Chapter 2

2.

The rain outside was getting heavier.

The droplets drummed rhythmically against the windowpane.

After hanging up on Uncle Arthur, my father went back to watching the news.

Just then, his phone screen lit up.

It was an automated birthday greeting email I had scheduled for him.

Since I started working after college, I became very busy. To make sure I never forgot their birthdays, I always wrote the messages in advance and set them to send automatically.

My father glanced at it and let out a derisive snort.

"She thinks sending a yearly greeting will make me forget she took my son away? In her dreams!"

My mother was busy applying the expensive skincare I had bought her, nodding in agreement.

"She's just being manipulative," she said.

"She thinks these little gifts will make up for everything. If our son were here, he'd treat us a thousand times better than she ever does!"

Ever since Beau disappeared, they constantly compared us.

From grades to social skills, they found every opportunity to belittle me.

Years ago, when I was being bullied at school and my grades dropped, they called me brainless.

They asked me why I was even bothering to apply for college.

Later, when I worked my tail off to become valedictorian, I didn't get a pat on the back. I got malice.

"You aren't even worth a strand of your brother's hair," they told me.

They even claimed I was jealous of him and intentionally pushed him off the boat.

I denied it a thousand times.

But all I got in return was their disgust.

"Oh, she sent me a weird text a few days ago saying she was kidnapped or something..." my mother said with a mocking laugh.

"Who would want to kidnap a criminal like her?"

My father laughed along.

"People probably run the other way when they see her, afraid she'll push them into the sea next."

They mocked me back and forth.

Later that afternoon, a staff member from a high-end restaurant called my father to remind him of his reservation.

I had booked a private birthday dinner for him in advance.

Not only that, I had called all his friends to make sure they showed up.

All that was left was for the guest of honor to arrive.

My father wasn't happy about it.

He glared at the phone and grumbled about me trying to suck up to him.

But my mother didn't feel like cooking, so she dragged him out the door.

The two of them enjoyed a lavish meal.

Not once during the entire dinner did they say a single kind word about me.

Shortly after they got home, Uncle Arthur rushed over, looking frantic.

"Has Jade been home at all lately?"

The smile on my father's face vanished instantly.

He snapped back impatiently.

"Why do you keep bringing her up? If you like her so much, why don't you go adopt her yourself?"

Arthur looked stunned for a moment.

Eventually, my mother asked what was wrong, cooling the tension slightly.

"According to the autopsy, the victim has a raspberry-colored birthmark on her left hand. I remember Jade having one exactly like that."

Hearing this, my dull, ghostly eyes suddenly brightened.

I remembered how my parents used to praise that mark.

"Our little Jade must be an angel sent from heaven. Even her birthmark is shaped like a perfect little petal!"

I waited, hoping this would make them think of me.

But I was wrong.

Compared to Arthur's seriousness, my parents were incredibly dismissive.

"Plenty of people have birthmarks. Besides, she's been out partying with her losers lately!"

Arthur looked at my father with a piercing, judgmental gaze.

"Are you absolutely sure about that?"

My father pulled his lips into a thin line of annoyance.

"I'm not one of your suspects, Arthur!"

"She's an adult. I don't keep her on a leash!"

"If I try to control her, who knows? Maybe she'll decide to shove me into the ocean next."

Arthur frowned and shook his head.

"There will come a day when you regret this."

After he left, my father said coldly to the empty room.

"I wouldn't regret it even if she died tomorrow."