Killed by Dad's Criminals, Dissected by Mom

Chapter 4

Mom handed over the crumpled paper, the one stained by stomach acid, to the trace expert, rubbing her back as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

“I really hope this gives us something,” she muttered, her voice tight. “Did you remind Sophia to lock the doors?”

Dad nodded but didn't look up from his phone, a frown tugging at his lips. “Honey, Emily still isn't answering, and David's gone silent, too. You think something's wrong? Should I have someone go check...?”

Mom cut him off, her tone sharp. “Enough. You know how she is. She's hiding out somewhere, waiting for us to find her. It's not like this is the first time.”

“She's probably just avoiding Sophia's match,” Mom added, crossing her arms. “By tomorrow, she'll call, crying, acting like nothing happened.”

I could hear the bitterness in her voice, the same words I'd heard too many times before. I remembered the last time I disappeared. Sophia locked me in that school bathroom during summer break.

The halls were empty, and no one could hear me screaming for help.

I fought my way out, my ankle twisted, dirty and bruised. I hobbled home, only to be met with Dad's angry slap and Mom's cutting words.

“Sophia saw you with some thug at a motel? Is this how I raised you?”

I had no defense. I just stood there, watching Sophia smirk behind their backs, enjoying every second of my misery.

My brother, as always, tried to comfort me. He gently cleaned my wounds, his voice soft. “Mom and Dad love you, they just... don't know how to show it.”

But deep down, I knew. I'd never get the attention Sophia did.

The love and affection of the family always tilted toward her. It was always her. Never me.

If I were still alive, I'd be the one making sure Mom and Dad had a warm meal after their long days.

But I'm not. Now I'm just a ghost, lingering in the background.

The team identified the paper as a shopping receipt. The killer had shoved it into my mouth, forcing me to swallow it, taunting me with a cruel laugh, “Bought this for your parents? They'll just throw it away.”

Dad stared at the receipt, confused. “Where's this from?”

The trace expert ran his finger down the details. “It's from a shop that sells peace talismans and lucky bags.”

When my parents and the officers walked into the shop, the lady behind the counter looked up, startled.

She glanced at the receipt and flipped through her orders. “A little girl came in not too long ago. She said she was getting these for her parents because of their dangerous jobs. But she never came back to pick them up, and no one's been able to get ahold of her.”

She handed over two red bags, her voice barely a whisper. “They're meant to bring peace, happiness, and longevity.”

Dad sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He took the bags with a reluctant grimace. “Do you have any footage from that day?”

The lady nodded. “Yeah, I remember her. She was quiet, took her time picking the bags. Said they were for her parents.”

When the footage played, the room fell into stunned silence.

Mom's voice cracked as she stared at the screen. “Why does that girl look like Emily?”

The shop lady blinked, confused. “Emily? That's the name on the order.”

Dad's expression turned cold, his hands clenched at his sides. “Maybe it's just a coincidence. Emily's probably hiding somewhere, watching us, enjoying every minute of this. Miss, are you in on this? Trying to trick the police?”

The phone rang suddenly. Mom answered with a shaky breath, “Little John?”

The voice on the other end was frantic. “Ms. Brown, we've got the DNA results from the deceased.”