Chapter 4

"I was going to give you a second chance, but seeing as you're so incorrigible, sign that in front of everyone!" Mom's gaze was sharp and unforgiving. "Sign the papers and get the hell out of the Jacobson residence!

"From now on, you'll have nothing to do with our family, whether you live or die. You could go around begging or die in a ditch somewhere for all we care!"

Lightning split the sky, followed by the crack of thunder. The sky began to pour again.

I stared at the agreement as pain crept into my chest. I'd stopped holding out for Mom's love over the last few years, but why did I still feel as if my heart would shatter?

Perhaps I should've died seven years ago.

I picked the pen off the ground and signed my name on the agreement. Before leaving, I fetched the misshapen lucky amulet from the floor and leveled a long, hard look at Mom. Her face was contorted with anger, but she was still beautiful, courtesy of her immaculate skincare.

"Mom," I called out softly. "This is the last time I'll call you that. I'll get out of your hair for good and never bother you or your family again."

Mom froze, probably taken aback by the deep sorrow etched across my face. She fished out 200 dollars and tossed it on the floor. "Here's your pay for today. Take the money and leave!"

I limped out of the villa, the sheets of rain obscuring my miserable silhouette. This time, I didn't turn back.

From a distance, I heard something like a snort from Mom. "Go ahead, and keep pretending! Let's see how long you can keep up the act! Keep being stubborn, if you're so capable!"

…

A few days passed. Mom even put out a warning to the entire city—anyone who dared to give me work or take me in was an enemy of the Jacobsons. Even so, she didn't get a phone call from me offering an apology.

Mom was annoyed and inexplicably worried.

Meanwhile, I was hovering above her, watching her. In truth, I'd died in an alleyway on the night of the thunderstorm.

It had been freezing that night, but I passed away peacefully, for I was still gripping the 200 dollars and the misshapen lucky amulet when my eyes closed. I had thought that I could sleep through the night, then replace my prosthetic socket with one that didn't rub my stump raw the next day.

When my eyes opened again, my body felt weightless, and my leg had stopped hurting.

I hovered in mid-air and watched as the police took my corpse away. It didn't take long for them to determine my identity and cause of death.

Almost immediately, I saw the police pull up a contact in my phone labeled "Mom" and call the number. A strange force drew me to the Jacobson residence after that.

I saw Mom frown when she glanced at the caller ID and saw my name. I thought, "Were you worried I'd embarrassed you again outside, Mom? You shouldn't be. I'd never embarrass you again, for I'd died outside, just as you wished."

She answered the phone call and snapped, "Pretty bold of you to call me, Ethan."

The police officer on the other end of the line sighed. "Our condolences to you, ma'am. Your son, Ethan Jacobson, died last night at 8:00 pm. Please come down to the station to claim his body."

I saw Mom go still, the hand gripping her phone trembling slightly.