Chapter 1: The Son They Chose to Lose

In the final three minutes of my life, my soul drifted quietly beside my mother's hospital bed.

She was sitting beside my younger brother Felix Goodman, holding his hand as though he were the most precious person in the world.

"Felix, please don't scare me like this," she whispered.

"Wake up, okay?"

My father stood nearby, his face twisted with anger.

"If Sean had done his job and protected Felix, none of this would've happened," he snarled.

"Just wait until I find him. I'm going to make him pay."

I stood only a few feet away.

No one could see me.

No one could hear me.

I looked down at myself and let out a bitter laugh.

"Dad, you don't have to worry."

"I'm already dying."

Neither of them reacted.

Of course they didn't.

I had spent my entire life being invisible to them.

Even now, at the end of it, my family was focused on Felix.

Doctors crowded around his hospital bed.

One of the senior physicians finally glanced toward the hallway.

"Ms. Blanchard," he said carefully, "are you certain we shouldn't examine Sean? His injuries from the accident appear much more serious."

My mother's expression immediately changed.

The worry in her eyes disappeared and was replaced by disgust.

"What is he trying to pull now?" she snapped.

"Is he pretending to be dying just to get everyone's attention?"

My soul froze.

Even after death had begun taking me apart, her words still hurt.

I had always known she favored Felix.

But somewhere deep inside, I had foolishly believed that if I were ever truly in danger, she would save me.

I had been wrong.

A nurse rushed over with my phone.

Mom grabbed it and called my number.

The nurse answered and placed the phone beside my ear.

Then I heard my mother's voice.

"Sean Goodman, when are you going to stop this nonsense and apologize to your brother?"

My heart had already stopped.

Yet somehow, hearing those words made my chest ache all over again.

"Mom..."

I whispered, though she couldn't hear me.

"I'm really dying."

"Do you have to fight for attention even at a time like this?" she continued.

"Your brother nearly injured a bone because of you."

She hung up.

The nurse looked devastated.

"Ms. Blanchard, Sean really needs immediate treatment."

My mother laughed coldly.

"How much did that brat pay you to act along with him?"

"I can't believe he'd go this far just to make himself look like the victim."

I closed my eyes.

There was nothing left to hope for.

Suddenly, Felix moved.

His eyelashes trembled before his eyes slowly opened.

"Mom... Dad..." he whispered weakly.

"How's Sean?"

My parents immediately leaned toward him.

"Felix, don't worry about him," Mom said gently.

"You're the one who was hurt."

Felix lowered his eyes as though he were worried about me.

"But he's my brother."

"I'm fine," he continued softly.

"Please don't be angry with Sean."

I almost laughed.

Felix wasn't unconscious at all.

He had been pretending.

He knew exactly what was happening.

And he knew my parents would believe every word he said.

"Sean has always hated me," Felix whispered.

"Maybe he's still angry that I received the overseas scholarship instead of him."

My father immediately clenched his fists.

"That explains everything."

I stared at Felix.

How had I never seen through him?

For years, I had protected him.

Shared things with him.

Defended him whenever our parents blamed him for something.

And this was how he repaid me.

The doctors kept working around Felix.

No one came for me.

No one checked my pulse.

No one realized that I was running out of time.

My body lay somewhere down the hall, surrounded by blood and broken glass.

I remembered the accident.

The sudden impact.

The crushing pain in my chest.

The desperate struggle to breathe.

I remembered begging the first nurse who reached me.

"Please call my mother."

"She can save me."

She was the director of the hospital.

I had believed that would be enough.

It wasn't.

When they brought me into the emergency department, I had seen my mother.

"Mom!"

"Please help me!"

She had looked at me once.

Then she turned toward Felix's bed.

"Take care of him first."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"But I'm bleeding..."

She frowned.

"Can't you stop fighting for attention for once?"

"Your brother nearly injured a bone."

Then she walked away.

She took the entire team of available doctors with her.

And left me behind.

I had watched them disappear around the corner.

That was the moment I understood.

I was never going to be the son they chose.

My vision faded again.

The monitors around my real body began sounding rapidly.

A nurse shouted for help.

"His blood pressure is crashing!"

"We need an operating room immediately!"

But the operating room was occupied by the doctors treating Felix.

There were no available surgeons left.

By the time someone finally reached me...

It was too late.

My soul drifted farther away from my body.

I looked back one final time.

My mother was still holding Felix's hand.

My father was still blaming me.

And Felix was still pretending to be innocent.

No one knew I was gone.

No one knew their son had died alone.

No one knew I had spent my final moments hoping my mother would finally choose me.

Then everything became silent.

My life ended there.

But the real nightmare for my family...

Was only beginning.

Because soon they would learn the truth.

And when the news of my death finally reached them...

The mother who had always hated me would completely lose her mind.