Chapter 5: The Daughter They Lost

The entire room fell silent.

For a few seconds, no one moved.

The assistant stood there, holding a file in his trembling hands. His face was pale, as if he still couldn't believe the words he was about to say.

"Sir... we found Samantha's body two days ago."

My father's smile disappeared.

"What... what did you say?"

The assistant swallowed hard.

"The construction site collapsed. Samantha was trapped underneath. The rescue team couldn't save her in time."

The livestream camera was still recording.

Millions of people were watching.

My parents stood frozen in front of everyone.

My mother was the first to react.

"No."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"No, that's impossible."

She rushed forward and grabbed the assistant's arm.

"You must have made a mistake. Samantha ran away. She left with someone. She isn't dead."

The assistant lowered his eyes.

"I wish that was true, ma'am."

He opened the file.

"The police confirmed her identity through fingerprints and dental records."

My mother's fingers loosened.

The file slipped from her hands and fell onto the floor.

I floated beside her, watching.

For the first time in my life, I saw fear on her face.

Not anger.

Not disappointment.

Fear.

My father stepped forward.

"Where is she?"

The assistant looked uncomfortable.

"Her body is currently at the funeral home. The police tried contacting you several times, but no one answered."

My father's face turned pale.

No one answered.

Of course.

Because they were too busy replacing me.

Replacing their own daughter.

My mother suddenly grabbed her chest.

"No... no, she can't be..."

Her eyes moved toward the family registry book on the table.

The book where my name had just been erased.

Where Lola's name had replaced mine.

A strange silence filled the room.

Everyone looked at the same thing.

The proof of their choice.

The proof that they had abandoned me before they even knew I was gone.

Lola stood quietly beside them.

Her face was pale too.

But unlike my parents...

She wasn't shocked.

She was calculating.

"Aunt Macey..."

Her voice trembled.

"Maybe... maybe Samantha didn't mean to leave us."

My mother turned toward her.

For a moment, I thought she would finally realize everything.

But then Lola continued.

"Maybe she just wanted to scare everyone."

My heart froze.

Even now.

Even after my death.

She was still trying to blame me.

My mother looked at her.

And something changed.

For the first time, she didn't immediately comfort Lola.

She just stared.

"Lola..."

Her voice shook.

"Did you know Samantha was at the construction site?"

Lola's expression changed for a second.

Only a second.

But I saw it.

Fear.

"Aunt Macey, why would you ask me that?"

My mother stepped closer.

"You said she had a boyfriend there."

Lola looked down.

"I... I only heard rumors."

"From who?"

Lola opened her mouth.

But no answer came.

The room became colder.

My father looked at Lola carefully.

Then he looked at the livestream comments.

Thousands of messages were flooding in.

People had already started questioning everything.

[Wait... didn't they say their daughter ran away?]

[Why was she at a construction site if she was running away?]

[The assistant said she died two days ago. They were holding an adoption ceremony today?]

[Something feels wrong.]

The truth was slowly breaking through.

My father grabbed the phone.

His hands were shaking.

"Turn off the livestream."

But it was too late.

Everyone had already seen.

Everyone had already heard.

The world had watched them erase their dead daughter.

My mother suddenly collapsed onto the floor.

"No..."

She covered her face.

"No, no, no..."

I looked at her.

For years, I had wanted her to cry for me.

I had wanted her to worry about me.

I had wanted her to choose me.

But now that she finally did...

I felt nothing.

Because I had waited too long.

The assistant continued quietly.

"There is something else."

My father looked up.

"What?"

"The police found something during the investigation."

He handed him another document.

"Medical records."

My father's eyebrows tightened.

"What medical records?"

The assistant took a deep breath.

"Samantha had multiple old injuries."

My mother's body stiffened.

"Old injuries?"

The assistant nodded.

"Scars from burns, cuts, and repeated physical trauma."

The room went completely silent.

I looked at my mother.

I remembered every time I cried.

Every time I begged.

Every time I asked someone to believe me.

And every time...

They chose Lola.

The assistant's voice became softer.

"The doctor said some of those injuries were years old."

My father slowly turned toward my mother.

His lips trembled.

"You knew?"

My mother didn't answer.

Because she did.

She knew everything.

She knew about the burns.

She knew about the hunger.

She knew about my broken dreams.

She knew.

But she chose not to care.

My father's eyes became red.

For the first time, he looked at Lola differently.

Not like a daughter.

Like a stranger.

"Lola..."

She stepped back.

"Uncle Roger..."

My father pointed toward the registry book.

"Did you know this would happen?"

"No!"

Lola immediately shook her head.

"I didn't know Samantha would die!"

Her words came out too quickly.

Too desperately.

The room froze.

Because everyone noticed.

She didn't say she didn't know Samantha was suffering.

She only said she didn't know Samantha would die.

My mother's face slowly changed.

"Lola..."

Her voice was filled with confusion.

"You knew she was suffering?"

Lola's eyes widened.

"I..."

No words came.

And that was enough.

The truth had finally arrived.

But it came too late.

Because the daughter they were trying to save...

Was already gone.

And the daughter they had protected...

Was the reason their perfect family was falling apart.

I looked at them one last time.

My parents.

The people I spent my entire life trying to please.

The people I died trying to help.

And I whispered:

"Mom..."

"You finally looked at me."

"Why did it have to be after I died?"