Chapter 2

Dad wasn't rich, but he gave me the kindest childhood anyone could ask for. He was always patient, always there.

Mom complained a lot, but she still did what a mother should. Even after they divorced, I never felt like I lacked anything.

But after I graduated from high school, everything fell apart.

First, Mom started dating George Jennings behind my back. Then I found out Caleb, the guy I liked, was George's son.

Caleb's mother had been waiting for George to return to her.

But instead, he got involved with my mom. That pushed Caleb's mom into a deep depression.

When she found out her son liked me, it became too much for her. She jumped off a building.

After that, Caleb completely changed. He started to hate both me and Mom. The gentle boy I once knew in high school disappeared.

Even though Mom and George never got married, Caleb still resented us.

Before, he used to say, "I'm finally going to bring Rosie home."

But later, his tone changed. "No wonder you were so good at pretending. Like mother, like daughter. My mom died because of you two. As long as I'm breathing, don't expect to be happy."

At first, I tried to patch things up with him.

I told him I didn't know anything, that his mom's breakdown would've happened no matter who George was with.

I said it wasn't anyone's fault. But Caleb wouldn't listen. He shut me out completely.

When we went to different universities and saw each other again at our high school reunion, Caleb walked in with Serena Sutton, the same girl who used to bully me. He had his arm around her, shielding her from drinks, acting all cozy and protective.

Back in high school, Caleb had once stepped in to protect me from Serena. Now he stood beside her, letting her tear me down.

Serena smirked and said, "Wow, look who it is, the pretty little underachiever turned rich kid. You used to suck up to Caleb so much. It looks like you and your mom are quite the team. If your mom hadn't succeeded, wouldn't Caleb have been screwed over?"

I wanted to run, but Caleb grabbed me.

He gave me a cold smile. "What are you running from? Scared someone might figure it all out? I'm taken now, so stay in your lane."

Everyone in the room looked at me like I was dirt. I heard whispers, snickers, and saw the disgust in their eyes.

Serena sneered, "So this is the real Roseanne? Makes sense. Just look at that face; she was born to seduce."

I looked at Caleb, completely stunned. We hadn't done anything wrong.

I told myself, maybe if I stayed away, it would all settle down.

If Mom was okay, and Caleb could move on, then it didn't matter what happened to me.

So when it was time to choose a university, I picked one on the other side of the country. It was nowhere near Jacaster University, the place we once dreamed of attending together.

When Caleb found out, he lost control. He dragged me into an alley, reeking of alcohol.

He pinned me against the wall, head slumped on my shoulder, his voice soft and broken. "Rosie, you're really going to leave me?"

That was the only time after graduation that he let his guard down.

His eyes shimmered with tears. At that moment, it felt like we were back to how things used to be.

I cried too, letting him pull me into his arms.

But it was a trap, one built on old feelings. And I was the only fool who fell for it.

The next day, photos and videos of us were plastered all over campus and were spreading like wildfire online.

My face was crystal clear. Caleb looked drunk and helpless. To everyone else, it looked like I'd taken advantage of him.

The comments were brutal.

[This girl took advantage of a drunk guy.]

[Girls these days are wild.]

Caleb acted like he had nothing to do with it. He even forwarded the posts to Mom.

She didn't ask a single question; she slapped me across the face.

"You're barely an adult and already out here messing around? You don't care about your reputation, but I do. Even Caleb isn't off-limits to you? What's wrong with you? You just keep humiliating me," she thundered.

"It's your dad's fault for raising you like this. If I'd known you'd turn out like this, I never would've had you," Mom claimed.

Her insults just kept coming, every word stabbing right into me, leaving me battered and bruised inside.

I covered my ears, shaking my head. "No, I didn't—"

I grabbed Caleb, shouting, "Why? You said after we graduated, we'd leave this place together. You said you'd always treat me right."

He just laughed coldly and kissed Serena right in front of me. "You really believed that? You that dumb? Take a good look in the mirror. Someone like you thinks you deserve me?"

After that, nobody believed anything I said.

I didn't even dare to imagine how my dad, who'd always been so proud of me, would be if he ever saw those videos.

I hoped he'd never see them. But Dad always put me first.

He dragged Mom to the police station to file a missing person report.

They wanted a photo. Mom's face went stiff as she said she didn't have one.

Of course, she didn't. She was so angry at me back then that she deleted every contact, every photo.

She even burned the printed ones, so she didn't have any now.

Dad fumbled with his phone, pulling up his album.

It was full of pictures of me and Mom, and none of him. Seeing that made my chest tighten.

At least someone still kept pieces of me alive.

Dad showed the officer a photo. "Look, this is my daughter. Isn't she sweet and beautiful?"

The officer smiled gently and nodded. "Don't worry. We'll start the search and update you immediately."

They backed up the photo.

Then Dad hesitated for a long time. Finally, he brought up those humiliating videos.

I screamed silently, wishing I could stop him. Even though I was already dead, seeing those clips still made me want to crawl into a hole.

"Officer, there's one more thing," Dad said. "I think my daughter was set up. People are spreading lies about her online."

The officer's face grew serious. He nodded. "We'll investigate. But I have to tell you. With her being missing this long, and with several other girls disappearing recently in Acocester, you should prepare for the worst."

That hit Dad like a truck. He stood frozen, like his legs were rooted to the spot.

He shook his head right away. "No way. Roseanne's tough."

Mom waved a hand, impatient. "Come on. You think she'd end herself over something this small? She's not that weak."

Dad turned pale. His voice cracked as he screamed, "Shut up. You said you loved her, then why didn't you protect her?"

Mom fired back, "How did I not protect her? She's the one who threw herself at Caleb like some cheap—"

Watching them arguing because of me, I covered my face, feeling completely helpless and hopeless.

They were never going to find me. I was dead, out in a remote area, face ruined. There was no way they'd ever find me