Sara felt pain all over her body. She felt hands gently raising her and putting her on something flat and hard. Ow! It just poked her butt!
She could hear people crying, sirens wailing, the sound of an ambulance approaching, even messy footsteps. Someone was crying near her ears, begging her not to die...
The sounds were too much for Sara and she lost consciousness.
When she next woke up, it was to the sound of someone crying and insisting it was a mistake. Her body felt heavy and her head was ringing. Her eyes felt hard to move and her fingers were stiff. What's going on? Wasn't she supposed to be a soul? Her heart was beating rapidly and she could hear the beeping of different machines all around her. Her body hurt all over, her ears were aching and mostly especially, who was that banshee who was screaming next to her ears?!
"Mum, dad, I really didn't mean to! I just wanted to free myself from sister's hold and yet, yet... Sob!"
"It's okay, it's alright." Different voices comforted her, but still she kept wailing, causing Sara's head to ache harder.
"I'm not dead yet, why are you crying so much? You either shut up or I'll kill you!" Sara said. Her voice was hoarse but still carried a threat so powerful that everywhere went silent.
The room mercifully went quiet and Sara drifted off to sleep.
The next time Sara woke, she felt weightless. No, no, no! Where was the pain? Come back!!!
The Host was awake and Sara immediately complained to her. "I told you to get rid of that white lotus, but you just had to waver! On that note the white lotus is far better than you! At least she's smart and decisive!"
The Host didn't reply. Her state was tranquil. Sara frowned. "Are you dead?"
The Host didn't move. Sara lost her punching bag and sighed. She left the Host's body and sat watching the door. Drama come, drama come, this queen is bored!
As if heeding her words, the door opened and the Host's parents appeared alongside the three brothers and the white lotus.
"Yes, yes drama!" Sara was excited.
Derek walked over to the bed and frowned as he looked at the Host. "How do you feel?"
The Host turned over.
"That is the attitude girl!" Sara cheered her on.
Derek furrowed his brows impatiently. "Do you still feel pain anywhere? Luckily you didn't break anything when you fell and you only need to apply ointments on your bruises. How do you feel now?"
The Host refused to say a thing.
Suddenly Tara pounced forward and 'whispered', "Dad, do you think sis has heard the rumours about her birth? Is that why she's reluctant to face us? She might worry she'll be mocked if she goes outside, so she doesn't want to leave. Dad, understand sis!"
With that, the family was pulled out by Tara.
"Rumours?" Sara turned to the host. "We need to go and hear about those rumours. Say, that white lotus said it quite confidently and even mentioned your birth. No!" Sara slapped the hand of the chair she was sitting on. "Don't tell me they aren't even your real parents!"
The Host trembled fiercely. Sara looked at her in disgust. "Just that small push from the stairs and you've been turned into a vegetable?"
Host:???
She expressed that she was very tired of this voice in her head.
Under Sara's instigation, the Host went out and strolled around the hospital. As the daughter of the Zhens and with her high profile life, she was well known. As she walked she could hear people muttering.
"She's the one..."
"Fake daughter..."
"How can she be so arrogant now? Hehe..."
Unable to bear it, the Host snatched a phone from a lady.
"Hey, hey!" The lady yelled and tried to grab her phone but the host had already seen the news.
'THE SECRETS OF THE ZHENS!'
'FAKE DAUGHTER AND REAL DAUGHTER; THE TRUE HEIRESS!'
'MYSTERY REVEALED; THE FAKE IS EXPOSED!'
The posts revealed how the Host's mother was just a servant who had switched her baby with the madam's twins and even lied that one had died to cover up her crimes. It was unknown who the babies had been sold to but they had found one of the twins now which was Tara. Now the family was searching for the second sister. The Host's picture was fully displayed in the post. The Host checked the comment section and all of them were attacking her, calling her the chicken occupying the phoenix nest.
"Pfft. Such crappy headlines!" Sara laughed. "Turns out, you're just a fake daughter!" Sara floated. This drama just seemed to be getting more and more good! The only regret Sara had was that she didn't have her own body. She could have added to the chaos!
The Host didn't reply and was about to hand the phone to the owner when another link popped up. She clicked on it.
'THE DIRTY DEEDS OF THE ZHEN'S FAKE DAUGHTER'
The post 'exposed' everything that the host had 'done' to the real daughter and how filthy she really was.
"Well, this is a lot of charges." Sara laughed.
The Host didn't say anything and returned the phone to the lady. She then went back to the hospital and laid in bed.
Sara felt uneasy. "What's wrong with you? You're so silent, it's boring. I hate when it's boring."
The host flipped over.
The afternoon passed quietly. At night the host ate her dinner and then after the nurse left, slipped her feet into her slippers and headed to the elevator. She pressed the button for the roof top.
"What are you going up to do?" Sara was curious.
The host didn't reply until she was on the rooftop. She approached the edge and looked down at the rushing cars below.
"Kill myself."
Sara went silent.
"I'm tired of the pain. I can't bear it anymore. I just want to end it all." She cried. "What did I do wrong? My parents, my brothers, my fiance, my reputation... None of those were even mine to begin with! I can't even fight for it anymore! What's the essence of living then? At least, this way, if I die...Then maybe at least, they will still remember me with a bit of fondness."
Her pretty brown eyes glistened with light and tears. A smile of freedom graced her lips.
"But I don't believe I'll die. Seeing you, I believe you're a person. I don't know how you entered my body but I believe you'll take over if I go right? You'll continue living as me. So I'll just ask you to take my grudges. Help me expose that white lotus. Help me win back my parents and brothers. And I'll leave this body to you."
Silence.
The Host was astounded. "Voice? Voice? Are you still there?"
"I am." Sara said impatiently. "I've been waiting for you. Why are you so long-winded? Why aren't you dying yet?"
Host: (｡ŏ﹏ŏ) Even the voice in my head wants me dead!
She took a deep breath. "Do you promise me?"
"Yes, yes, promise." Sara waved indifferently. "Now go ahead and die. I can't wait to feel like a living person again!"
"Okay." The Host stepped on the ledge.
"Wait!" Sara was suddenly panicked. "How do you want to die?"
"By jumping of course."
"You sneaky animal! Do you want me to take over a deformed and mutilated body?"
The host grinned. It was the first time the voice was flustered. "I don't know. Maybe your luck will be good."
"Good luck? Don't put me and that lady together. She's my worst enemy. Anyway, you can use poison, it's an easier method. Or, anything else I don't know but don't jum.... AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The host launched herself from the roof.