hate

My brother, Mark, always hated me. He once told me he wished I were dead.

So, as if granting his wish, I got stomach cancer.

He regretted it.

But I still died.

Smiling, right in front of him.

1

Mark's call came just as I got home. The diagnosis in my bag was crumpled into a ball. He never called me first.

"Dad's birthday was the day before yesterday," his voice was cold, like ice. Always like ice.

"Why didn't you come…?"

"Because I didn't want to," I cut him off. "You went, didn't you?"

"Lisa was here from out of state earlier this month." Lisa, our cousin, had lived with us since she was a kid.

"She was there, wasn't she? It's not like you only see her as a cousin anyway."

He snapped, hissing my name, "Amy!"

I hung up.

The last rays of sunset fell into the room. I sat at the table, tearing the diagnosis into tiny pieces. As the confetti of paper settled, my phone lit up.

Mark: Mom's death anniversary is coming up.

2

Mark is my older brother. He always resented me. Because I was the reason his mom died.

Over two decades ago, Mom had complications during childbirth. I was born, and she died on the operating table.

It felt like murder, disguised as a birth.

No one welcomed me. Because of me, Dad lost his wife. And Mark lost his mother.

This enduring hatred started the moment I was born and continued to this very day.

I didn't intentionally miss Dad's birthday. That day, the stomach pain was so intense I almost passed out. That's when I suspected something was seriously wrong. But honestly, he was probably happier I wasn't there.

3

Mark didn't contact me again. I took a deep breath as I stood outside the office building. After graduation, I joined his company. Worked my way up from the bottom, and no one ever knew we were related. I saw him less than he saw most of the staff.

A senior executive had resigned last week, and the replacement was to be announced this Monday. Everyone said the position was mine. At least, before the diagnosis, I thought so too.

I bumped into a colleague in the hallway. She greeted me, then grinned. "Amy, don't forget to treat us to dinner when you get promoted!"

I smiled faintly. "It's not a sure thing yet."

"It's yours, for sure," she linked her arm with mine. "You're the best out of everyone."

Mark was already in the conference room when I walked in. Our eyes met for a fleeting moment, then we looked away like strangers.

"Morning, Mark."

He nodded without looking at me. Indifferent, as if our argument the other night never happened.

The conference room filled up. Mark cleared his throat, and my colleague winked at me. I looked down.

The next second, I heard a familiar name.

"Lisa Miller."

A familiar figure walked in, slender and graceful, Lisa's smile as gentle as ever. Mark stood beside her, introducing her to everyone. "Ms. Miller just got back from overseas and will be taking over the Associate Manager position."

A few people glanced at me. I looked away, towards Lisa's beaming fac...