My Flesh Won Her The Nobel Prize, But I’m Already Dead

Three years after the lethal radiation exposure, the Institute finally tracked me down. I signed the body donation consent form and placed one last call to my mother. The other end was alive with laughter and loud music—she was throwing a lavish birthday bash for her adopted daughter, Mia. My mother’s voice was like ice, dripping with sheer disgust: "Dying? If you’re actually dying, that’s the best news I’ve heard all year." Those were the last words my mother ever said to me. Yet months later, when she discovered that the groundbreaking biological specimen that won her the nation’s highest scientific prize was made of my own flesh and bone... She broke down, sobbing uncontrollably in front of the entire world. My body had completely deteriorated. My muscles had broken down, and my skin hung loose and rotting. I sat slouched in a wheelchair, head hanging low, facing the scientists sent by the Institute. They stared at my decaying body, their eyes filled with horror, pity, and grief. I agreed to their request for full-body donation. With the absolute last ounce of my strength, I signed my name on the release form. I knew my time was up. I had only one dying wish: to make one final call to my mother. I was too weak to even lift my phone. A kind researcher held it up against my ear for me. My contact list had long been wiped clean—only one number remained: Mom. Ever since the radiation leak, I had locked myself away in this dark room. I didn't want my contaminated body to harm anyone else. Friends, classmates, teachers... they all faded from my life, one by one. Facing death, the only thread tying me to the outside world was Evelyn. The call connected. The raucous joy on the other end spilled violently into my suffocatingly quiet room. I knew today was Mia’s birthday. Evelyn had rented out an upscale venue to celebrate her precious adopted daughter. The sound of giggling teenagers, relatives showering Mia with gifts, and guests kissing Evelyn’s feet... all of it surrounded me, crushing my lonely, dying soul. Listening to their warmth and happiness, I choked back my tears and whispered: "Mom... I'm about to die. I just signed the body donation papers." "I... I just really wanted to see you one last time. Could you please come visit me?" My mother, Dr. Evelyn Vance, let out a venomous scoff. "Dying? Good! If you’re really dying, that’s the best damn thing that could happen!" "Summer, I’ve been waiting for you to drop dead for years!" Her cruel words echoed off the bare walls, acting like a cold blade that sliced my very last shred of hope to ribbons. Beside me, the young researcher’s face turned bright red with fury. He reached for the phone, wanting to scream at her. I just smiled weakly and shook my head, whispering to him: "She's... she's just busy today. She doesn't have time." "Besides, I ruined her life. I can't blame her." The room fell dead silent. I knew what they were thinking. What kind of monster treats her own biological daughter like garbage? Still, I didn’t want them to hate my mom. I didn't want anyone to see how cruel she could be. Even after a lifetime of her emotional abuse, even though my heart felt like it was being ripped out of my chest... I swallowed all the pain. I naively thought that if she ever found out everything I had sacrificed for her, she would finally love me. Too bad I would never live to see that day. After the researchers left, the only thing remaining in the room was a small, tattered plush bear sitting on the desk. A final rush of adrenaline surged through my veins. I wrapped my trembling arms around the bear my mother had bought me years ago. I tilted my head back and stared out the window at the stars. The night sky was deep and beautiful. The crescent moon curved gently, just like the soft, warm smiles Evelyn used to give when she was happy. In a fading haze, I hallucinated Evelyn stepping down from the moon, smiling and reaching out her hand to hold me. The next second, the flatline alarm on the heart monitor blared across the room. A long, piercing beep. A perfectly flat green line. Finally. My miserable, agonizing life was over. I thought eternal darkness would swallow me, but then my eyes fluttered open again. A familiar figure was bustling around an ultra-modern laboratory. "Mom...?"Evelyn was tall and elegant, wrapped tightly in a pristine white lab coat. Her face was cold and focused as she studied the tissue sample under the sterile hood. She turned to her research team and announced strictly: "This is our new biological specimen. It didn't come from lab animals." "It came from a human. A young girl in the prime of her youth." "She sacrificed her body for science. I will not tolerate a single drop of waste, nor an ounce of disrespect!" Her eyes held both sadness and deep reverence as her gloved fingers gently traced the edge of the glass container. A sudden, warm sensation rushed across my body—like a gentle caress. It was a tenderness I had never experienced while I was alive. In that instant, I realized the truth: I was a ghost. And the biological specimen my mother was so reverently handling... was my corpse. Evelyn was leading a top-secret project on radiation-shielding biomaterials. High-grade contaminated human tissue was practically impossible to obtain. Looking at the slivers of my harvested flesh, Evelyn let out a heavy sigh. "Such a tragedy. A sweet girl, stripped of her life by severe radiation. What a waste..." Her eyes shimmered with genuine heartache. Oh, Mom... I told you thousands of times that I had been radiated. I told you I didn't have long to live. You never cared. You just screamed at me, calling me a pathetic liar. One of the lab assistants who had collected my body bowed his head and murmured: "After she learned she was exposed, she locked herself in a tiny room for three years. She said she didn't want to contaminate anyone else. She was an angel." "When we went to get her consent, her only wish was to call her mother. She didn't even have the strength to hold the phone." "Her mother was pure evil, though. That poor girl was breathing her last, and her mother literally told her to drop dead. It broke my heart just hearing it." The grief on Evelyn’s face deepened. She reached out and softly patted the specimen container. A wave of phantom warmth brushed over my soul. "How could any mother on earth be so heartless?" Evelyn whispered, disgusted. Mom... that heartless monster was you. The warmth of her gloved hand slid over my spiritual form, but my heart remained frozen solid. After saying that, Evelyn paused, as if struck by a vague, uneasy memory. She clenched her fists, staring blankly into the distance. I could feel a subtle wave of unrest rippling through her chest. Shaking it off, she turned back to the assistant. "Do you know what her name was?" The assistant opened his mouth to reply, but a cheery voice from the doorway cut him off. "Mom! I brought you lunch!" The confusion and grief on Evelyn’s face instantly vanished, replaced by radiant warmth and pride. A vibrant, pretty girl pushed open the heavy double doors. The large sign reading "RESTRICTED AREA: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY" didn't faze her for a second. She strutted right over to Evelyn. "Mom, look what I made for you today!" It was Mia, my mother’s beloved adopted daughter.Mia dramatically pulled out a thermal lunchbox and popped the lid open, humming a celebratory tune. "Ta-da!" Inside was a steaming bowl of homemade clam chowder. The second Evelyn saw the clams, her smile twitched slightly, but she immediately forced a broader grin. Under Mia’s eager gaze, Evelyn picked up the spoon and took big, enthusiastic bites. Everyone in the room—including my ghost—was stunned. We all knew Evelyn despised seafood more than anything in the world. Evelyn ate happily, and Mia watched her with a sweet smile. Yet that smile sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't know what she was scheming, but I knew for a fact it was drenched in malice. Evelyn hated seafood to the bone. Yet she scraped the bottom of that bowl clean, just to make Mia happy. Staring at the empty container, I drifted into a distant memory. I had tried cooking for my mother once, too. My father, Richard, had been a penniless opportunist. After marrying my wealthy, brilliant mother, he used her connections and family funds to launch his own tech startup. The moment I was born, he stripped the family accounts, funneled all the assets into his firm, and installed his side-chick as a high-ranking executive. He figured having a baby and financial entanglements would keep Evelyn from ever filing for divorce. He was wrong. Evelyn was devastated by the betrayal and gave up on love entirely. She resigned from the corporate world and locked herself in research labs. And I became the only physical reminder of the man who had destroyed her. Every time she looked at me, she looked at an enemy. Overnight, I went from an adored heiress to an unwanted curse. Evelyn tried to dump me at an orphanage. Just before she did, my maternal grandparents stepped in and took me in. From that day on, I grew up with my grandparents. I knew I had a gorgeous, brilliant mother, but I almost never saw her face. When I was six years old, Grandma told me stories about all the foods Evelyn used to love. My naive, childish brain instantly conjured a daydream: Mom would eat the food I made, praise me, and pull me into a tight, warm hug. I looked up at Grandma and asked, "Grandma, if I make Mommy yummy food, will she come home and see me?" Grandma’s lips parted, but she couldn't bring herself to answer. I didn't press her. I just begged her to help me cook. Together, we packed a three-tier bento box full of Evelyn’s favorites. And as a special treat, I insisted on steaming a whole crab—my personal favorite. I daydreamed about how happy she would be as Grandma walked me to the research facility gates. Standing outside, Grandma pointed through the glass doors. That was the very first time I saw my biological mother in person. She was just as poised and stunning as I had imagined. She wore stylish heels and radiated intellectual grace. I silently rehearsed the words I had practiced a hundred times. To prepare for seeing her, I had even taken a bath and scrubbed myself clean beforehand. I thought that if Mom smelled the delicious food and my fresh, sweet scent, she wouldn't be able to bear leaving me behind. I carried the lunchbox forward, raised it high with both hands, and looked up at her. "Mommy, I made lunch for you! I hope you like it!" The moment the word Mommy left my lips, the gentle curve of Evelyn's face turned into pure disgust, as if she had just stepped in filth. "Who let you in here? Can't you read the signs? This is a restricted lab!" Every bit of excitement in my tiny heart shattered into dust. I stood there frozen, clutching the box, trembling. Evelyn snatched the box and pried off the layers. When she saw her favorite dishes, her sharp features softened slightly. A tiny spark of hope flickered in my chest. I craved that hug. I craved a gentle pat on the head. Even just hearing her call me sweetie would have been enough. Then, she opened the bottom compartment and saw the steamed crab. With a furious snarl, she violently swiped the entire lunchbox onto the floor. Her face twisted with pure hatred. Terrified, I reached out to grab her pants leg, crying. Evelyn kicked me hard, knocking my little body straight to the tile floor. "I thought you might have an ounce of decency, but you’re just like your disgusting father!" "You know that bastard loved seafood! You brought this crab here on purpose to disgust me, didn't you?!" "I’m already stressed, and you came here specifically to torment me!" "I regret not strangling you in your crib the day you were born!" She jabbed her finger at my face, screaming, then turned to the security guards: "Keep your eyes open! If this little parasite ever shows up again, throw her off the property!" I never forgot the hatred in her eyes that day. I never forgot the suffocating darkness that swallowed me—not even on the day I died was it that black. I don't even remember how I got home. All I remember was walking down the street, slapping my own face over and over again. Grandma tried to hold my hands, sobbing, but couldn't stop me. I hated myself. Why was I so stupid? Why did I have to pack that stupid crab? If I hadn't packed the crab, would she have loved me? I was too young to understand: even if she had eaten every bite, she would never have accepted me as her daughter. I walked home like a ghost, her final words ringing in my ears: I regret not strangling you in your crib! After that, I obsessively practiced cooking, desperate to get it right. But before I could ever cook for her again, the radiation leak happened. And now, here was Mia, serving her clam chowder. Seafood soup. Yet Evelyn ate it all with a tender, loving smile. And the "Restricted" signs didn't stop this high schooler from walking right into the lab. I finally understood the insurmountable wall between us: I was Richard's blood. Mia was not.That evening, Evelyn drove Mia home. Evelyn had always been meticulous about her health and eyesight, but the entire drive back, she kept rubbing her temples and eyes. She muttered under her breath, "What's wrong with me today? Why am I so dizzy?" Still, she managed to get them home safely. Once inside, Mia completely ignored Evelyn’s condition. She slumped on the couch, furiously texting on her phone, a sly, smitten smirk playing on her lips. Evelyn casually remarked, "Mia, you’re only a junior. You shouldn't be dating yet. Focus on your studies." Mia instantly flared up like a cornered beast. She spun around, screeching at Evelyn: "Listen to me, Evelyn Vance! Don't you dare think you can control my life just because you pay the bills!" "You don't understand me! You’re not my real mother, so back off!" "If I hadn't saved your miserable life back then, you’d be rotting in the ground right now!" She was talking about the radiation leak three years ago. Mia claimed she had given Evelyn the last radiation suit. In reality, I had been the one delivering food to the lab that day. When I arrived, people were screaming and running for their lives. I grabbed an evacuating tech and asked where Dr. Evelyn Vance was. He handed me two radiation hazmat suits, pointed inside, and ran. Mom was still inside. Without a second thought, I pulled one suit on and sprinted straight into the hot zone. Inside, Evelyn had been knocked unconscious by the explosion. Just as I was about to slip the second hazmat suit onto her, Mia lunged out from the smoke and ripped it from my hands, putting it on herself. Left with no choice, I stripped off my own protective suit, forced it onto my unconscious mother, and dragged her out through the flames. Evelyn survived unharmed. My body, however, took a lethal dose of radiation. The moment we got out, I collapsed from acute radiation syndrome and fell into a coma. Mia stayed by Evelyn’s hospital bed, holding her hand, crying about how she had risked her own life to drag Evelyn out of the flames. With her wicked tongue, Mia stole my sacrifice and became Evelyn’s hero and savior. Floating beside Evelyn now, ghostly tears streamed down my face. My heart felt like it was being hacked to pieces. I wanted so badly to scream the truth, but I had no voice. When I woke from that coma, I tried telling Evelyn the truth a thousand times. Not only did she refuse to believe me, she slapped me and called me a sickening liar. She accused me of trying to steal Mia’s glory. So all I could do was watch as my mother showered all her love, resources, and devotion on the monster who had condemned me to death. The next morning, Evelyn woke up early to cook breakfast for Mia. She had done this every single morning for ten years. No matter how demanding her lab work was, Mia’s breakfast was always gourmet and varied. Just as she plated the food, her phone rang. It was my high school counselor. Evelyn’s brow furrowed, but she answered anyway. "Hello? Is this Summer’s mother? Her one-year medical leave of absence expired today, but we haven't been able to reach her." "Do you know where she is?" Hearing my name, Evelyn’s scowl deepened with unfiltered rage. "Counselor," she spat coldly, "I am not that little brat's mother. She doesn't deserve to be my daughter." "I'll try texting her. We'll see." She hung up and sent me a text—the first message she had sent me since my death. You useless parasite, skipping school now? Where the hell are you?! I'm warning you: if you don't show up to school today, I'm cutting off every penny of your allowance! Watching her venomous fury, I let out a dry, phantom sob. Mom... I'm already dead.