Chapter 3

The day Lily arrived at the airport, Arthur forced me to drive him to pick up her and Chloe.

Arthur didn't know how to drive, so he treated me like his personal chauffeur.

In the rearview mirror, his fawning, sycophantic expression made me sick to my stomach.

"Chloe, sweetie, now that you’re back, Uncle Arthur is going to make sure you have the time of your life."

"Chloe, how do you like the ride? Uncle Arthur got it ready just for you. Let's hit the high-end mall first, then grab dinner at a five-star spot."

Arthur's voice was drenched in sickening flattery, as if Chloe were his precious golden child.

Chloe replied in a sweet, pampered drawl, "Uncle Arthur, you're the absolute sweetest! I'm so touched!"

I bit my lip, sneering inwardly.

Watching him play the doting father to someone else's kid was truly repulsive.

He suddenly snapped his head toward me, his warmth vanishing into freezing contempt. "Keep your hands steady and drive properly! Don't make Chloe nauseous."

None of us saw the speeding car running the red light around the blind corner until it was too late.

A deafening crash shattered the world. The car spun wildly, black smoke billowed instantly, and flames erupted from the hood.

My vision blurred as violent forces threw my body around, slamming me hard against the shattered glass and metal.

The air filled with high-pitched screams from Lily and Chloe.

Forcing my eyes open through the haze, I saw Arthur unbuckling his seatbelt. He lunged across the seats, pulled Lily into his arms, and fought his way out through the broken door.

Lily clutched Arthur's lapels, her voice hysterical. "Arthur! Chloe is still trapped back there! Go save my baby!"

Without a second of hesitation, Arthur dove right back into the smoke-filled wreckage, pulled Chloe out from the twisted back row, wrapped her protectively against his chest, and rushed her outside.

A deep exhaustion swept through me. My limbs felt pinned and completely drained of strength; I could only watch helplessly as their silhouettes faded into the smoke. The flames roared louder, the thick smoke stealing the air from my lungs.

Just then, I heard heavy footsteps running back toward the car. A faint glimmer of hope sparked in my chest.

Dad was coming back for me.

Suddenly, Lily’s panicked shriek cut through the crackle of fire. "Arthur, stop! Don't go back! The gas tank is on fire—it's going to blow! You can't throw your life away!"

Arthur's footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

His voice wavered through the smoke. "B-but... Jade is still my daughter..."

"Arthur! We lost so many years apart! We just found each other again! You're my rock, my everything—how am I supposed to survive without you?!"

She grabbed his arm tightly, her tone dripping with tearful desperation. "Arthur, please, I'm begging you, don't leave me! I can't live without you!"

Arthur's face twisted with conflict. He looked down at Lily's tear-streaked face, then glanced back toward the burning wreck where I lay trapped.

Then, he wrapped his arms tightly around Lily, turning his back on me without looking back ever again.

The smoke grew suffocating, the heat searing my skin as darkness encroached on my vision.

I fought to keep my eyes open, but my eyelids felt heavier than lead.

"Mom... Mom..."

My voice was too weak for anyone to hear. Tears traced lines down my soot-stained cheeks, instantly evaporated by the scorching blaze.

Right before I slipped into the dark, I thought I heard my mother's frantic, desperate screams in the distance, but the sound drifted farther and farther away...