Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I won't go, Dad, I won't go... Please, I'm scared, I'll be good from now on... Please..."

But my pleas fell on deaf ears. The old man picked me up and carried me towards the door.

Dad's eyes were fixed on the wad of cash in his hand. Mom came down from upstairs, her face cold and indifferent as she watched me being taken away.

I felt so insignificant, like a piece of garbage...

I started to cry and scream, my voice growing louder as I struggled in the old man's arms, trying to escape.

My cries alerted our elderly neighbor Thalia. She saw me being carried away by a stranger and started shouting, calling him a kidnapper and screaming for help. She rushed forward, trying to snatch me back.

Her shouts drew the attention of the other neighbors, and it infuriated Dad.

He stormed out of the house, his eyes filled with rage, glaring at Thalia.

"Crazy woman, mind your own business!"

His fist flew towards Thalia, hitting her once, twice. She fell, tumbling down the stairs, blood flowing everywhere.

The scene descended into chaos.

I cried and rushed to Thalia's side, my heart aching. My trembling hands cradled her head, shaking her body, begging her to wake up.

But Thalia remained motionless, her body growing cold.

Soon, the sound of police sirens filled the air.

The police arrived and took Dad and the old man away.

Thalia was gone too, because of me.

The police notified Thalia's children abroad, but their response was to let the police handle it. They had immigrated and wouldn't be coming back.

I sat at the entrance of the funeral home, holding Thalia's ashes, silently weeping.

I thought, if only I had obeyed Dad and stayed silent.

If I hadn't screamed, Thalia would have lived a long life.

But there's no cure for regret...

I buried my face in my hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

I went to court as a witness. Dad was sentenced to ten years in prison for intentional homicide and child trafficking.

At the moment of sentencing, I saw regret in his eyes for the first time.

What was he regretting?

I didn't know. Maybe it was the five thousand dollars that hadn't even warmed his pocket, or maybe it was the thought of not being able to drink his favorite liquor for the next ten years.

But it was definitely not because of me...

I lay on Thalia's bed, my hand constantly rubbing the red string bracelet on my wrist, the only thing she left me.

I looked up at the empty ceiling.

The dim light flickered, splitting into two or three shadows.

I knew the only person who cared for me was gone.

My life felt like quicksand, destined to pull me under, the thick soil pressing down on my body, leaving me half-dead.

But life had to go on. In this sea of suffering, I had to keep steering my broken boat forward.

I stayed at Thalia's house for two days.

Eventually, I went back home. The moment I opened the door, a pungent smell of alcohol hit me.

I covered my nose. The room was dark, the curtains drawn, and the floor littered with beer bottles and cans that clinked and clattered with the slightest touch.

Mom was lying on the sofa in a deep red dress, her cheeks flushed.

She looked like a once-beautiful flower now withered and decayed.

This was the first time I saw Mom drinking.

She hated alcohol. She used to look at Dad with disgust when he was drunk, keeping her distance.

But this time, she was the one drunk, mumbling to herself, her words incoherent.

I pulled open the tightly drawn curtains, and sunlight filtered through the budding branches, casting a bright light on my face.

At that moment, I turned and met her gaze.