodded, her face carefully controlled, hiding any hint of guilt. After all, she had been the one who insisted that I join the ill-fated expedition in the first place.

Madilyn and I had been competing for a spot in a physics competition. For me, winning first place meant securing admission to a prestigious university, a dream I had worked tirelessly towards. My academic record, especially in science, was outstanding, while Madilyn’s performance was just above average. Even without me stepping aside, she had no chance of being selected.

But Lauren had other plans. She insisted that I compete under Madilyn’s name to ensure her daughter would get the spot. I firmly refused. This competition was too significant to me.

My professor had emphasized that my grades were among the best in the province and encouraged me to seize this rare opportunity that could open countless doors.

Then, with tears in her eyes, Madilyn clung to Lauren, playing the wounded sister. “She doesn’t want me to succeed,” she sobbed. “If she won’t help me, I’ll leave and go back to the Smith family.”

Enraged, Lauren slapped me hard across the face. The sting echoed in my ears, reviving painful memories of my time with the Smith family. When I looked up, Lauren’s voice cut through the haze, cold and seething.

“You ungrateful brat,” Lauren spat. “Maddy is your sister. You should be grateful she can take your spot.”

Grateful? My heart sank. Grateful for what—being used again? It was painfully clear—my biological family was no different from the Smiths. They saw me as nothing more than a tool to exploit.

I had sacrificed so much since childhood, always giving in, always compromising. But this time, my future was at stake. For the first time, I stood up to my biological mother.

“Give me back my ID and household registration,” I said, my voice steady but resolute. “I’m leaving.”

Lauren’s face went pale, not from fear of losing me but from the thought of losing the attention and prestige my accomplishments had brought them.

“Aliyah,” Lauren’s voice softened as she approached, her eyes brimming with false tears. “If you hadn’t upset me, I wouldn’t have reacted this way.”

I stared at her, feeling numb. Upset her? I was just trying to protect what was mine. How could that be upsetting?

I realized Lauren had never seen me as a daughter, never cared for me beyond what I could provide. Despite our blood ties, I had always been an outsider in my own home.

When Adrian arrived, he immediately sensed the tension and instinctively blamed me for being unreasonable.

My head buzzed, my thoughts spinning, but I didn’t respond. My silence only fueled Adrian’s anger. Without warning, he shoved me hard, sending me crashing into the corner of a table. A sharp pain shot through my back, and a cold sweat broke out on my skin.

“Maddy just wanted something from you, but you’re acting like a spoiled brat, threatening to leave. Tsk. You’re nothing but a miserly pauper,” Adrian sneered, his words dripping with disdain.

Each word felt like a blow, eroding what was left of my resolve. All I wanted was to escape, to break free from the toxic grasp of the people I once considered family. But the upcoming competition loomed over me, and without my ID, I couldn’t even register.

Seeing my distress, Lauren finally relented, pulling me to my feet with a forced smile that lacked warmth. “Alright, let’s not bring this up again. Maddy just signed up for an expedition activity,” Lauren said. “Why don’t you accompany her? It’ll be good for both of you.”

Madilyn naturally invited me as a gesture of reconciliation, leaving me with no choice but to agree.

“Don’t come near her!”

Tristan’s sudden shout cut through my memories, dragging me back to the harsh reality.

“Leave Aliyah alone!” he yelled, blocking the Monticello family from approaching my lifeless body. “You’re not worthy to touch her!”

As I floated, watching the scene unfold, I was struck by the cold indifference of my family. Lauren’s shock and desperation were palpable as she tried to convince Adrian to come and persuade Tristan to hand over my body. Her voice was laced with urgency, and I could sense her fear of what this scandal might do to their reputation.

“Son, can you come here and convince Tristan to hand over Aliyah's corpse?” Lauren pleaded into her phone.

Adrian’s response was a harsh denial. “What? Aliyah is dead?