The Fall of a Star
You have no idea how disgusting this woman was! She coveted the uncle who raised her!
She messed around with men, and then caused her uncle's girlfriend to miscarry!
"She was trash in life, and she's a menace in death, never giving us a moment's peace!"
My family whispered, their accusations a venomous chorus.
Yet, the exorcist, after witnessing the memories left by my spirit, wept. "Perhaps, after you see this, you will understand how truly miserable she was."
Later, those who saw my memories were consumed by agonizing regret. They knelt at my grave, begging my ghost to return and look upon them.
But I had already faded away. From the moment I chose to leave, I had no intention of lingering by their side.
Rhys Kaelan, the exorcist, meticulously arranged the sticky rice, a rooster, and talismans. Before beginning the ritual, he sought final confirmation. "Are you truly set on shattering her soul? This is no small matter. She was, after all, your family. Are you certain?"
My mother, Mrs. Sterling, grimaced, her face etched with disgust. "Absolutely. She shamed us in life, and now, even in death, she won't let us rest!"
"Exactly!" my brother, Zane Sterling, chimed in. "Brooke has been having nightmares lately. It's definitely her ghost haunting us! If we don't obliterate her, we'll never have peace!"
"She coveted the uncle who raised her, spouted nothing but lies, and engaged in wild parties with over a dozen men. A woman like that is better off vanished forever."
Rhys Kaelan nodded. From their words, this deceased spirit didn't sound like a decent person in life. If that were the case, he felt no moral qualms. He would simply use his abilities to dispel her.
Rhys Kaelan lit the incense and candles, then burned a talisman, beginning the summoning. He tried several times, but nothing appeared. Frustrated, Rhys Kaelan turned to Mrs. Sterling. "It seems the situation is... peculiar."
"Did the malevolent spirit have anyone she cared about before her death? Make a video call to that person. With the image and voice of someone she cared for, the spirit is more likely to appear. Only then can I subdue her."
My mother cursed under her breath. "That wretch! Even dead, she's still so much trouble!"
My brother added, "Who knows, maybe she's deliberately hiding, shamelessly wanting to see that person one last time! Just thinking about her disgraces the entire Sterling family!"
"Disgusting and vulgar creature!"
"Tell me about it!" The family members present chattered, their words a cacophony of condemnation.
My mother, following the exorcist's instructions, dialed Asher Thorne's number. Asher Thorne, the uncle who had cared for me after my father's death. On the other end of the video call, Asher, clad in a bathrobe, looked composed, almost distant. Upon hearing my mother's explanation, his brows immediately furrowed.
"Mrs. Sterling, you know I never want to hear about that wretch again."
"I know you detest that rogue, Asher, but her lingering presence isn't an option. Having her soul shattered is also for Vivianne's peace of mind."
At the mention of Vivianne Thorne, Asher's brow twitched. A gentle female voice drifted from the other end of the video. "Asher, I think I heard someone call me?"
"It's nothing," Asher replied curtly.
"What do you mean, 'nothing'? I heard it all. It's fine. Cassandra Vance is dead and gone. I no longer care about the evil she did to me. If they need our help to shatter her soul, then let's assist them."
Convinced by Vivianne, Asher reluctantly agreed. "Just keep the video call active. I'll just watch, right?"
The exorcist nodded, then resumed his incantations to summon my spirit. This time, a fierce wind roared through the room, extinguishing the candles on the altar. Rhys Kaelan stared, stunned, at the entity he had summoned.
2
The swirling mist, though it took on my familiar silhouette, pulsed with horrifying crimson veins. Especially around the wrists, countless streaks of red were visible. My fingertips and lips also seemed to bleed. Rhys Kaelan knew these red veins symbolized the trauma and suffering the spirit had endured in life. He stood frozen, utterly stunned.
But my mother and the others saw only terror and revulsion. "Typical Cassandra Vance's ghost! Just as hateful and disgusting as she was!"
"Not an ounce of a good girl left! Get rid of it quickly!"
"What are those vast patches of red on her? Why are they spreading? Is this malevolent spirit trying to harm us?"
"Hey, Mrs. Sterling, didn't Cassie used to self-harm due to stress? They said she had depression back then?"
"Depression? Please! It was all just for Asher Thorne's attention!"
My brother, Zane, couldn't take it anymore. "Exorcist! What are you waiting for? Shatter her soul!"
Rhys Kaelan hesitated. "You don't understand. What has been summoned isn't truly her soul, but rather the memories left behind by her soul." Moreover, spirits that leave behind such fragmented memories usually dissipate on their own. But Rhys Kaelan kept this to himself.
My mother cut him off. "So, what now? We hired you to dispel her! If you can't do it, we're not paying!"
"Just looking at it is bad luck! Get out! Our Sterling family's reputation is ruined by this hussy!" My brother picked up an ashtray and hurled it at my spectral form. If I hadn't already been dead, I would have been bleeding from my head. The ashtray passed through my body, and my misty shape blurred, swaying in the air.
Rhys Kaelan had come to collect a fee, of course. So, he didn't mention the fact that I was already gone. He simply wanted to wait for my memory fragments to finish, then collect his payment. He put on a show of mystical theatrics. "Please, be patient, everyone. This is called a 'life review.' Once it's over, I will begin the ritual."
At that moment, my mist dissolved, and scenes from my past life began to play out. The misty image of me was that of a small girl, held by Asher Thorne's hand, slowly walking towards a luxurious mansion. I had just lost my father. Due to a lawsuit before his death, our family had gone bankrupt. My mother, Mrs. Sterling, was unable to support two children. Asher Thorne had come at someone's request, offering to help support one child. My mother, after deliberation, chose to keep my brother and entrusted me to this stranger.
When I first arrived at the Thorne family home, I was extremely timid. Like a small puppy afraid of the light, I spent my days hiding in dark corners. The Thorne family servants whispered amongst themselves, saying I looked like bad luck. But Asher Thorne doted on me then. He fired those servants and would always gently take my hand and lead me into the sunlight to play. No matter what others said about me, Asher always stood by my side, gently encouraging me.
"I'm not worth your kindness. Mom and Dad don't like me, my brother doesn't like me. Maybe I was born to be hated. You'll probably hate me someday too." I cried, pushing away Ashers meticulous care, but he simply held me close. "Nonsense. My little Cassie is the best girl in the world. Uncle will never hate you."
Finally, my defenses crumbling in Asher Thorne's embrace, I wept uncontrollably. Back then, I believed I had finally found my anchor, someone who would never abandon me.
Rhys Kaelan watched the scene unfold, a pang of sadness in his chest. The girl in the memory was simply a vulnerable, unloved teenager, completely at odds with the "hussy" and "wretch" my family described. Could she have been led astray later in life?
My mother and brother also fell silent. Although their decision to give me up had been unavoidablethe familys assets couldnt support two childrenthey had still wronged me. Their faces held a mixture of discomfort and shame. As for Asher Thorne on the video call, he was lost in thought. He had forgotten his promises to me, and the harmonious days we once shared.
Vivianne Thorne sensed Asher's shift in mood and immediately nestled into his embrace. "I can't believe your relationship was so close back then. No wonder Cassandra became so obsessed with you, even repeatedly targeting me to get you." Her voice dripped with a manufactured grievance. "Sigh, now that I think about it, maybe my appearance ruined your perfect match." Asher's face instantly hardened.
3
The warmth of shared memories instantly evaporated as Asher Thorne recalled my supposed actions against Vivianne. He hugged her tightly. "Nonsense, Vivianne. No matter what, you are and always will be the only one in my heart."
"She did so many wicked things to you back then. Even if she hadn't taken her own life, I would have avenged you myself!" As he spoke, Asher's fists clenched. If I were standing before him, I imagined he'd kick me to vent his fury. "Taking her in was the biggest mistake of my life. If I hadn't, you wouldn't have suffered so much!"
Meanwhile, my mother and brother snapped out of their reminiscence. "Hmph! What's the use of being well-behaved as a child? She still grew up to be a menace!"
"Exactly! She committed every evil imaginable! Even if the Vance family wronged her back then, it's all been repaid now!"
"She even dared to haunt us in our dreams as a malevolent spirit! A born ingrate!" Other relatives who had come with my parents chimed in, echoing their sentiments. "Precisely! A creature that knows no peace, even in death! Her ultimate fate is to be annihilated!"
"Exorcist, isn't it over yet? When can we ensure she'll never be reborn?!"
At that moment, the scene in the mist shifted again. Vivianne Thorne appeared in my memory fragments. She looked vibrant and youthful. The first time I saw her, she was already holding Asher Thorne's arm, sweetly declaring she was his girlfriend. But at that time, they hadn't even formalized their relationship.
Asher gave her a cold look. "Don't talk nonsense and fool the child."
Vivianne playfully hugged Asher's arm. "How am I fooling a child? I am your girlfriend! Unless you want your adopted daughter to be your girlfriend?" The word "daughter" stung me. Though I didn't yet understand my feelings for Asher, I knew he was too young to be my father. Asher, exasperated yet doting, tapped Vivianne's forehead, then turned to ask the housekeeper to prepare some snacks.
After Asher left, I returned to my room. But as I turned, Vivianne screamed behind me, dropping and shattering a glass. She fell directly onto the shards of glass. The sight horrified me. Asher rushed over, torn between concern for Vivianne and questioning what had happened.
"It's fine. Cassie didn't mean it. Don't blame her."
I was too young and naive to grasp the strangeness of her words. She seemed to be defending me, yet not quite. I wanted to explain, but Ashers gaze frightened me into silence. His eyes were terrifyingly, terrifyingly cold. Disappointment mingled with anger. I froze.
That incident was just the beginning. In the subsequent memory fragments, Vivianne appeared with increasing frequency. During a Thorne family banquet, she sat smiling, chatting with me, but somehow, her dress ended up mysteriously doused in champagne. When Asher asked what happened, she would still say, "It's not Cassie's fault. I was just clumsy." She spoke the truth; it wasn't my fault. But Asher's gaze upon me grew increasingly disappointed.
On New Year's Eve, Asher instructed me to stay up late, but I found myself locked in the basement, unable to get out. As I was trapped, I vaguely saw a figure that looked like Vivianne, but I couldn't be sure. I was only released by the servants the next morning. That was the first time Asher truly lost his temper with me. "You don't even care about keeping vigil on New Year's Eve? Cassandra Vance, how could you become like this? Do you consider me, your uncle, family? I told you so clearly yesterday, and you just ignored it?"
I tried to explain, but Asher's disappointment cut me off. "I thought you cared about me too. It seems I was mistaken."
"This New Year's trip, Vivianne and I will go together. You stay home. I imagine someone with your personality would prefer to be alone anyway."
Asher and Vivianne left. That Lunar New Year was utterly bleak. I thought I just had to endure the loneliness, but on the night of the New Year, a group of men burst into the Thorne residence. They looked at my photo, their smiles twisted and predatory.
"Looks like this is the one. We thought these kinds of jobs were for ugly broads, but look at this little beauty."
"Don't be scared, little beauty. We're just doing a job. Just be a good girl and spend the night with us."
"See? There aren't many of us, just eight or nine. We'll make sure you have a good time."
I struggled desperately, but it was futile. They took photos, they recorded videos. Afterwards, I lay broken and shattered on the ground, while they, invigorated, showed me the pictures and videos. They warned me not to yearn for what wasn't mine. If they ever found out I was pursuing another woman's man again, they would return and make these photos and videos public.
A week later, Asher and Vivianne returned from their trip. I dared not tell Asher what had happened, living in silent terror. I retreated into myself once more. I yearned for Asher to care for me and love me as he once had, but this time, his heart belonged entirely to Vivianne. Their relationship had changed, solidifying during that week of my repeated torment.
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Bookworm