I was the real daughter who had been found and brought back.
On the day I was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer, I received calls from my entire family.
Robert Miller cursed at me:
“Bringing you back home was a mistake!”
Linda Miller sent a video tearing my face out of the family portrait:
“Don’t ever come back again!”
Daniel Miller shredded the rag doll that I had brought from the foster home.
He said, “Why isn’t it you who’s dying? It’s all your fault that Emily Carter tried to kill herself!”
I sighed and hung up the phone.
Then I emailed my cancer diagnosis report to the family group chat.
【As you wished, I really am about to die.】
...
After I sent the report, the group chat fell into an eerie silence.
Dr. James Wilson looked at me with pity and said:
“As long as you receive active treatment, it’s possible for you to live many more years. Talk to your family, I’m sure they’ll support you.”
I gave a bitter smile and asked him:
“Would you mind helping me record a video?”
He nodded, sat up straight, and solemnly explained my condition into my phone’s camera.
When the video was done, I softly thanked him.
With his encouraging gaze following me, I walked out.
My phone suddenly buzzed.
It was a message from the group chat.
【Robert: You’ve gotten bold, Sarah Miller? Now you’re forging medical records?】
【Linda: Don’t think this will make us soften. If anything happens to Emily, I’ll never forgive you!】
【Daniel: If you’re going to fake it, at least put in some effort. One piece of paper and you expect us to believe it?】
In response, I sent the video that Dr. Wilson had just recorded.
The group chat once again went silent.
I lifted my head and looked at the sky. The autumn sun was still blindingly bright.
But no matter how bright, it gave no warmth at all.
Just like my so-called family.
They always claimed to be my real family, but they never gave me love or warmth.
【Snow: I know you all want me dead, so I won’t be seeking treatment.】
【Snow: Just pretend I was never your daughter.】
My eyes burned with pain as I hit send.
Ding.
A new message came through seconds later.
【Emily: Sister, please don’t throw a tantrum… Mom, Dad, and Daniel really are worried about you.】
【Emily: You’re right—it’s me who stole your family. I’m the one who deserves to die.】
【Emily: I’m sorry… I’ll give them all back to you.】
Even through the screen, I could practically smell the fake sweetness in her words.
I typed back:
【Snow: Oh? When did I ever say that?】
【Snow: Anyway, I’m going to die soon. You can take care of my corpse, how about that?】
Our family wasn’t poor, but living this way felt meaningless.
As soon as I said that, another notification popped up.
【You have been removed from the group chat by Daniel Miller.】
Immediately afterward, Daniel’s furious messages poured in like firecrackers.
【You pulled this stunt just because you’re afraid we’d blame you, didn’t you?】
【Emily slashed her wrists! She still defended you, but what about you?!】
【You’re just jealous we celebrated her birthday without you, aren’t you?!】
【You’d die if you went a single day without playing victim, huh?】
A sudden stab of pain hit my chest.
I bit my lip and replied with a bitter smile:
【Oh, I can die. And I will soon enough.】
Emily—my so-called “sister,” born on the same day as me.
After I went missing at six years old, my parents adopted her as a way to console themselves.
Just because she shared my birthday, she became my “replacement.”
And for seven years, they treated her as if she were truly theirs.
