Chapter 2 The Betrayal

A moment later, the doors opened again. Two nurses carefully pushed out a stretcher. The figure on it was completely covered with a white sheet, faintly stained with blood.

The sight alone was enough to chill anyone to the bone.

Hyera's soul followed quietly, watching as her lifeless body was wheeled down the hallway-away from the chaos of the OR and into a private room just a few doors down.

As they passed the waiting area, she spotted someone standing there.

Her father. Hans Sterling.

He was wiping tears from the corners of his eyes, his shoulders trembling with barely contained grief. Slowly, he grabbed the armrest of the chair beside him and pushed himself to his feet. His legs looked unsteady-like they could give out at any second-as he stumbled toward the room where his daughter now lay.

"Dad..." Hyera choked out, running to his side. "Dad, I'm here!"

She waved frantically in front of him, shouting louder, desperate for him to hear.

But he didn't flinch. Didn't blink. He walked right past her, eyes fixed on the door ahead-on the body that used to be hers.

"Please... look at me..." Hyera whispered, her voice cracking. "Why can't you see me?"

Suddenly-

"Hans! Hans-how is Hyera?! Is she okay?!"

The hospital room door suddenly burst open.

Kehlani rushed in first, her heels clacking loudly against the cold tile floor. Silvia followed close behind, her face pale and tight with fear.

"Hans," Kehlani gasped. "Where is she? What did the doctor say?"

But Hans didn't answer right away.

He reached into the pocket of his coat with trembling fingers, pulled out a battered cigarette pack, and lit one with a flick of his lighter.

The flame wavered-just like him.

He sank heavily into the leather sofa in the VIP room, taking a long drag. Smoke curled from his lips, unfurling into the sterile hospital air like a ghost.

The bitter scent of tobacco quickly filled the room.

Kehlani coughed, waving a hand in front of her face. Her eyes stung with smoke.

Silvia stood frozen near the doorway, clutching her purse so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Then-

A cold glint flashed across Hans's eyes. He leaned forward and slammed the cigarette into the ashtray, grinding it out with shaking fingers. His composure cracked, and for a second, he looked like a man completely undone.

Tears welled in his eyes and spilled down his cheeks.

"They said..." he choked out, his voice low and broken. "They said we were too late. The doctors tried... they did everything they could. But she's gone."

Silence fell.

"No..." Kehlani whispered, her hand flying to her mouth. "No, that can't be..."

Silvia's lips parted, but no words came out. Her breath caught in her throat.

Standing beside the hospital bed, Hyera's soul stared at her father in disbelief.

Gone?

Her chest tightened. Her eyes widened in pure shock. She stepped closer, her voice rising in desperation.

"Dad! I'm here! I'm right here!"

But no one turned. No one heard.

Her lips trembled.

Her hands hovered in the air like she could still touch them, still reach them, still make them see.

Tears rolled down her cheeks, mirroring the ones that stained her father's face.

Why can't anyone hear me...?

Hyera's heart pounded wildly. She lay helplessly on her hospital bed-on her own lifeless body-struggling to force herself up.

But nothing moved.

No... No!

She clenched her teeth, straining with every ounce of willpower, but her limbs were heavy, frozen-as if they no longer belonged to her. Her body had become a prison she couldn't escape.

Her father's voice echoed in her mind like a cruel nightmare.

"She's gone."

Her eyes flew open in horror. She slapped her hands over her ears and screamed into the room:

"Dad! Dad-Auntie! Please, get the doctor! I'm not dead! I'm still alive! Please-someone, call the doctor!"

But no one heard.

No one even blinked.

Hyera's voice cracked as she cried louder, panic overtaking her.

"Dad! Auntie! Silvia, please-I'm here! I don't want to die! I'm begging you... I'm begging you... I'll do anything you want, just save me-please!"

Kehlani stood near the bed, her face caked in thick layers of makeup. Her lips curled into a sinister sneer as she stared at the white sheet covering Hyera's body.

"So, she's finally dead, huh?"

The words were cold. Merciless.

Hyera's head snapped toward her, stunned.

What...?

This wasn't the Kehlani she knew. In her memory, the woman had always been kind, graceful, nurturing-a picture-perfect stepmother. She had never once shown a side like this.

Now, all that warmth was gone, replaced by cruelty she didn't even know existed. Hyera froze in disbelief.

Silvia, standing behind her mother, glanced nervously toward the door, which hadn't yet closed fully. She hurried over, peeked out into the hallway, then shut the door and locked it.

She turned back and met her mother's eyes.

They shared a silent, wicked grin.

Only now-once they were sure no one else was around-did they drop their fake concern and look at the body on the bed with cold amusement.

Silvia stepped closer.

"Hyera... you're finally gone. Do you have any idea how long I've waited for this day?"

She sneered, her voice dripping with venom. "God really doesn't disappoint the ones who try the hardest. You're dead now. And tell me-why? Why was everything always handed to you?"

"Why did you always get to stand above me? Why did the spotlight always follow you? Why was there never a place for me-no matter how hard I tried?!"

Silvia's voice cracked as she screamed at the lifeless figure under the sheet. Her face twisted with rage, and veins bulged visibly at her neck.

But then, something shifted in her expression.

Her anger melted into a cruel, triumphant smile.

"You know what though?" she said, her tone suddenly light, mocking. "It doesn't even matter anymore. You don't need to answer."

"Because you're dead. Gone. Forever erased from this world."

"Everything you ever owned... everything that ever belonged to you... it's mine now. Your past is finished, Hyera. And I, Silvia-I am the present. The one who matters now!"

***