Hua Jing watched as Hua Ling rummaged through her bag, her delicate fingers deliberately slow as if to prolong the moment.
"It's a little gift," Hua Ling said with a sinister smile, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "Something I've been keeping just for you."
Hua Jing's spirit tensed, her heart pounding even though she didn't know why. She craned her neck, straining to see what Hua Ling was pulling out.
Hua Ling's hand emerged, holding a neat stack of papers. With a dramatic flourish, she waved them in front of the still, broken body on the bed—her body.
"Guess what I have in my hands?" Hua Ling asked, her voice light, almost sing-song.
Hua Jing stepped closer, her translucent form gliding across the room. She leaned over Hua Ling's shoulder to catch a glimpse of the document.
Her entire body froze in shock!
Blue Entertainment.
The bold, unmistakable logo sat proudly at the top of the page. Beneath it, her eyes scanned the words Lifetime Contract. She blinked rapidly, her mind racing, trying to process what she was seeing.
She read it again. And again. Her name wasn't there.
It wasn't her contract!
The name at the bottom, signed in neat, practiced handwriting, was Hua Ling!
Hua Jing's world tilted. Her mind scrambled to make sense of it. This must be a mistake, she thought. This was supposed to be mine.
So, what was it doing in Hua Ling's hands?
Before her accident, the executives at Blue Entertainment had told her about the lifetime contract they were offering her.
It was everything she had worked for—guaranteed promotion, endorsements, prestige.
She wouldn't have to struggle for opportunities anymore. Her career would be secure, her legacy immortalized.
So why… why was Hua Ling holding it?
As if on cue, Hua Ling began to speak, her tone dripping with smug satisfaction.
"Oh, sister," she began, her voice low and mocking. "You should have seen how quickly they came running to me. The moment news of your accident spread, the executives called me right away. 'Hua Ling,' they said, 'you're the perfect person to take Hua Jing's place.'"
Hua Jing felt her chest tighten, her spiritual form trembling as Hua Ling continued her cruel monologue.
"They couldn't afford to wait for you to recover, obviously," Hua Ling said with a laugh. "I mean, look at you!" She gestured to the broken body on the bed. "You're practically dead! What use are you to them like this?"
She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "They didn't even hesitate, you know. The moment they saw me, they handed me the contract." Hua Ling's lips curled into a grin. "It's almost as if you never existed."
Hua Jing's heart pounded painfully, the ache so intense she thought she might shatter.
Hua Ling flipped through the contract casually, her fingers brushing over the pages as if savoring her victory. "With this," she said, holding it up triumphantly, "I have everything you ever wanted. Fame, fortune, success—it's all mine now."
Hua Jing clenched her fists, her invisible form trembling with rage.
"Oh, but wait," Hua Ling said suddenly, as if remembering something. She straightened, her expression turning mockingly innocent. "There's something else I wanted to share with you."
She reached out her left hand and wiggled her fingers in front of Hua Jing's bandaged face. A delicate diamond ring sparkled on her finger, catching the sterile light of the hospital room.
"Guess who proposed?" Hua Ling said, her voice lilting with false cheer.
Hua Jing's spirit froze again, her breath catching in her throat.
"It's Xu Ming," Hua Ling whispered, her grin widening. "Your precious Xu Ming. The man you loved for so many years. The man you thought would always be yours."
Her voice turned mocking, laced with cruelty. "He didn't wait long, you know. The moment you were out of the picture, he came running to me. He's mine now, sister. Completely mine."
Hua Jing felt as though she had been punched in the chest. Her heart ached, the pain so intense it felt as if it might tear her apart.
"And the best part?" Hua Ling continued, leaning in close. "He doesn't even mention you anymore. It's as if you've been erased from his memory. Isn't that sad?"
She straightened, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeves, her smile turning venomous. "Everything you had is mine now. Your fame, your family, your love. I've taken it all."
Hua Jing's chest burned with a mixture of rage and despair. She had always known Hua Ling was cruel, but this… this was monstrous.
Her heart thudded painfully, the sound echoing in her ears. The machines monitoring her body began to beep erratically, the rhythm turning frantic.
Hua Ling's eyes widened in mock surprise. She leaned closer, peering at Hua Jing's face.
"Oh?" she said, her tone gleeful. "Are you finally dying? Tell me, Hua Jing—are you finally giving up?"
Her voice grew louder, more frantic. "Die already!" she hissed, her eyes wild. "Just die! You've been a thorn in my side for far too long!"
The beeping of the monitors grew louder, faster.
The door burst open, and nurses rushed in, their faces tight with urgency.
"Miss, you need to step out," one nurse said firmly, grabbing Hua Ling by the arm.
Hua Ling gasped, her tearful act returning in an instant. "Oh, no! What's happening? Please, save her!" she cried, her voice trembling with fake emotion.
The nurses ignored her as they surrounded the bed, their voices clipped and urgent.
"She's destabilizing!" one nurse said.
"Prepare the crash cart," another ordered.
Hua Jing, still in spirit form, stood frozen in place, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. The pain in her chest had reached an unbearable level, and yet… something else was happening.
Her spirit felt lighter, as though it were being pulled upward. She looked down at her translucent hands, confusion flickering across her face.
"What's happening to me?" she whispered.
Her heart thumped louder and louder as everything became fainter.
She struggled to see what was happening but everything felt pitch black once more.
The last thing she saw was Hua Ling's smug face as she looked at everything going on!
I am going to kill her!
Hua Jing thought before she sank into darkness.
She suddenly looked around and only saw darkness. Her goosebumps rose,
"Where am I?"