Lia had been surprised when her aunt invited her over for Sunday dinner. It had been months since she moved out of their house and they had barely kept in touch.

Her life had become lonelier than she expected, and though she told herself she didn't care, a small part of her was relieved when her aunt reached out.

"It'll be nice," her aunt had said over the phone, her tone uncharacteristically soft. "I'll cook all your favorite dishes."

Lia hesitated at first. Her relationship with her aunt and uncle had always been strained, more of an obligation than a bond of love. After her parents died, they had taken her in — but there was never warmth, never affection. Just expectations and quiet resentment. Still, they were her only family. Even when the house had felt cold, even when Elle treated her with disdain, Lia clung to the hope that one day things would get better. Maybe this was the start of that.

When she arrived, the house was filled with the scent of roasted chicken, garlic, and fresh herbs. The table was set with care — delicate white plates, gleaming silverware, and crystal glasses. A feast of roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and glistening gravy stretched across the table. It was the kind of meal they had never bothered to make for her before.

"Come, sit!" her aunt said, beaming in a way that felt almost forced. "Eat, eat!"

"You must be starving," Elle said, smiling brightly as she passed Lia a plate. "Mom made all of this just for you."

Elle's sudden sweetness was strange. Normally, her cousin barely acknowledged her presence unless it was to make a snide remark. But tonight, Elle's eyes were bright, her smile wide. Lia's chest tightened with unease, but she pushed the feeling aside. Maybe they were just trying to make amends. Maybe they were trying to be better.

Lia took a hesitant bite of roasted chicken. It was tender and seasoned perfectly. A warmth settled in her stomach, momentarily easing the knot of suspicion in her chest. She smiled faintly. Maybe they really did want to reconnect.

"So," her uncle said, breaking the silence. "How's work?"

"It's… fine," Lia replied.

Her aunt reached across the table, setting another slice of chicken on Lia's plate. "Eat more, dear. You've gotten so thin."

Lia hesitated before taking another bite. After months of barely speaking to her, the sudden attention was disorienting. She wondered if it was the money. A week ago, she had sent them a generous sum after getting a bonus at work. Her aunt had accepted it without much comment. Maybe this dinner was their way of showing gratitude.

It didn't really matter. As long as they were kind sometimes, that was enough.

After the meal, Lia's eyelids started to feel heavy. A deep, unnatural exhaustion settled into her limbs. Her head swam.

"You look tired," Elle said, watching her closely. "Go lie down in my room."

Lia frowned. Elle never let anyone into her room — not even her closest friends. "I'm okay—"

"No, really." Elle smiled. "You'll feel better after a quick rest."

Lia tried to protest, but her legs felt like lead. Her head throbbed as a strange fog settled over her mind.

"I… guess," she mumbled.

Elle stood and gently took her arm, guiding her toward the bedroom down the hall. Lia barely registered the sensation of sinking into the soft mattress. Her vision blurred as her cousin's face hovered above hers.

Once the door was closed, Elle turned toward her mother, and nodded.

Her mother pulled out her phone.

"She's asleep," she said quietly. "You can come now."

Ten minutes later, a sleek black car pulled up outside the house. A well-dressed older woman stepped out, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement. She was tall, with silver hair pinned back in a flawless twist, and wore a dark ruby dress that shimmered beneath the porch light. A bodyguard followed closely behind.

Elle opened the door. The woman's gaze swept over the house with clinical detachment before settling on Elle and her mother.

"She's in Elle's bedroom, at the end of the hallway, " Lia's aunt said.

The old lady motioned the bodyguard to go ahead and grab Lia.

The bodyguard disappeared down the hall without a word. Moments later, he returned, carrying Lia's limp body in his arms. Her head lolled to the side, her dark hair spilling over his shoulder like a curtain of silk.

"Remember the plan," the woman said. Her voice was cold and precise. "You'll wait two days before filing the missing person's report. Say she left after dinner. Say you assumed she went home."

Elle's mother's hands trembled. "And you're sure no one will—"

"The authorities won't care." The woman smiled thinly. "Not for a girl like her."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a check.

Lia's aunt gasped when she saw the amount. Her hands tightened around the paper. Three million dollars. More money than they had ever seen in their lives. More than enough to pay off their debts. More than enough to start fresh.

"You've made the right choice." said the old woman, leaving.

Lia's aunt set the check down on the table with shaky hands. Her husband came into the room, his eyes widening when he saw the check. He sat down heavily beside her, his face pale.

"This… this is real?" he whispered.

"It's real," Lia's aunt murmured.

Elle slid into a chair across from them, crossing her legs. Her eyes glittered with something dark. "We've taken care of her for long enough."

"She was always a burden," her uncle muttered.

"Yes." the aunts' gaze hardened. "And now she's someone else's problem."

Outside, the bodyguard carried Lia's unconscious body to the car. The older woman followed, her heels clicking against the concrete as the car door opened. Lia's pale face reflected in the dim light of the streetlamp. Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths.

The woman settled into the seat beside her, brushing a strand of hair from Lia's face. "You'll have the honor to sacrifice yourself for greatness", the woman said.

The door closed with a soft thud.

Elle stood by the window, watching as the car drove away. She touched the check, her fingers brushing over the smooth paper. They didn't exactly know what those people wanted to do with Lia, but it didn't matter. They already got what they wanted.

Down the street, the black car disappeared into the night.

Lia felt heavy and numb. Her body wouldn't move, and her eyes seemed glued shut no matter how hard she tried to open them. A chill spread through her, sharp and biting, as though she were standing alone in a cold, empty room.

A steady beeping sound filled the air. It sounded like the machines used in hospitals. But that made no sense—she had fallen asleep in her cousin's bedroom. Panic tightened her chest as confusion flooded her mind.

After struggling, she finally managed to pry her eyes open. A high ceiling stretched above her, pale and empty. The air was cold and smelled faintly of melting candles. Her heart raced as she realized she wasn't in her cousin's room anymore.

She tried to sit up but couldn't. Her wrists and ankles were strapped down to a bed—tight leather bindings cutting into her skin. Her breathing quickened as she turned her head left and right. The room was large and bare, with no windows and barely any furniture.

To her right, a young man lay hooked up to a life support machine. His face was hidden behind a breathing mask, and only his dark hair and broad frame were visible beneath the thin blanket. The steady beeping of his monitor mixed with the pounding of her heart.

In front of her stood an altar covered with burning white candles of different sizes. Behind it were three large statues shaped like people, their faces blank and smooth.

A woman with gray hair tied in a neat bun knelt before the altar, dressed in a plain white robe. She whispered something under her breath, quick and low—like a prayer.

Lia's gaze dropped to herself—and her stomach flipped. She was wearing a wedding dress. White lace wrapped tightly around her body, delicate but wrong.

"What the fuck!?" Lia's voice cut through the room like a sharp crack.

The gray-haired woman's head snapped up. Slowly, she stood and turned toward Lia, her beady dark eyes cold as ice.

"You weren't supposed to wake up," the woman said, her tone flat. "That idiot aunt of yours didn't give you enough of the drug."

Lia's chest tightened. "What the fuck are you talking about? What is this? Why am I tied down?" The words rushed from her mouth, fast and frantic.

The woman's expression didn't change. "Calm down. Getting upset won't change anything."

"You're not the one tied to a bed in a wedding dress, you psycho!" Lia shouted, her voice shaking.

"Watch your language, young lady," the woman said sharply.

"Let me go!" Lia struggled, pulling hard against the straps. Pain shot through her wrists.

"That's not possible," the woman said, her voice calm. "You've been chosen to sacrifice your pathetic little life for a greater purpose."

Lia's breath caught. Her eyes darted toward the man on the life support machine, then back to the altar. Pieces started falling into place—the family dinner, the strange taste in her drink, the sudden sleepiness. Her family had drugged her and handed her over to this woman, who clearly thought killing her would somehow save that young man.

"I'll pass," Lia said, forcing a weak smile. "I think I'd rather keep my pathetic little life. No hard feelings, right?"

The woman glanced at her watch, her lips curling into a thin smile.

"I'm afraid that's not an option."

Without warning, the woman crossed the room, grabbed a dagger from the altar, and rushed toward Lia.

"Wait—" The word barely left Lia's throat before the cold bite of metal drove into her chest.

Pain bloomed, hot and savage. Her mouth opened, but no sound emerged. Blood—thick and crimson—spilled from the wound, running down her sides like the petals of a dark flower in bloom.

Lia's vision blurred. The last thing she saw was the woman's cold smile before the world dissolved into black.

Wasn't she supposed to be dead?

Lia's mind reeled as she stood in the middle of a field of tall grass beneath a storm-dark sky. The wind tugged at the hem of her white dress—that damn wedding dress. Her bare feet were cold against the damp earth, and her heart hammered in her chest. None of it made sense. She remembered dying. She felt the dagger slide into her chest. So how was she standing here now, fully conscious, breathing, alive?

A soft sound broke through her spinning thoughts—someone clearing their throat. Lia whipped around, heart leaping into her throat.

Three figures stood before her.

To the left was a tall, imposing man with short white hair and dark eyes that seemed to swallow the light. His pale skin gave him a ghostly appearance, and his expression was void of warmth. On the right stood a woman with long, ink-black hair cascading down her back, her golden eyes glowing faintly in the gloom. Her face was calm, expression unreadable, like a statue carved from marble. Between them stood a petite girl with short, rainbow-colored hair, vibrant and unnatural against the stormy backdrop. Her deep green eyes gleamed mischievously, and a wide smile curved her lips.

"Hello there," the rainbow-haired girl said, her voice bright and lilting. "Rough night, huh?"

Lia stared at them, her mind scrambling to catch up.

The girl's smile widened. "You're probably wondering who the hell we are." She tilted her head, eyes glinting with excitement. "Well… we're kind of gods. Although that's a little simplistic. But I guess it's what your kind would call us."

"Gods?" Lia repeated, suspicion creeping into her voice. Her mind flashed back to the ritual. The altar. The statues. There had been three of them. Just like the three standing before her now.

"I'm Lu," the girl said, placing a hand on her chest. "You could say I represent wealth, prosperity, and good fortune…among other things. This brooding fellow over here," she nodded toward the tall man on her left, "is Ri. He governs life and death and everything caught in between. And this lovely lady," Lu gestured toward the dark-haired woman on her right, "is Na—destiny itself."

Lia's gaze darkened. "Okay… So why am I here? Shouldn't I be, you know, crossing over? Heading toward the light or something?"

Lu's grin faltered. "Ah, about that…" She stepped closer, her green eyes narrowing slightly. "You were sacrificed. An old woman wanted our favor, so she offered you up."

Lia's stomach twisted.

"Let me show you," Lu said. She raised her hand and traced a wide circle in the air. Light shimmered and warped within it until images began to form like a scene projected on glass.

Lia's breath caught as the vision sharpened.

Her aunt and uncle sat in a dimly lit room across from the old woman with beady eyes.

"All you have to do," the old woman said, placing a small black pouch on the table, "is put this in her food or drink. Once it's done, call me."

"What will happen to her?" Lia's aunt asked, fiddling nervously with the velvet pouch.

"Does it matter?" the old woman said coldly. "You'll get your three million dollars. I'll get your niece."

"Three million?" Lia's uncle repeated, eyes gleaming with greed.

"It has to be tonight," the old woman warned. "If not, the deal is off."

The scene shifted. Lia watched herself at the dinner table as her aunt sprinkled a yellowish powder over her food, glancing nervously at her husband. Lia saw herself eat it, none the wiser. Then, she watched as her sleeping form was carried away by a man dressed in black.

The car ride was long, nearly an hour. It stopped in front of an old, crumbling mansion. Lia watched the man carry her inside and down a narrow staircase into a cavernous, candle-lit room. A young man lay there, unconscious, hooked up to an oxygen mask. Monitors beeped faintly beside him.

The old woman entered, holding a white wedding dress. She struggled to change Lia into it, then tied her wrists and ankles to the bed.

She approached the unconscious man and whispered, "I found her, Eric. The perfect sacrifice. Born the same year, the same day, the same hour, and at the same hospital as you. A real miracle."

She pressed a kiss to his pale hand. "Now I just have to kill her so you may live."

Lia watched as her own lifeless body lay on the bed next to him, the dagger lodged deep in her chest. Blood soaked the white lace of her dress. The old woman yanked the dagger free, whispering, "It is done." Then placed it on the altar.

She called for the man in black. "Bury her in the garden. Shallow grave, beneath the oak tree. The ritual ends at daybreak, and her body must remain close to the surface until then."

The vision dissolved. Lia stood frozen, her breath coming fast and shallow. Anger curled deep in her chest, sharp and cold.

"So I was a sacrifice," Lia said bitterly. "And you were the gods I was sacrificed to. Does that mean you own my soul now?"

Lu scoffed. "Please. No one can own a soul. Sure, you can make a contract, trade the human life of that soul for something—but true ownership? Impossible. The soul can also make a contract for a determined period of time, but never for eternity."

Lia's gaze narrowed. "Then why am I here?"

"We summoned you," Lu replied, her green eyes glittering. "To give you a chance for revenge."

"Revenge?"

"Yes," Lu said, smiling. "Not just on the people who sacrificed you—but on everyone who wronged you in life. A rare opportunity."

Lia's eyes narrowed. "But why would you do that?" she asked, suspicion sharpening her tone. "Why help me get revenge? What's in it for you?"

For the first time, Lu's confidence waned. Her gaze darted away, and so did the others'. Ri's dark eyes lowered to the ground, and Na's golden gaze slid off to the side, her expression cool and composed. It was as if they'd been caught holding onto a dangerous secret.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them before Na finally spoke. Her voice was soft but steady. "We just… like you."

Lia blinked. "Like me?" she repeated, unsure whether to be flattered or even more suspicious.

Lu's smile returned, but there was a new intensity behind it. Her green eyes gleamed. "Yes. You're… special, Lia. A kind of special that comes around once in thousands of lifetimes."

Lia's brow furrowed. Special? She thought back to her life—unremarkable, dull. She wasn't particularly beautiful or talented. Just… Lia. "How exactly am I special?" she asked, her voice laced with doubt.

"Ah, that's a conversation for another time," Lu said with a wink.

"Why not tell me now?"

Lu just continued smiling without answering.

Lia didn't press on since a more urgent decision had to be made.

She had never thought much about revenge. Life had always dragged her forward too quickly, and death had come too suddenly. But now… the faces of her aunt and uncle flashed in her mind. The old woman's cold eyes. The sensation of the dagger in her chest.

Lia looked down at the bloodied dress, her hands curling into fists at her sides. She had once dreamed of wearing a wedding dress on her special day, walking down an aisle toward someone she loved. Instead, she had died in one.

Her lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. "Yeah. I think I'd like to get some of that fucking revenge."