“If I was the one who poisoned everyone, then why are you all still alive? Why was I the only one who died?”
At my words, Robert Evans froze for a moment, instinctively avoiding my gaze.
“If you all insist you did nothing wrong, then agree to the trial!”
The Court of the Afterlife required both sides to consent; if either refused, it couldn’t proceed.
“Fine, we agree,” Robert said.
“We have nothing to hide. Just don’t regret it later.”
At that moment, my brother-in-law Daniel Carter finally stepped forward, stirring excitement among the crowd.
“We support you.”
“Let the trial begin—make this woman regret everything until her last breath…”
Under the voice of the people, Judge Williams invoked his authority and summoned the first memory.
A shimmering curtain of water opened before everyone’s eyes, displaying memories from both me and Emily Evans.
The first scene: the whole family gathered around the dinner table.
It was the day after Emily had just married Daniel.
Beneath the table, my foot deliberately brushed against Daniel’s.
At first, Daniel thought it was Emily, and he smiled at her meaningfully.
But seeing Emily’s puzzled expression, he realized something was wrong.
He shot up from his chair and quickly pulled me aside.
“Sophia, whether you meant it or not, let me make myself clear—I only love your sister. Please have some self-respect.”
Embarrassed as I was, I didn’t give up.
When Emily wasn’t home, I slipped into her lace nightgown and lay down on their marriage bed.
Daniel was shocked, then threw me out without hesitation.
The very next day, he told Emily everything.
The crowd erupted in applause for Daniel.
“What a man—resisting temptation. A model for all husbands.”
Their praise for him turned into condemnation for me.
“So young, yet already trying to seduce your brother-in-law. Shameless!”
Just as Daniel lifted his head proudly, the water curtain shifted to another scene.
High school.
I was throwing a tantrum, furious because a wealthy classmate had a walk-in closet, and I demanded one too.
Linda Evans, embarrassed, tried to calm me down. But I raged, smashing everything in the house, threatening to run away if they didn’t give in.
In the end, it was Emily who stepped forward and sacrificed her own bedroom, turning it into my closet. For the next ten years, she slept on a hard, narrow sofa.
The timeline pulled us further back.
Elementary and middle school.
Our family wasn’t poor, but we weren’t wealthy either. We could afford a cake, but it wasn’t essential.
Emily and I were born on the same day. Knowing I was prone to tantrums, Linda wrote only my name on the cake and candles, even sang the birthday song using only my name.
Emily’s existence was only acknowledged when they added a casual “Happy birthday, Emily” after I had blown out the candles.
The audience erupted.
“Favoritism? Isn’t it obvious your mother’s favoritism was for you? You greedy, ungrateful brat!”
The water shifted one last time, showing my final days.
Because Daniel had rejected me, I was angry and humiliated.
I went out drinking, mixing with strangers every night.
During that time, I seduced a married man.
After just one night, his wife caught us, chasing me down and beating me until I was bruised all over.
And yet, I blamed Emily for it all.
That very evening, I laced the water kettle with rat poison.
I had intended to kill Emily—but the whole family drank from it by mistake.
At that moment, Linda broke down in grief, throwing herself in front of the water curtain, trying to block the memories from being seen.
