The Girl Who Woke Up Dead

I spent three years in a coma saving my brother and his three best friends.

When I woke up, my parents, my brother, and those three boys were crowded around my bed, their faces a mask of frantic relief. I felt nothing.

I knew the truth. I knew that after the hospital called to tell them I was awake, they first finished celebrating their adopted daughter’s birthday before gracing me with their presence.

In the three years I was gone, another girl had taken my place.

A voice in the back of my mind warned me what would happen next. I was destined to become the villain, a girl so twisted by jealousy that I would fight to win back the affection of my family. I would lose, of course. Despised by everyone, I would end my own life.

A cold smile touched my lips. Fight for them? No, thank you. A family like that isn't worth keeping.

1

On the television mounted in the corner of my hospital room, a local news channel was gushing over the lavish birthday party of Hailey Prescott. The heirs to the city’s most powerful families—the Hudsons, the Graysons, and the Wests—were all in attendance. The camera panned across the handsome young men flanking a beautiful girl, laughing as she blew out the candles on a towering cake. She was the picture of a princess.

I stared at the familiar faces on the screen.

My father. My mother. My brother, Ethan. And his three best friends—Liam, Noah, and Owen.

They already knew I was awake. The nurse had called them from my bedside, and my father had answered. But there they were, their smiles serene and undisturbed, celebrating until the party reached its perfect, glittering conclusion.

By the time the frantic footsteps echoed down the hall, the nurse had already finished a round of physical therapy with me, and I was settling back into my pillows, exhausted.

The door flew open, shattering the quiet.

“Audrey!”

“Oh my God, Audrey, you’re finally awake!”

Their voices were a tidal wave of emotion, their faces etched with a desperate joy, as if my return was the single most important event in the world. It was a convincing performance.

But I had seen the television. I had seen the soft, adoring way they looked at another girl. And I knew how long it had taken them to get here. I might have believed them, otherwise. I might have believed they were still the same parents, the same brother, the same boys who had been my entire world.

My expression remained flat. I let my gaze drift past them to the girl standing hesitantly in the doorway, still wearing the beautiful white dress from the party.

My mother followed my line of sight and immediately beckoned her forward with a warm, gentle smile. “Audrey, this is your sister, Hailey. She’s the daughter of your father’s dear friend who passed away. We adopted her three years ago.”

She pulled the girl into a one-armed hug. “These last three years… they’ve been unbearable. Having Hailey with us has been a godsend. I don’t know how I would have survived otherwise.”

“She’s right,” my father added, his voice thick with emotion. “Hailey was a gift from heaven, sent to us in our darkest hour.”

“And now you have a sister, Hailey,” Ethan said, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “Go on, say hello to your big sister.”

Hailey looked at me, her eyes shining with what looked like unshed tears. “Audrey,” she breathed, her voice trembling. “I’m so glad you’re awake. Mom, Dad, and Ethan have been so worried. I always said… I always told them I would leave this family in a heartbeat if it meant you’d come back to us.”

“Hailey, don’t say such silly things,” my mother scolded gently, pulling her into a full embrace. “Don’t you ever talk about leaving us, do you hear me? You are a part of this family. Now you just have a sister to share it with.”

“That’s right, sweetheart. No one is ever letting you leave,” my father added, his tone full of affection.

“You’re our little sister now,” Ethan said, feigning a wounded look. “Are you trying to break our hearts? You wouldn’t leave your big brother, would you?”

Hailey blushed, stamping her foot playfully. “Ethan, stop! Of course not.”

The display of affection made them all chuckle.

“And if anyone at home gives you a hard time,” said Liam Hudson, one of the three boys I’d grown up with, “you can always come stay with me. I’ll make sure you’re treated like the princess you are.”

“Hey, what about me?” Noah Grayson cut in with a mock-offended huff. “My house is way more fun.”

“Please, she likes me best,” Owen West chimed in.

“In your dreams, West!” the others shot back.

“Don’t even think about it, you guys,” Ethan declared, stepping forward possessively. “Hailey is a Prescott princess. No one is ever going to give her a hard time.”

My parents just shook their heads, smiling fondly. Hailey, her cheeks flushed a pretty pink, leaned against my mother.

And just like that, the center of the universe in my hospital room shifted, orbiting entirely around the girl in the white dress.

I, the patient in the bed, was an afterthought.

Bored, I turned my head on the pillow, and for a split second, my eyes met Hailey’s. Her expression was unguarded.

It was pure, unadulterated triumph.

2

I used to be the Prescott princess.

Ethan and his friends were my self-appointed royal guard. I was their little sister, their mascot, the one they swore to protect forever. They promised that if anyone ever hurt me, they would make them pay. I grew up cocooned in their love and devotion.

That’s why, three years ago, I did what I did. The car crash was a nightmare of twisted metal and shattered glass. My brother and his three best friends were thrown around the cabin like rag dolls, a collage of broken bones and blood. I was the only one who had been wearing a seatbelt, the only one with minor injuries.

I smelled the gasoline first, a sharp, sickening scent. Then I saw the flicker of flames near the engine. I knew what was coming.

Tears streamed down my face as I screamed their names, pulling them one by one from the wreckage. But they were dead weight, and I couldn't drag them far enough away. The fire was growing.

I looked at their unconscious forms—the boys who had protected me my whole life—and made a decision.

My body shook with terror, but my resolve was absolute. I climbed into the driver’s seat of the mangled SUV. It was a wreck, practically begging to fall apart, but it had to move. I had to get it away from them.

My foot found the accelerator. I drove the burning car as far as I could, my hands trembling on the wheel. When I finally slammed on the brakes, I scrambled out, trying to run, but it was too late.

The explosion threw me into the air, and my world went black.

For three years, I was lost in a long, dark dream.

In that dream, my family adopted a girl my age. At first, my brother would scold her for touching my things. “That’s my sister’s,” he’d say. “Don’t touch it.” The three boys ignored her completely, telling everyone their only little sister was Audrey Prescott.

But slowly, things changed.

The new girl was a master of a certain kind of vulnerability—a quiet, helpless fragility that wormed its way into their hearts.

Their weekly visits to my bedside became monthly, then quarterly. The last time they came, six months had passed without a word. They were too busy. Busy taking the new girl to theme parks, to see the northern lights. Busy helping her with homework, celebrating her birthday…

Then, in the dream, I woke up.

They arrived late, the new girl in tow. Raised on their affection, I was furious when I saw how they fawned over her at my bedside. I demanded she leave my room.

But no one cared about my feelings anymore. Gently, patiently, they told me I had to accept my new sister.

After that, the dream turned into a waking nightmare. Hailey framed me for one thing after another, and they never believed me. They only saw her tears, her trembling fear. They called me selfish, spoiled, a disappointment. The very same people who had nurtured my spirit, who had celebrated my every whim, now looked at me with disgust when I fought back.

The last thing I remember from that dream is running out of the house, unable to bear their cold eyes another second. I ran right into the street, and my short, ridiculous life ended under the wheels of a car.

When I woke up for real this time, I found the dream had been a prophecy.

They had adopted a girl named Hailey.

When they heard I was awake, they didn't drop everything and rush to my side. They finished her birthday party.

And standing in my hospital room, they had already forgotten I was there.

The dream wasn't a dream. It was a memory. Or maybe, it was my first life.

This time, things would be different.

My father finally seemed to remember I was in the room. “Audrey,” he said, his voice soft. “Are you in any pain? Do you need anything?”

All eyes turned back to me.

I looked at each of them, a faint smile on my lips. “I just have one question. I saved my brother and his three friends three years ago, right?”

3

My question hung in the air, met with a stunned silence. It was as if I’d broken some unspoken rule. This wasn't something I was supposed to bring up; it was a debt they understood, the very reason they had rushed—belatedly—to the hospital.

“Of course, Audrey,” Ethan said, his voice regaining its gentle warmth. “You were so brave that day. We’re all so incredibly grateful to you. We owe you everything.”

Liam, Noah, and Owen nodded in solemn agreement.

“Audrey, thank you,” Hailey said, rushing to my side and grabbing my hand. Her grip was tight, her voice passionate. “Thank you for saving Ethan, and Liam, and Noah, and Owen. Because of you, I got to know them. I don’t know how I could ever repay you. If you wanted my life in exchange for yours, I would give it, right now.”

As she named each of them, their expressions softened into pure adoration. You could practically see the affection pouring out of them.

My smile turned wry. I gently pulled my hand from her grasp. “Don’t worry. I just woke up. Your life is of no use to me.”

Their brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of displeasure crossing their faces.

I ignored it and looked directly at the four of them. “So… could you turn that gratitude into cash? A million dollars from each of you would be enough. Is that possible?”

Another wave of shock rolled through the room.

“Audrey, what are you talking about?” my mother said, her brow creased with disapproval. “You’re a Prescott. You don’t need to worry about money.”

“She’s right, sweetheart,” my father added, his tone placating. “The most important thing right now is for you to get better. When you come home, you’ll be the same young lady of the house you always were, with everything you could ever want.”

The irony was so thick I could taste it.

In my dream-life, I never cared about money. I never would have dreamed of mentioning what I did, of turning my sacrifice into a transaction. It would have felt cheap, insulting to our bond.

But then, back at the house, they had used money to control me. Every time I “bullied” Hailey, every time I “acted out,” they cut off my allowance, froze my accounts. I couldn't even pay for school activities. They punished me with poverty, and my life was miserable.

If I didn’t secure my own funds now, my heroic act would be slowly erased, negated by every fabricated transgression against Saint Hailey.

In my dream, a voice had offered to help me, to help me win back their love.

I had refused it then, and I refused it now.

I had no interest in fighting for scraps of affection.

“I was in a coma for three years,” I said calmly. “I’m eighteen now. I’d like to have some money of my own. To buy whatever I want, whenever I want. To be a little reckless. Can’t I do that?”

My reasoning seemed to soothe their discomfort. The tension in the room eased.

“Audrey, Mom and Dad gave me some spending money,” Hailey chimed in, her expression bright and earnest. “It’s almost a million. You can have all of it! I’m so happy I can finally do something for the boys!”

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. “Hailey, you don’t need to give her your allowance.”

“You’re such a sweetheart,” Noah cooed, gently tapping her on the head.

They all smiled, shaking their heads at her adorable generosity.

“I just wanted to help…” Hailey mumbled, sticking her tongue out playfully.

My mother wrapped her in another loving hug.

In the end, of course, they each transferred a million dollars to my account.

Four million dollars. I would make it last.

This time, I wouldn’t be helpless. This time, there would be no tragic ending.

As they were leaving, Liam Hudson glanced back at me, his eyes narrowed in thought. He looked at me as if he was seeing a stranger, as if something was fundamentally, irrevocably wrong.

4

After two weeks in the hospital, my body had recovered enough for me to go home.

“Audrey, look at this room,” my mother said, leading me down the familiar hallway. “Hailey insisted you have it. She even put her favorite stuffed rabbit on your pillow.”

Insisted.

The word was absurd. This had been my room since I was born. After three years in a coma, I now needed someone else’s permission to live in it.

I smiled sweetly. “That’s so thoughtful of Hailey. But if she’s already settled in, I wouldn’t want to displace her. I can take another room.”

My mother looked taken aback, as if my politeness was a foreign language.

“It’s no problem, Audrey,” Hailey said, stepping forward. “This is the biggest and brightest room. It should be yours.”

My parents and Ethan gazed at her, their expressions melting with love for her selfless, considerate nature. This was clearly nothing new.

I shook my head again. “You’ve already made it your own. It wouldn’t be right for me to kick you out just because I’m back. Dad, Mom, and Ethan would think I was being terribly selfish.”

I remembered this scene from my dream-life. Ethan had yelled at me, saying Hailey was having trouble sleeping in her new, smaller room, all because she’d given me the better one, and yet I still found ways to torment her. Pathetic.

“I’ll take another room,” I continued, my voice firm but pleasant. “Or I can stay in the maid’s quarters. We can’t have Hailey feeling slighted, now can we?” I pre-empted the very accusation they would have leveled against me.

They all paused, a flicker of confusion in their eyes. They knew something was off about what I said, but they couldn’t quite put their finger on it.

“Audrey, I wouldn’t feel slighted at all, I—”

“Then it’s settled. You stay right where you are,” I interrupted smoothly. “You’re the little sister everyone adores, after all.”

And so, I was given another room.

…

I was at my desk, studying, when my door opened without a knock. Hailey waltzed in, carrying a small platter of fruit.

“Audrey, you’ve been cooped up in here all day. I brought you a snack.”

She smiled, walking toward me.

I glanced up. “Thanks. Just leave it on the table.”

“Okay,” she chirped, but instead of going to the table, she walked directly toward my desk.

Then, as if in slow motion, her hands “slipped.” The platter tilted, and fruit tumbled to the floor.

“Ah!” she shrieked, stumbling backward and collapsing dramatically onto the carpet.

“What’s going on?”

My father, mother, and Ethan rushed in, drawn by the scream.

“Hailey!”

They hurried to her side, helping her up.

“Mom…” Hailey whimpered, burying her face in my mother’s shoulder. She was trembling. “I… I was just worried Audrey was working too hard… I only wanted to bring her some fruit…”

Their eyes moved from the scattered fruit on the floor to my impassive face. They didn't need any more explanation; the story wrote itself in their minds.

“Audrey, Hailey was being thoughtful,” Ethan said, his brow furrowed in sharp disapproval. “If you didn’t want the fruit, you could have just said so. Why did you have to push her?”

“You can’t treat your sister this way,” my mother scolded, her arm wrapped protectively around Hailey. “What has gotten into you?”

“Audrey, you will apologize to your sister right now,” my father commanded.

From the safety of my mother’s embrace, Hailey shot me a look of pure, triumphant malice.

5

Without a word, I turned to my laptop and clicked a file. The screen came to life, showing a live feed from the small security camera I had placed on my bookshelf.

Their heads snapped toward the screen. The video showed the entire scene, clear as day. Hailey walking in, deliberately tipping the platter, and throwing herself to the ground. My hands had never left my desk.

Hailey’s face went pale. She had never imagined I’d be recording.

“As you can see, I didn’t lay a finger on her,” I said calmly. “So, I don’t believe an apology is in order.”

I turned my gaze to Hailey. “You should really be more careful, Hailey. You wouldn’t want to trip and hurt yourself again.”

Her expression flickered. Then, her eyes filled with tears. “I… I was just so nervous,” she stammered, her voice breaking. “I know you’ve been so cold to me, Audrey. I know you blame me for being here, for not being the only daughter anymore.”

She buried her face in my mother's shoulder again, her body wracked with sobs. “I know you resent that Ethan and the boys are close to me. I was so scared of making you angry that I… I panicked and lost my balance. I’m so sorry…” she wailed. “Mom, I’m so scared she hates me, that she thinks I’ve stolen everything that was hers…”

My mother immediately began stroking her hair. “Oh, sweetie, don’t think like that. You haven’t stolen anything. You’re our daughter, too. My love for you and Audrey is equal.”

“You have such a wild imagination, silly girl,” Ethan said, shaking his head with a fond sigh. He then looked at me. “But Audrey, you need to understand why she feels this way. You have been incredibly cold to her. We all love you just the same.”

“Audrey, Hailey is a good girl,” my father added, his voice laced with disappointment. “You can’t keep being so difficult.”

And just like that, even with video evidence, the narrative shifted. As it always did in my dream-life, every road led back to my supposed cruelty. The fact that I had just been falsely accused was already forgotten.

The anger and frustration that once would have consumed me were gone, replaced by a chilling calm.

I smiled at them. “I’m not sure why Hailey would think that. I don’t feel like anything has been stolen from me. Or does she feel like she’s stolen something from me? The truth is, I’m still adjusting after being unconscious for three years. I suppose I’m a bit distant with everyone right now.”

Hailey froze, her eyes darting nervously. Then the waterworks started again. “I… I’m just so afraid you don’t like me. I know I’m not a real Prescott, not like you…”

And with that, the ridiculous farce concluded as it always did: with the entire family comforting a weeping Hailey.

6

My aunt and uncle came to visit. They suggested to my parents that since I had recovered, we should have a party to celebrate. My parents, as if the thought had never occurred to them, eagerly agreed.

On the morning of my welcome home party, Hailey appeared at the breakfast table dressed in a plain, simple dress.

My parents and Ethan gasped.

“Hailey, what are you wearing?” my mother asked, rushing to her side.

Hailey bit her lip, glancing at me as I calmly ate my toast. “Today is Audrey’s party. She’s the guest of honor. I don’t want to steal her spotlight, so I thought I’d dress down.”

“Oh, you silly girl,” my mother said, hugging her tightly. “Yes, it’s a party for your sister, but it’s a celebration for the whole family. You should look just as beautiful as her.”

“That’s right,” Ethan added with a smile. “Go change into something gorgeous. Let everyone see the beautiful Prescott sisters, side by side.”

Hailey continued to bite her lip, her gaze fixed on me. “But… I’m worried Audrey will mind. I don’t want to cause any friction in the family…”

Ethan’s brow creased as he looked at me. “Audrey, Hailey is your sister. You shouldn’t be petty about something like this. There’s no such thing as ‘stealing the spotlight’ between sisters.”

“Your brother is right,” my father chimed in sternly. “As the older sister, you need to be more gracious. A family stands together.”

I took a slow sip of milk. “Excuse me,” I said, looking at them. “Did I say I minded?”

They all fell silent.

“Audrey, I really don’t want to outshine you,” Hailey said, her voice laced with false urgency. “Please don’t be mad…”

Ethan’s expression soured again.

I offered a placid smile. “Hailey, you’re overthinking it. I’ve just come out of a three-year coma. My brain is still rebooting. Honestly, I don’t have the energy to mind much of anything.”

Hailey paused, looking momentarily thrown. It was as if my refusal to take her bait was a move she hadn’t prepared for.

“Well, as long as Audrey doesn’t mind,” my mother said cheerfully. “Come on, Hailey. Let’s go upstairs and find you a beautiful dress and some jewelry to match.”

She led her darling, misunderstood daughter away.

Later, at the hotel, I stood in the dressing room, studying my reflection. My body was thin and pale, a testament to three years of atrophy. Thankfully, I’d already been nearly 5’3” before the accident, so my height hadn’t suffered too much.

As I stepped out, I heard voices from a nearby sitting area. Hailey was there with Liam, Noah, and Owen.

“I really didn’t want to wear this dress,” she was saying, her voice a soft, troubled murmur. “I think Audrey’s a little upset about it, but Mom, Dad, and Ethan insisted…”

“Why would Audrey be upset?”

“Hailey, you can’t always be the one to back down, you know?”

“Wear what you want to wear. Don’t let anyone else dictate that for you.”

They were all cooing, comforting her.

“It’s okay,” Hailey continued with a sigh. “Audrey saved your lives. She was in a coma for three years because of you. She probably resents how close I’ve gotten to you all. She thinks I’ve taken her place. So, for tonight, I want her to know I’m not competing with her. I’ll just be here to support her. Tonight, Audrey will be the star, and I’ll be perfectly happy to be the green leaf to her beautiful flower…”

Her voice was so full of tragic grace it was nauseating.

“Hailey! Don’t say things like that,” Liam said firmly. “We care about you because you deserve it. Audrey… she’s been asleep for three years. Her mindset is probably still stuck at fifteen. She was always headstrong. You’ve probably had a terrible time at home with her.”

“She saved us, it’s true,” Owen added coolly. “But she also demanded payment the second she woke up, as if she was afraid we wouldn’t be grateful. So you don’t need to bend over backwards for her.”

“Even though this is her party, and she’ll be the center of attention tonight,” Noah said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “you’ll always be the center of ours.”

I heard their words, and a bitter laugh escaped my lips. I turned and walked away.

7

The ballroom was filled with guests.

Hailey moved through the crowd like a seasoned socialite, a symphony of perfectly timed smiles and charming greetings. “Uncle, Auntie, it’s so good to see you.” She was a natural.

I, on the other hand, was a ghost. After three years away, I was a stranger to these people, and they kept their distance, watching me with cautious curiosity.

This, of course, was exactly what Hailey wanted. She kept repeating how she didn't want to steal my spotlight, which was her way of ensuring she stole all of it.

Liam, Noah, and Owen hovered around her, a protective shield. It was as if they were afraid she might feel neglected at my party, that she might actually have to cede the stage to me for a single evening.

Soon enough, the room was filled with the sound of Hailey’s laughter, her graceful form the center of every conversation. The praise for her was endless. From across the room, she shot me another triumphant look.

When it was time to cut the cake, my father smiled broadly and pointed toward the boys. “Audrey, this cake is huge! Why don’t you ask one of your old friends to help you cut it?”

Liam, Noah, and Owen all exchanged a quick, uncomfortable glance with Hailey. They avoided my eyes, a clear reluctance on their faces. They didn't want to be seen standing next to me, to give anyone the wrong idea.

I remembered this moment from my first life. I had happily called out for Ethan and Liam to join me. In my mind, they were my closest allies, my family. We had a bond forged in love and sealed in sacrifice. I thought it was unbreakable.

But they had hesitated. It was only when Ethan had called Hailey over to join them that they’d finally moved, intending to come as a group.

I had refused. I told them I didn’t consider her my sister and I didn’t want her touching my cake. Why should I accept this stranger who had suddenly appeared in my life?

They all called me selfish. My parents were furious.

Hailey had burst into tears, claiming she didn't belong, and ran out of the ballroom.

And without a second’s hesitation, my father, my mother, my brother, Liam, Noah, and Owen had all chased after her, screaming her name.

They left me alone in a room full of strangers, their whispers and judgmental stares burning into my back. I was so heartbroken, so confused, I had shoved the entire cake onto the floor. I couldn’t understand how three years could erase everything.

My thoughts snapped back to the present. I looked past the three boys. “Daniel.”

Liam, Noah, and Owen seemed to let out a collective, relieved sigh.

Ethan frowned, but his tone remained gentle. “Ask Hailey to join you, too.”

I shook my head.

Hailey’s face fell, a mask of perfect, wounded innocence.

The boys’ expressions immediately hardened, their eyes flashing with disapproval. They thought I was doing exactly what Hailey had warned them I would do: icing her out, bullying her.

Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Audrey, I—”

“I was asking my cousin, Daniel Prescott, to help me cut the cake,” I said, my voice clear and firm. I looked past Ethan to my uncle’s adopted son, who was standing quietly behind him.

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