Chapter 2

From that day on, everything I had in the Lambert family disappeared.

My parents didn't love me anymore. They took away my dresses, necklaces, and dolls.

My pink princess room was gone, replaced by a blue room, the color I hated most.

They said it all belonged to Rita anyway.

I had no choice but to live in a dim, cramped storage room, like some unwanted rat.

The servants who once greeted me with warm smiles now picked on me just to amuse themselves.

I couldn't bear to leave my parents.

I kept thinking that maybe it was because I pushed Rita and wasn't behaving. That was why Mom and Dad were angry with me.

I told myself that if I started behaving myself and treated Rita nicely, they would love me again.

My parents were taking Rita somewhere far to get her ears checked.

I overheard the servants gossiping that someone had beaten her until she went deaf.

So it wasn't that she was ignoring me on purpose. She just couldn't hear me.

I felt a pang of sadness, mixed with a guilt I couldn't quite explain.

I want to give her a gift.

In my secret stash of little treasures, there was my favorite blue gemstone necklace. It was shiny and bright, just like a star.

I knew Rita would like it.

When nobody was watching, I crept into the car trunk, quiet as a kitten.

It was pitch-black and stuffy in there, so I curled up tight, nerves tingling with fear.

But just being this close to Mom and Dad made it totally worth it.

The car started moving. I could hear my dad and mom talking. I hadn't been this close to their voices in so long.

"Can Rita's ears be healed?" Dad asked.

"I hope so. Apparently, that old doctor is supposed to be really skilled," Mom replied.

Mom paused, then her voice exploded with anger. "It's all Judy Massey's fault! She swapped my child and abused Rita... My poor girl. Her ears were beaten until she couldn't hear, and we've been raising Judy's daughter like she's our own."

Dad sighed. "Nobody ever imagined she'd do something like that."

"So when are you sending Keira away?" Mom's tone was cold as ice. "I can't stand the sight of her."

"She's still just a kid," Dad replied quietly.

Mom snapped, "I don't care! If you want this family and me to stay, you need to get rid of her."

I clamped my teeth down on the back of my hand, trying my hardest not to let myself cry out.

Huge tears dropped one after another, hitting the darkness with a heavy thud. They were really going to throw me away.

I had no idea how much time had passed when the car finally pulled over at a rest stop.

Once Mom and Dad got out, I snuck into the back seat.

Rita was fast asleep there.

I gently shook her awake. When she saw me, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

I quickly gave her a hopeful, ingratiating smile and held out my hand, ready to surprise her.

This blue gemstone necklace was beautiful. The sparkliest one in my collection.

I wanted to tell her, "This is for you. I'm sorry about before."

But just as I reached out, someone suddenly grabbed me hard from behind, yanked me out of the car, and slammed me onto the ground.

My back was on fire. I scrambled up in a panic, only to realize my palm was empty. The necklace was gone.

I dropped to my knees, frantically searching, when Dad shouted angrily from above. "What are you doing here? What were you trying to do to Rita?"

It was Dad who tossed me out of the car.

He must not have seen it was me. He was probably just panicking and didn't mean to hurt me.

Back then, Dad would hold my hand so carefully, like he was scared he'd hurt me.

I looked up at Dad, desperately trying to force a smile, hoping he'd see I wasn't a bad person.

But no matter how hard I tried, my smile just wouldn't come.

Mom pulled Rita into her arms. "Doesn't matter how she got here. She's definitely up to something."

"No, Mom..." I pleaded.

I only came to apologize to Rita.

Mom turned her back on me, hugging Rita tight, acting like she couldn't even stand to talk to me.

I watched Rita sitting in Mom's arms, looking all innocent, and my heart just hurt so much. That used to be my spot.

"Keira, are you hungry?" Dad asked suddenly.

I looked up at him, surprised.

That was when I noticed he was holding some snacks. It must be lunchtime already.

I nodded eagerly. I hadn't eaten much since yesterday.

Dad scooped me up into his arms. I froze for a second, then clung to his neck, burying my face in his shoulder.

He still smelled just as good as ever.

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping the road would stretch on and on, just a little longer.

"Why don't you use the restroom first?" Dad said, setting me down and gently patting my head. "I can't go in with you since I'm a guy, but I'll wait right here. After that, we'll grab something to eat, okay?"

I nodded, quickly fished the necklace I'd just found out of my pocket, and pressed it into his hand. "Dad, I just wanted to say sorry to Rita. This is my prettiest necklace. Can you give it to her for me, so she won't be upset with me, okay?"

Dad stared at the necklace for a moment, then finally took it.

I rushed into the restroom and hurried right back out.

But the entrance was deserted. Dad was gone.

I stood there in a daze, then suddenly realized what had happened. He was really gone. I tore off toward the parking lot, my heart pounding like crazy.