Seven Days After Death

At the peak of my fame, I died alone in a cheap apartment. My body wasn't found for a week.
There were no fans, no memorial service. Just a unanimous chorus of Good riddance!
My own parents and the man who stole my life practically threw a party, celebrating that the world was finally free of a bad seed like me.
A plastic sheet was my only shroud. The proof of my existence, turned to ash.
It wasn't until a new tenant moved in that the secret I had buried in a corner was finally unearthed.
And the truth, after all these years, was finally dragged into the light.

1
"What's up, everyone? Ruby's moving into a new place today!"
"I heard a huge star used to live here!"
"Come on, let me give you the grand tour."
Ruby held up her phone, panning across the cramped apartment.
"Uh... Ruby, you sure a celebrity lived here?"
"Yeah, for real. What kind of star lives in a dump like this?"
The live chat flooded with doubt.
For a moment, confusion flickered across Ruby's face. But she didn't say anything, just carried the camera into the bedroom.
"First things first, let's see if the bedroom vibes with my style."
The bedroom was bleak. The window was open, and the sheer white curtains billowed in the breeze, lifting the edge of the heavy, drooping bedsheet.
By the window, a pot of withered flowers rustled in the silence.
"Hey, I think there's something under the bed..."
Ruby set her phone aside and grunted with effort as she pulled out a dusty old box.
With a click of the latch, a yellowed, dog-eared notebook came into view.
"Guys, look! It's an old notebook!" she exclaimed, picking it back up. "Could be someone's hidden treasure!"
Ruby opened it. My bold, confident handwriting filled the first page.
Asher.
"Whoa! Isn't that the actor who just died a few days ago?"
"I think so! The one with all the scandals? The guy who crippled his own brother, Noah, to get ahead? And stole his girlfriend!"
"That's nothing! Who knows how many producers Asher slept with to climb the ladder."
"I heard he was a total psycho in school. Bullied kids, shook them down for lunch money. People he messed with probably still have nightmares!"
"Ruby, sweetie, you should get out of there. You don't want to be in a place where someone like Asher lived."
The chat was a waterfall of all my supposed sins.
Just like that, Rubys stream blew up, hitting over 100,000 viewers.
Funny. I was more famous in death than I ever was in life.
Meanwhile, in a lavish living room, a young man paced nervously.
"Stella, Asher's trending!" the assistant blurted out. "Someone's live-streaming from his old apartment!"
The announcement cut through the cheerful atmosphere like a knife.
"That bastard," someone muttered. "Can't even stay dead without chasing the spotlight."
"Seriously, what a buzzkill. He just ruined the whole mood." My own parents, their faces tight with disgust.
Noah, seeing his chance, spoke up in a soothing voice.
"Dad, Mom, don't be so angry. I'm sure my brother didn't mean for this to happen," he said, comforting them. "Let's just eat first, okay?"
But Stella, understanding the implication, stood up abruptly.
"I'll handle this right now."
"No need," my father snapped. "Let's see what kind of trouble he can stir up from the grave. Put the stream on the TV."
In an instant, Rubys voice filled the room.

2
"Guys, it looks like... a diary," Ruby said, a hint of hesitation in her voice. "I feel kinda weird reading this..."
She looked genuinely conflicted. It was my private life, after all.
"Don't worry about it, Ruby. He was a scumbag celebrity. What's there to be afraid of?"
"Yeah, who gives a damn about a dead guy's privacy?"
"Besides, all Asher ever wanted was to be famous. Let's give him one last moment in the spotlight!"
Ruby glanced at the chat, then at the soaring viewer count. Her resolve hardened. She decided to take the gamble.
"September 2021.
I ran into Stellathe girl I'd had a crush on all through high school.
She was a beacon in the crowd, and just like that, I fell for her all over again.
But this time, by some miracle, our worlds finally collided.
The freshman welcome show was running short, so they combined my act with hers.
I sang softly in the wings while she danced under the spotlight. It was magic.
We were an overnight sensation.
I became the campus heartthrob, she was the campus queen. I was finally standing on equal ground with her. And finally... she noticed me."
Hearing Ruby read those words, Stellas expression softened. Her mind drifted back to college.
That was the first time I had ever taken her breath away.
On stage, I was luminous, pouring everything I had into my passion. She couldnt help but feel a flutter in her heart.
Beside her, Noah saw the change in her eyes and quickly interjected, his voice soft and frail.
"Wow, Stella. So that's how you and my brother met. It sounds... so romantic." He sighed. "He was always the lucky one."
"Unlike me," he added, his voice trailing off. "All alone, not even good at anything..."
Noah's words snapped Stella back to reality. Her face hardened.
"Don't compare yourself to him, Noah. You're pure-hearted. Asher was a schemer. He could never be like you," she said firmly. "Besides, if it weren't for him, you would have been the one on that stage."
Reassured by her words, a smile finally returned to Noah's face as he leaned into her embrace.
"Thank you, Stella."
My parents watched them, beaming with affection.
"Thank God that little monster is gone," my mother whispered. "Otherwise, he'd be throwing another one of his tantrums."
As their perfect family moment unfolded, Ruby turned to the next page.
"December 2021.
Stella came to see me today! She asked me to be her partner for the New Year's Eve Gala. A chance to be close to her? Of course I said yes. After the show, she treated me to dinner. We're getting closer."
"February 2022.
New year. Stella asked me out for dinner and a movie. I bought her a bouquet of roses... and she accepted them. Does this mean... she feels the same way about me?"
"May 20th, 2022.
Today was the best day of my life! Stella and I are together!"
The entry was short, but Ruby could feel the raw joy pouring off the page. The confident, soaring script was there for the whole stream to see.
"Is this guy for real? Everyone knows the superstar Stella and Noah were childhood sweethearts. What's he got to do with it?"
"Exactly! I remember Asher faked a bunch of videos of them as a couple just to get close to her!"
"Seriously, why couldn't he just be a decent person instead of lusting after his own brother's girl?"
"It's obvious, isn't it? Noah is just better in every way, and he was jealous."
The stream was once again a torrent of hate.

3
"Alright, alright! Let's just keep reading," Ruby said, trying to steer the conversation. "Wow, there's a big time jump on this next one."
"December 2022.
Dear Diary, sorry I've neglected you. Ever since Stella and I got together, all my time has been for her. I remember every little thing she does for me. She cares if I'm tired. She remembers the things I like. We're so happy.
Sometimes, I really feel like I don't deserve her. But she always tells me to have more confidence, that I'm wonderful too.
Damn. How did I get so lucky to find someone like Stella?"
As Ruby read, a smile unconsciously spread across her face. The diary couldn't capture everything, but she could feel my happiness, my sheer delight.
"Reading this, Asher doesn't seem that manipulative... you guys think he and Stella might have actually been a thing?"
"It's possible! But I'm not buying the innocent act."
"Wake up, you idiots. This whole diary could be something Asher planted to clean up his image after he died."
Hearing Ruby's voice, Stella's mind conjured an image of mewarm, gentle, the way I used to be.
Back then, I was so full of light. And she had genuinely loved me. She was sure of it.
So when did it all change?
It was the moment she met Noah.
"February 2023.
Noah graduated and came back from overseas. He kept bugging me about meeting his 'sister-in-law,' so I introduced him to Stella. His major in college is actually a huge help for Stella's singing. She's been trying to get on this big talent show, but her song was missing something. Maybe Noah can help."
"April 2023.
Stella aced her audition! She packed her bags and left for the show's sequestered training camp. No phones allowed. The only way I can see her is on TV. A few days after she left, Noah showed up. He signed me up for 'Dance Nation.' I wanted to say no, but then I thought about Stella's future, her career... and I accepted."
"June 2023.
After rounds of auditions, I made it onto 'Dance Nation.' On the first day of filming, I saw Noah. He was effortlessly charming, making friends with all the other dancers and introducing me around. Having him there made things less intimidating. My technique is solid, and my rankings are good. But for some reason, no one wants to partner with me. I don't get it. Finally, seeing me alone, Noah offered to be my partner. Two brothers, taking the stage together. Our star is rising. Stella, I'm catching up to you!"
"June 30th, 2023.
We finally got a day off after weeks of filming. I grabbed my phone, excited to share the good news with Stella, but her line was busy all day. Maybe... maybe she's just busy. But then, I turned a corner and heard her voice. She was talking to Noah, her tone so gentle and caring. When did they get so close?
I pushed open the door and startled Noah. But he wasn't flustered at all. Instead, he made it a point to flirt with her right in front of me.
"Don't worry, Stella. I'll give it my all!"
And Stella, on the other end, was eating it up.
"Good boy. Win that trophy, and I'll give you a big reward."
Hearing her doting voice, I snapped. I lunged forward and snatched the phone from Noah's hand. But before I could say a word, she hung up.
Suddenly, my chest ached. A sharp, unbearable pain. What is happening?
I wanted to confront Noah, but he just told me not to drag him down. I know I shouldn't doubt them so easily, but once that dark thought takes root, it consumes you. It's been messing with my head, and my dancing has gotten sloppy. For the semi-finals, Noah planned a high-risk move without telling me. I had no idea. I reached for him, trying to catch him...
But he crashed hard onto the floor.
Blood bloomed from his leg, staining the stage crimson.
I don't know how I got to the hospital. Time stretched into an eternity, the horrific image seared into my brain.
Suddenly, I heard an enraged shout"You bastard!"and a hand clamped around my throat. The air vanished."

4
"In that moment, I thought I was going to die.
But I haven't seen Stella yet. I can't die like this. I clawed at the hands, fighting for air, but it was useless. The grip tightened, the world went dark. Through the haze, I thought I saw Stella's face.
"Asher, how could you be so cruel! How could you do this to Noah!"
Her voice reached me, and the pressure on my neck released. I gasped, sucking in air, my vision slowly clearing. And in that moment, I wished I had died.
The hands belonged to my father. The accusation came from Stella.
The two people I loved most in the world wanted me dead.
Dear Diary, even now, whenever I think of that day, I can't breathe. I didn't do anything. Why does everyone believe I was the one who hurt Noah?
I wasn't!
I didn't!
I just... I wasn't ready..."
The diary entry ended there. Ruby felt the helplessness bleeding through the ink.
But she was the only one. The viewers in her chat felt differently.
"Asher is full of crap! He obviously pushed Noah! If Noah was injured, the championship was his!"
"I remember that! After Asher 'apologized' to Noah, he dropped out of the show... The next time we heard about him, he was a homewrecker, right?"
"Couldn't win the trophy, so he decided to seduce a producer. Classy."
The vile comments scrolled endlessly across Ruby's stream.
My parents, listening to the story, looked on with cold indifference.
"If it wasn't for that little monster, Noah would still be dancing on stage today," my mother spat.
"If I'd known he'd turn out like this, I never would have had him."
Every mention of my name was laced with their disgust.
Noah, nestled in Stella's arms, began to tremble.
"Dad, Mom, it's all in the past. Please, don't blame my brother anymore," he whimpered. "I have Stella now, and my own dance studio, and I have you. I'm very happy."
What a picture of domestic bliss.
A shame I wasn't there to see it.
"July 5th, 2023.
Noah finally woke up. I was desperate to prove my innocence. I grabbed his hand, begging him to explain to our parents and Stella. To tell them he was the one who tried the difficult move behind my back. It wasn't my fault! It wasn't!
But Noah just smirked at me. He told me he did it all on purpose. It was the only way to completely win over our parents and Stella.
He was jealous of my talent, my natural ability, how I could get into the best schools without even trying. While he, with no real talent, had to go abroad just to pad his resume.
That was the moment I understood.
It was all a setup."
Hearing this, Noahs expression darkened. He never imagined I would write everything down.
But he wasn't worried.
For one, I had no proof.
And two, my reputation as a toxic, promiscuous villain was already set in stone.
No one would ever believe my side of the story.
"I couldn't believe it. The little brother I had protected for so long was capable of such cold-blooded scheming. In that moment, something inside me broke. I forgot he was injured. I grabbed his shoulders and shook him, my voice cracking as I asked him why. Why would he do something so extreme? He wasn't just destroying me; he was destroying himself.
But I never got an answer from Noah. Only a slap across the face from my father.
And from Stella, the woman I loved, a look of pure hatred.
"Asher, I am so disappointed in you."
Her words were like a thousand knives twisting in my heart. A wave of nausea hit me, and I could taste blood in the back of my throat. But even then, they showed me no mercy.
I knew then. Noah's plan had worked."
The entry stopped.
But the tear stains on the paper were starkly visible, even through the camera's lens.
For the first time, the viewers in the chat seemed to feel a sliver of my despair.
"Reading this... I can almost feel his despair... You guys think we might have gotten him wrong?"

First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "290536" to read the entire book.