Chapter 4

The officers immediately grew tense.

Connecting my disappearance with the vagrant attack from earlier, the truth was staring them in the face.

My heart climbed into my throat.

But Damian just let out a cold laugh, pulling up his call log and showing it to them.

"Her? Kidnapped? Where could a cockroach like her go? She called me this morning, playing the victim again!"

"She loves lying. She loves directing her own little dramas! Killing my mother wasn't enough, now she's pulling this stunt!"

I frantically spun around them, wishing with everything in me that I could scream the truth into their ears.

I wasn't lying! I wasn't playing victim! Everything I said was real!

Why won't you believe me?!

But my voice couldn't reach them. Damian, convinced of his own theory, looked eager to drag me out and expose my "lies" to the world.

Eventually, the last drop of hope drained from me. I just stared at him, numb.

He was on the phone with Dad, talking about me.

"Sienna is pulling her old tricks again. She’s probably out hooking up with some trashy guy."

"She doesn't feel a shred of remorse! Even if she dies, she deserves it! Let's see how many days she can last out there!"

Dad’s final words hit me like a physical blow.

The pain in my chest was blinding, and a familiar coldness washed over my face.

Of course. Even if I died, they wouldn't care.

The police search was called off. I followed Damian back home.

The next morning, before nine, my school counselor called.

He was a good man, always worried that my family issues would ruin my education. He cared about me when no one else did.

"Hello? Damian? I heard from the teachers that Sienna hasn't been in class for days. Is everything okay?"

The voice was filled with genuine warmth.

My eyes welled with tears, and they spilled over instantly.

If there was anyone left in this world who cared about me, it was Mr. Sterling.

I wanted so badly to thank him, to thank him for remembering me.

But I would never get the chance.

"Mr. Sterling? Or are you just one of the trashy guys Sienna is fooling around with?"

"Is she standing right next to you, telling you what to say? Does she want to see us worry? Why is she so obsessed with these cheap dramas?"

"No, you misunderstand—"

"Save it! Tell her to get her ass back to the river and kneel. If she keeps this up, I’m legally disowning her!"

"And you! Aren't you afraid she’ll ruin your life too? She’s a monster who didn't even spare her own mother!"

Before the counselor could explain, Damian slammed the phone down.

His face was still flushed with lingering anger.

Dad walked out of his room, frowning. "Was that Sienna?"

"Don't worry about her. If she doesn't want to come home, she doesn't have to."

"She kept me up all night. I just finalized the disownment papers and posted them on social media."

"She’s dead to this family now."

I stared at Dad, frozen.

My heart sank to the absolute bottom of a frozen lake, aching with a dull, throbbing pain.

I curled up on the floor, hugging my knees, wanting to cry but having no tears left.

Damian's number was only listed as my emergency contact because Mr. Sterling had insisted on it.

Back then, the counselor had comforted me, saying Damian and Dad were just angry, that they would understand one day.

He told me guys express love differently, that Damian probably cared deep down.

He even said he sometimes saw Damian lingering near the school gates.

I had believed him. I wrote down Damian's number, hoping I would never have to use it, hoping I would stay safe and not be a burden.

Only later did I realize Mr. Sterling had just been trying to comfort me.

Damian didn't care. He never came to see me. And now that his number was finally used as an emergency contact, it was completely useless.

It only brought anger to everyone and pushed Dad to legally cut ties with me.

Dad, do you really hate me that much?

So much that you had to sever our very last bond?

The pain in my chest intensified, suffocating me.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Richard! Sienna! Damian! Open the door! My undercover mission is over! I'm home!"