Chapter 3

Once the paperwork was done, James finally checked his phone. He saw my SnapChat texts begging for help.

His investigator instincts kicked in, and he dialed Sarah.

For a second, I thought they had finally realized something was wrong.

But the moment James spoke, my hopes crashed.

"Did Kylie call you crying again?"

"She went as far as sending me fake texts claiming some freak was stalking her on her way home. Is she really trying to copy what happened to Kate?!"

I didn't lie, James! I was in real danger! The body you just pitied on the autopsy table... that's me! Please, believe me just once!

His brow was furrowed in deep annoyance.

I hoped Sarah would show some concern. After all, ever since Kate disappeared ten years ago, I had never dared to reach out to them.

But Sarah's voice over the speaker was cold and dismissive.

"She's been a pathological liar since she was a toddler, don't you know that?"

"Remember when she faked stomach aches just to skip preschool? I gave you custody. She's your kid, don't bring her drama to me."

"Last time she showed up at my house with some cheap Mother's Day gift, it made things so awkward. My husband was right next to me!"

Because of the difficult labor, Sarah had resented me from the moment I was born.

After Kate's disappearance, that resentment became fully justified in her eyes.

I listened to them take turns listing all my flaws, until James cursed, "She was born to be a curse on this family!"

In the end, neither of them wondered if leaving me out in the dark would lead to any danger.

I curled up in the corner of the room, my soul aching with a hollow pain. My death didn't matter to anyone.

"I need to file a report!" A familiar voice echoed from the lobby.

"My friend Kylie has been missing since last night! Something terrible must have happened to her!"

In front of the front desk, my only friend, Chloe, was frantically explaining the situation to the officer.

She said I had stopped replying to her Snapchats and missed our plans to hang out.

Looking at how panicked she was, my heart squeezed with painful gratitude.

How I wished I could tell her not to cry, but I could only stand beside her as a ghost, weeping silently.

Thank you for caring about me, Chloe.

When the officer asked if she had contacted the family, James walked into the lobby, looking down at Chloe with cold eyes.

"No need to waste your time. I'm Kylie's father."

"She isn't missing. She committed a family offense and is currently grounded in the basement."

"And I don't appreciate her running around with delinquent kids like you."

He dragged out the word 'delinquent'. I watched Chloe's face turn pale, her fingers nervously clutching the hem of her worn-out jacket.

But Chloe wasn't a delinquent. When James forgot to give me lunch money, she would steal bread from her own kitchen to feed me.

When she found out I was using toilet paper because I couldn't afford pads, she used her babysitting money to buy them for me.

Others looked down on her because she was poor, but she was my savior.

Since James was the Homicide Captain, no officer dared to question his words.

My disappearance was swept under the rug simply because a parent claimed I was "grounded."

I watched Chloe leave, feeling utterly helpless. I wanted to follow her.

But my soul was tethered to James, dragged along as he drove home.

A thin layer of dust covered the dining table. The decorative flowers had long withered.

James brought in takeout boxes and lined them up.

A year after Kate vanished, on this very day, I had mistakenly thought these lavish takeout meals were for my birthday.

While James was in the restroom, I couldn't resist sneaking a bite of my favorite seafood pasta.

But James caught me. He marched over, his face twisted in rage, and choked me against the wall.

"Why are you so greedy?! Is this for you? A leech like you doesn't deserve this!"

My face turned purple as I gasped for air.

"I'm sorry... I thought it was for my birthday. I'll spit it out... I'll spit it out right now..."

A sharp piece of seafood shell got stuck in my throat. I swallowed hard, tears streaming down my face.

When I was on the verge of passing out, James finally let go, pointing at me and snarling, "You like eating so much? I'll make sure you eat till you die!"

Under his murderous gaze, I was forced to stuff three eight-inch cream cakes down my throat until I vomited all over the floor.