Chapter 2

2 When my dad called from his sleepless work trip to check in on our little family, I told him everything was fine.

I bought those damn fireworks, came home, and walked into a nightmare.

I kicked in the front door, barely escaping with my life.

The street was swarming with neighbors and firefighters.

Before I could even process what was happening, Lindsey grabbed my arm, her face ashen.

Tears streamed down her face as she shrieked, "Lindsay, why would you DO this?!"

"Why did you have to light fireworks?! Do you know what you've done? Mom was trapped! She burned alive!"

She sobbed hysterically.

My mind went blank, completely overwhelmed.

Lindsey dragged me over to a stretcher, covered with a white sheet.

My hands trembled as I lifted the corner.

Beneath it lay a charred, unrecognizable body.

I could barely make out Mom's features.

"Mom...wasn't she at work?" I stammered, my voice hollow.

Dad's eyes were bloodshot, his face a mask of grief.

"You said everything was fine, Lindsay. THIS is fine?!"

My boyfriend, ever the hero, stepped in to back up Lindsey's story.

"She always does whatever she wants, no matter what anyone says. She must have set off fireworks inside and started the fire!"

Lindsey's voice was hoarse as she screamed at me, "Just admit what you did!"

"Mom is dead! Are you happy now?!"

That was the final straw for my dad.

His face contorted with rage, and he backhanded me across the face, sending me sprawling.

Neighbors started to murmur and point fingers.

In the end, Dad personally put me in jail.

I later found out that Lindsey and Chad had been sleeping together for months.

They plotted the fire, hoping to kill me, but I escaped.

When they accidentally killed Mom, they decided to frame me.

And that was that. I spent my days and nights hating them both, before eventually dying in prison.

After I died, Lindsey got her mom to kill our dad so she could take the money.

But this time, I wouldn't let them get away with a thing.