1 On New Year’s Eve, the police came for me. Outside, fireworks lit up the night sky. My father’s star protégé, Liam, had just posted online: “Thank you, Professor Redding. For choosing justice over family, for not shielding your own daughter.” I thought it was a joke. In the holding cell, bruised and desperate, I gripped the bars. “Dad, I didn’t push her. I was framed. You’re the best lawyer—can’t you defend me?” A cold voice came through the glass. “Aurora, you’re grown. Face what you’ve done. The victim is Liam’s mother.” My father spoke calmly, without warmth. “I am a leader in law. As my daughter, I cannot appear to favor you. If I defended you, what would people think?” He paused. “I’ve already agreed to serve as Liam’s counsel. I will ensure you face the consequences and reflect on your actions.” I looked down at the indictment. “I understand. I won’t trouble you any longer.” My voice was empty. “I’ll confess. Then you won’t have to worry about appearances.” In the interrogation room, I signed the confession. This time, I didn’t tarnish the gavel of his justice. … New Year’s Eve. Two officers escorted me from the house. The front door of our villa stood open, my father, Arthur Redding, framed in the doorway. Liam stood beside him, clutching his sleeve. “Professor, I’m sure Aurora didn’t mean it,” Liam pleaded, his voice thick with false concern. “It’s New Year’s Eve, don’t let them take her away like this…” Arthur shook Liam’s hand off and looked at me, his face a mask of stone. “That is precisely why she needs to learn a lesson she won’t forget.” He gave a sharp wave of his hand. “Take her away.” An officer shoved me forward, and I was bundled into the back of the police car. Just before the door slammed shut, I saw my father clap Liam on the shoulder and turn back into the warmth of the house. Thirty minutes earlier, Liam’s mother had lunged, her head cracking against the corner of a table. I had reached out to catch her, but Liam screamed that I had pushed her. My father didn’t even look at the security footage. He just called the police. As the car pulled away, I looked back. The lights of our home vanished into the darkness. In the detention center, I curled into a corner, a searing pain in my chest. My congenital asthma flared up, each breath a blade scraping against my ribs. The other inmates were gossiping about the trending topics online. “Check this out. The great Arthur Redding, turning in his own daughter.” “Yeah, wouldn’t even shield his own kid. Sent her to prison himself.” “Justice? Sounds more like cold-blooded to me.” “What do you know? That’s what you call a pillar of the law.” Someone held up a phone. “Liam just posted again.” She read it aloud. “‘Thank you, Professor, for choosing justice over family. My mother was harmed by my senior, but the professor’s impartiality has shown me the true warmth and strength of the law.’” The comments were a flood of praise for Arthur Redding’s integrity and unwavering principles. A tickle started in my throat, and I coughed up a spray of bloody foam. I grabbed the bars and shook them with what little strength I had left. “Guard… I need a doctor.” The guard ambled over, nightstick in hand. “You again? Trying to get special treatment?” “My ribs are broken… cough… asthma…” The guard sneered. “We just got a call from Mr. Liam.” I froze. “He said you’re good at playing the victim. Told us to ignore you,” the guard continued. “Mr. Redding’s orders are to let you ‘reflect.’ A little hardship will teach you a lesson.” He turned and walked away. “Stop faking it. Any more trouble and it’s solitary for you.” I slid to the floor. Liam. The pain in my lungs was excruciating, my breathing ragged and shallow. I pulled out my necklace, opening the locket to the tiny photo of my mother inside. “Mom…” I whispered. “Dad… for the sake of his reputation, for Liam… he’s really abandoned me.” My consciousness started to fade, replaced by a desperate, rasping struggle for air. The next day, Arthur came. He sat on the other side of the glass, immaculate in his tailored suit, his hair perfectly coiffed. A document lay on the table before him. I was half-carried, half-dragged to the chair by two guards. I lifted my head, my prison uniform soaked in cold sweat, my hair plastered to my forehead. “Dad… I didn’t push her. There’s security footage at the house.” My voice was a broken whisper. “Just look at the camera… in the living room…” Arthur’s brow furrowed, and he slammed his hand on the table. “Aurora!” The sharp sound from the receiver was like a spike in my eardrum. “You are a grown woman! Have the courage to admit what you’ve done! Liam’s mother is still in the ICU. He’s collapsed from grief multiple times. And all you can think about is saving your own skin?” He pointed at the document. “I am a pillar of the legal community. I despise deceit. You are my daughter, which means I must be even more scrupulous! If I defended you, if I went looking for footage, what would people say? That I fabricated evidence for my daughter? If I showed favoritism, how could I maintain my standing?” He pressed the document against the glass. “I have accepted the prosecution’s request to act as Liam’s legal counsel. I will personally see to it that you have time to reflect. This is a confession. Sign it, and you might get a lighter sentence. Don’t force me to testify against you in open court.” I stared at the confession form. Every word on it had been drafted by my own father. To avoid impropriety, he was nailing the crime to his own daughter. “Dad.” I tried to smile, but a trickle of blood ran from the corner of my mouth. “If I sign this, your reputation is safe? You won’t be in a difficult position anymore?” His jaw tightened. “That’s not your concern. You made a mistake, and you will pay the price. That is the principle.” “Fine.” I picked up the pen, my hand trembling as I wrote my name: Aurora Redding. As the last stroke fell, a sudden emptiness hollowed out my chest. A mouthful of blood erupted from my lips, spattering the confession and the glass partition. Arthur recoiled, his face a mask of disgust. “Stop the theatrics. Save that act for the judge.” He collected the blood-stained document, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, adjusted his tie, and turned to leave. “Reflect on what you’ve done. Don’t contact me before the trial.” I watched his retreating back as my vision faded to black. That night, the heating in the detention center was shut off. I curled up on the cot, clutching my locket. I heard a guard’s voice outside the door. “Mr. Liam said a little cold would clear her head.” The chill seeped into my bones. The broken ribs felt like they were piercing my organs. My breathing stopped. I remembered when I was a child, being bullied in the schoolyard. Arthur had stood in front of me, a towering shield. “Don’t be afraid, Aurora. Daddy is a lawyer. I will always protect justice, and I will always protect you.” Liar. You protected justice. You just murdered me to do it. My hand went limp. The locket slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the concrete floor. Dad, this time, I won’t make things difficult for you. You don’t have to worry about appearances anymore. My consciousness sank into darkness. And then, I was floating. I saw the girl named Aurora, curled up on the cot, completely still. Her eyes were open, staring at the door. I tried to close them for her, but my hand passed right through her body. Oh. I’m dead. It wasn’t cold anymore. It didn’t hurt. I floated in the air, watching as the guard kicked my corpse. “Hey, get up! Stop playing dead!” He checked for a pulse, then scrambled back, falling to the floor in terror. “She’s… she’s dead!” I watched the scene unfold with a strange sense of calm. See, Dad? I wasn’t acting. The first day of the New Year. The lights were bright in the legal news channel’s studio. I floated behind Arthur as he walked onto the set. He sat under the spotlights, his expression grave. The host began. “Mr. Redding, on New Year’s Eve, you personally handed your daughter over to the authorities. It caused quite a sensation. Did you struggle with that decision?” Arthur adjusted his glasses. “Before the law, all are equal. Even if she is my daughter, she must be punished for her crimes. As a legal professional, I cannot undermine the integrity of our justice system. That is a line I will not cross.” The audience erupted in applause. I hovered above his head, watching him bask in their admiration, the irony a bitter taste in my non-existent mouth. Liam was sitting in the front row, wearing a new navy-blue suit. It was a New Year’s gift I’d bought for myself with three months of internship savings. I’d never even had a chance to wear it. Now it was on him, a perfect fit. After the interview, Arthur walked out with Liam. Liam smoothed the cuffs. “Professor, this suit is a perfect fit.” He sighed dramatically. “Aurora always had good taste. It’s a shame that now she’s…” Arthur snorted. “Don’t mention that ungrateful girl. The suit looks much better on you. If only she were half as sensible as you are.” I stood there, watching my father adjust Liam’s collar. A sour feeling churned inside me. I used to ask him to fix my collar, but he would always push me away. “Don’t be so familiar. We must maintain a professional distance. I can’t have people thinking I spoil my child.” I see now. He didn’t hate spoiling a child. He just hated spoiling me. Back at the house, Arthur called for the housekeeper. “Clear out Aurora’s room. Make space for Liam.” The housekeeper hesitated. “Sir, what about Miss Aurora’s law books, her trophies… where should I put them?” Arthur loosened his tie and sank onto the sofa. “That was all for show. She’s in prison now, what’s the use of keeping them? Throw them in the basement.” A triumphant smirk flickered across Liam’s face. The housekeeper sighed and returned with trash bags. I followed her into my room. Liam was already there, rifling through my bookshelf. A copy of Criminal Law Theory fell to the floor, a bookmark slipping out. It was a gift from Arthur ten years ago. On the flyleaf, he had written: “May my daughter, Aurora, always be a partner to justice.” Liam picked it up, glanced at the inscription, and sneered. “A partner to justice? How ironic.” He tossed the book carelessly into a trash bag. I stood beside the bookshelf, watching him throw my life away, piece by piece. I wanted to scream, to push him away. But my hands passed through him, creating only a faint breeze. He shivered. “Why did it suddenly get so cold?” On the sofa, Arthur’s phone rang. The caller ID was the detention center. He glanced at the screen and declined the call without a second thought. “It’s from Aurora’s facility again,” he said to Liam. “She’s probably demanding to see me, or faking an illness to get medical parole.” He shook his head. “Ignore it. She was spoiled rotten. A little hardship is what she needs.” At that exact moment, at the City Third Detention Center, an ambulance had arrived. A doctor examined my body and shook his head. “Time of death is over four hours ago. Cause of death appears to be a tension pneumothorax from a rib fracture, leading to asphyxia and cardiac arrest.” The warden was sweating. “Mr. Redding isn’t answering his phone… The inmate is dead, the family has to be notified!” “Keep calling!” the chief guard roared. “And call Liam! He’s a party to the case, call him!” Liam’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen and stepped out onto the balcony to answer. I floated after him. “Hello? What? In shock? Sent to the hospital?” Liam’s voice was low, then he deliberately raised it. “Officer, my professor is in the middle of a major case. He’s very busy. Please don’t bother him with trivial matters. There’s no need to send her to a major hospital, she’s just faking it. She faked fainting during her last physical assessment, too. Just splash some cold water on her face, she’ll wake up.” He hung up and deleted the call from his history. Returning to the living room, he poured Arthur a cup of tea. “Who was that?” Arthur asked. “A telemarketer,” Liam said smoothly. Arthur nodded and took a sip of tea. Then he dialed his financial manager. “Freeze Aurora’s supplementary credit card and her study abroad trust fund. All of it. Not a single cent. I want her to learn that without me, she is nothing.” Yes, Dad. Without you, I really am nothing. But it’s okay. I don’t need any of those things now. Outside, firecrackers popped and fireworks bloomed across the sky. And I was lying in a cold drawer in the city morgue. Dinner was served. Dumplings. Liam placed one in Arthur’s bowl. “Professor, have a dumpling. Happy New Year.” Arthur smiled. It was the first genuine smile I’d seen from him in days. “Happy New Year.” I watched, numb, and whispered to the empty air. Happy New Year, Dad. Liam moved into my room. He found the box in my drawer. Inside was my mother’s last gift to me: a vintage, leather-bound law codex. It was a family heirloom Arthur had entrusted to my care. Liam took it out, snapped a picture, and posted it. “The master passes the torch. I will cherish it. The responsibility of justice is now mine to carry.” The likes poured in. “Liam, you’re incredible!” “Looks like Professor Redding sees you as his successor!” Half an hour later, our family friend, the lawyer Mr. Davies, burst into Arthur’s office. Arthur looked up from a brief, annoyed. “Frank, you’re old enough to know better than to barge in here.” Mr. Davies slammed a phone on the desk. Then he pulled a thermos from his bag and slammed that down too. “Arthur, are you insane? Sending Aurora to jail is one thing, but you’re giving away her mother’s keepsake to an outsider?” He pointed to the thermos. “Do you even recognize this? Aurora bought it for you with her first month’s internship pay! She said you had a sensitive stomach and went all over town to find it!” “She texted me saying her ribs hurt! I tried to visit, but you signed a ‘no visitation’ order! I couldn’t get in!” Arthur glanced at the thermos, his gaze flickering for a second before hardening again. He stood up, smoothing his cuffs. “You don’t understand. When I was young, I was accused of favoritism in a case involving a relative. It nearly destroyed my career. I will not allow the same thing to happen a second time. Especially not because of my own family.” His voice was like steel. “To avoid impropriety. I am Liam’s counsel. Letting Aurora’s friend visit her? What would the media say?” Mr. Davies was trembling with rage. “To hell with your impropriety! Arthur, you’re a murderer! Aurora would never push anyone! Did you check the dashcam? Wasn’t your car parked in the driveway?” Arthur froze. His car had been parked facing the living room window. The camera would have captured everything. But he’d never thought to check. Liam had already provided the “video evidence.” I floated behind him, screaming into his ear. Check it! Dad, I’m begging you, check it! The truth is right there! Just press the button and you’ll know I’m innocent! Arthur’s fingers hovered over his car keys, rubbing the fob. “The evidence is conclusive. Frank, please leave. If you persist, I’ll call security.” Mr. Davies pointed a trembling finger at him, his eyes red. “Fine. Arthur, you remember this day. Don’t you dare come crying to me when you’re on your knees.” He stormed out, slamming the door. Arthur sat back down, staring at the ceremonial gavel on his desk. He picked up his keys and went to the garage. Inside the car, his finger rested on the button for the dashcam footage. One press, and the truth would be revealed. I sat in the passenger seat, my entire being focused on that finger. Liam’s call came through the car’s speaker. “Professor, I’ve revised the indictment. Is there anyone else we need to add to the guest list for the celebration dinner tonight?” Arthur’s finger paused mid-air. He pulled his hand back and started the car. “No, that’s everyone. I’m heading back to the firm now. Let’s not talk about unpleasant things anymore.” The car rolled out of the garage. In that moment, my heart turned to ash. The fourth day of the New Year. The chief medical examiner, Dr. Peterson, was an old classmate of Arthur’s. The moment he saw my body on the autopsy table, his scalpel clattered to the floor. “Aurora?!” He immediately called Arthur. No answer. He tore off his white coat and raced to the villa. After ten minutes of ringing the bell, Liam opened the door. Dr. Peterson grabbed him, his eyes bloodshot. “Where’s Arthur? Get him out here! Don’t you know someone is dead?!” Liam averted his gaze. “Uncle Pete, the Professor is preparing for a major case and isn’t seeing anyone. What’s wrong?” “Aurora is dead! In the detention center!” Dr. Peterson’s voice shook. “Get your professor and come with me to identify the body!” Liam’s face paled, but he quickly composed himself. He leaned in close. “Uncle Pete, that’s not a funny joke. My senior just called and screamed at me a little while ago. She sounded full of energy.” “Impossible! The body is at my morgue…” “It must be someone with the same name,” Liam insisted, pulling out his phone and playing a recording. My voice filled the air. “Liam, you just wait! When I get out of here, I’ll kill you and your mother!” It was a line from a play we had rehearsed years ago, which he had secretly recorded. Liam sighed. “You hear that? Does that sound like a dead person? My senior is just trying to force the Professor to see her. If he finds out you were fooled, he’ll be angry.” Dr. Peterson listened, stunned. He let go of Liam. “Alright. As long as she’s okay. Just have your professor call me back.” Liam closed the door and sagged against it, gasping for breath. He ran upstairs and knocked on the study door. “Professor, Uncle Pete was here. He said Aurora sent a message with him. Said she’s dying in there and wants you to save her.” Arthur was writing a closing argument. The nib of his pen tore through the paper. He took off his glasses, rubbing his temples. “Pete is falling for her games too? I knew she was faking it. She’s been using that trick since she was a child. Now she’s using death to manipulate me? Outrageous!” he fumed. “Ignore her. Let her stay there until she learns her lesson.” He took a fresh sheet of paper and continued to write, adding another line to the list of my alleged crimes. I floated in the corner of the study, watching him. A laugh almost escaped my lips. Dad, even in death, you won’t believe me, will you? The fifth day of the New Year. Unclaimed bodies are cremated after the legal deadline. Dr. Peterson looked at the tag on the morgue drawer that read “Aurora Redding” and sighed. If Arthur said it was a fake, then it must be someone with the same name. “Proceed with the cremation,” he said, signing the form. I was wheeled towards the incinerator. The flames roared to life, consuming my body. It was so hot. But I felt nothing. I was Aurora, but I wasn't her anymore. I was just a wisp of consciousness, attached to a package that had just been mailed. At a grand hotel, Arthur was hosting a charity gala for his legal aid foundation. Liam, wearing my suit, adjusted his tie in the mirror and smiled. “Don’t blame me, senior. You’re ‘dead’ anyway. It would be a waste to let these opportunities go.” A package arrived at the front desk. The sender was me. I had mailed it three days before I died. Inside was a backup of the dashcam’s memory card and a letter for my father. Liam glanced at it and tossed it into the pile of corporate gifts. At 7 p.m., the ballroom was filled with guests. Arthur entered with Liam on his arm, graciously accepting compliments. The large screen behind the stage lit up, ready to play the promotional video. Deep within the pile of gifts, my package lay in waiting. I floated above it, watching everything unfold. Dad, this is the last gift I’ll ever give you. You’d better be ready to receive it.
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