Chapter 3

Mom came over and started dressing me in the dress with teary eyes.

I stubbornly refused to put it on.

"Erica told me not to wear it. I'm scared. I don't want to wear it," I said, my voice trembling.

Mom pulled me into a tight, comforting hug, her heart aching for me. "How about I take you out to buy some clothes?"

Dad came over and handed me a black card. "Edith, whenever you want something, just use this card."

I smiled and nodded.

When we got home from the mall, Erica was destroying my teddy bear with a pair of scissors.

She kept cutting, piece by piece, shredding the bear's cover.

Then she yanked out all the cotton stuffing inside.

She tossed it up, and it scattered everywhere, floating through the air like snow.

Michael sat nearby, looking at Erica with a pained expression. "Erica, are you feeling any better now?"

Erica swept the shredded bear pieces off the table and onto the floor with her arm.

She stomped hard on the pieces with her foot.

Then she curled her lips into a smug grin and said, "Much better. Nobody's ever tried to take my stuff before.

"Consider this a little punishment for her."

Michael ruffled Erica's hair and said, "Relax, Erica. No one can take Mom, Dad, or me away from you."

Erica linked arms with Michael and beamed up at him with a sweet smile.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I stood there, stunned.

My mind went completely blank.

That teddy bear was the only friend I had growing up.

After I was pulled out of that freezing river, I burned with a fever for a whole week.

The only one who came to see me was the lady next door. She brought me fever medicine, and to make me feel better, she gave me a teddy bear.

That teddy bear was the only toy I had all these years.

Later, Linda and Frank locked me away in a tiny, pitch-black room for three days.

My teddy bear was the only one there for me.

Even when the other kids at the orphanage picked on me, my teddy bear was still the only friend I had.

Mom looked at me, her face full of worry. "Edith, how about Mom and Dad get you a brand new teddy bear?"

Dad didn't even pause. He just turned around and went out to get me a new one right away.

With tears on my face, I rushed over and started picking up the pieces off the floor, one by one.

I desperately tried to piece together what was left of my teddy bear.

But there was nothing left, just scraps of fabric and tufts of stuffing.

I collapsed onto the floor, sobbing so hard that I could barely catch my breath.

Michael looked at me, his expression grim.

He said slowly, "Edith, it's just a teddy bear. Why are you making such a fuss? You're old enough to get over it."

Mom walked over and gave him a death stare.

Michael looked all put out. "Mom, it's just a cheap teddy bear. Is there something wrong with Edith's head or what?"

Before he could finish, Mom slapped him hard across the face.

Mom snapped, "Yeah, Edith's head got messed up after her adoptive mother pushed her out of the car.

"If it hadn't been for Erica's real parents, Edith wouldn't have ended up like this."

With that, Mom couldn't hold back her tears and started sobbing.

Erica's face went pale with panic, and she started sniffling, her words coming out between sobs.

"Mom, Dad, I'm really sorry. Michael just found the teddy bear and gave it to me to play with. I had no idea it meant so much to Edith," she whimpered.

Mom scoffed, shooting Erica a cold look. "You didn't know?

"Didn't you see Edith dive into the pool for that bear?

"Move away."

Then she shoved Erica aside.

Erica, her eyes red and moist, looked at Michael for comfort.

Michael stared at me, his brows furrowed in concern.

I lay on my bed in the bedroom, refusing to talk or eat.

I just quietly cried.

Mom and Dad filled my bedside with all kinds of pretty teddy bears, but I didn't care about any of them.

All I wanted was my old teddy bear, the one that had always been there for me.

I kept crying until I finally passed out, exhausted and barely aware as sleep took over.

Someone quietly slipped into my room in the middle of the night.

The next morning, I found a patched-up teddy bear by my bedside.

It was my teddy bear.

Sure, it was crooked and awkwardly stitched together, but it was still mine.

I hugged my teddy bear close and couldn't help but cry.

For the next few days, Erica always kept her distance, staying away from me.

Even when I called out to her, she just ignored me completely, like I was invisible to her.

But Michael was suddenly a lot nicer to me.

He'd bring me plush teddy bears and even crystal ones from time to time.

I happily accepted every single one.

He'd patiently show me how to draw and write, never rushing me.

Whenever I messed up, he never lost his cool. He'd just smile and say, "Take your time."

Mom and Dad kept taking me to the hospital for all kinds of treatments.

Every time, I'd have to stay there for days, and after each round, my head would be pounding when I woke up.

I just didn't want to go back there.

But Mom and Dad always wanted me to go.

So I always went obediently, just like they asked.

After a few treatments, the doctor reassured Mom and Dad, "Edith's brain is all clear now. There are no more blood clots, and everything looks perfectly normal."

Mom spoke anxiously, "But why isn't Edith getting any better at all?"

Then she turned to watch me, who was still playing with my teddy bear on the hospital bed.

The doctor frowned. "Right now, Edith is subconsciously resisting recovery. She's not letting herself return to normal.

"This is all due to her past psychological trauma. It's a gradual process, and whether she fully recovers will depend on time and her own healing."

Dad let out a long, heavy sigh.

Mom looked at me, tears falling from her eyes.