Chapter 4

The assistant sighed and turned another page.

This time, her pupils contracted, and her voice began to tremble uncontrollably.

“February 25, 2020. New Year’s Eve. I was raped.”

I had only gone out to buy frozen dinner.

Vera invited me to spend the holiday with her family, but I didn’t want to intrude on their reunion, so I turned her down.

As I walked back, I couldn’t stop wondering what Ethan was doing.

Had he built a snowman with Mia and eaten turkey with her?

Then I remembered he could be in any city by now.

I didn’t even know whether it snowed there or whether they celebrated Christmas

I laughed at myself.

I’d gone so long without my antidepressants that even my mind had become sluggish.

Every home along the street was brightly lit, and children were setting off fireworks outside.

I walked slowly, taking in the sights.

Then everything suddenly went black.

Several men dragged me into an alley with no security cameras.

They pinned me down and tore off my clothes.

That night, the fireworks drowned out my screams.

The horrific ordeal didn’t end until dawn.

I lay on the ground, numb and empty, staring blankly ahead.

One of the men climbed off me and spat in my face.

“That’s what you get for bullying Mia!”

I watched them walk away.

Then I got up, put my clothes back on, and returned to Vera’s house.

I know this entry is disjointed. I can’t even write down what happened in a coherent way.

My hands are shaking so badly that I can barely hold the pen.

I left Vera a note.

My last wish is to be buried in our family plot.

Please lay me to rest beside Mom and Dad.

Ethan doesn’t want me anymore, so I’m going to find them.

I hope Vera won’t be too devastated when she learns that I’m dead.

And I hope that when Ethan sees my body, he’ll finally forgive me and stop demanding an apology.

The assistant’s voice had turned hoarse.

When she finished, the office was so quiet that a pin drop would’ve sounded deafening.

After a long silence, Ethan forced out a laugh.

“I have to give them credit. They put together quite a performance just to squeeze some money out of me.”

He took out his phone and called Vera.

She answered quickly, and Ethan spoke before she could say anything.

“Tell Julie that if she wants money, she can come get it herself.

“All she has to do is apologize, and I’ll let her come home. Tell her to stop sending me these ridiculous diary entries. I’m not going to believe any of it!”

Vera was silent for a moment.

Then she sighed.

“Ethan, I sold my house. I’m moving away.

“Don’t contact me about Julie again.”

I understood Vera’s decision.

She was exhausted.

Over the years, Mia had repeatedly used her connections to make Vera’s life miserable.

Ethan knew all about it. But because he wanted to force me to apologize, he allowed Mia to continue.

Vera had changed jobs more times than I could count, all while paying the funeral home to keep my body.

She had poured every cent she owned into taking care of me.

Countless times, she had stood beside my body and broken down.

“Why did you have to die like this without telling me anything? Did you really think death would set you free?”

But the moment she finished yelling, she would burst into tears and apologize.

“I’m sorry, Julie. None of this was your fault.

“But I’m so tired. I’m really so tired.”

The guilt ate at me.

If I’d known what Vera would endure, I would’ve knelt before Mia five years ago and begged for her forgiveness.

But there was no going back.

After ending the call, Ethan sat motionless for a long time.

His assistant studied his expression before cautiously speaking.

“Mr. Cole, should we look into it?”

“No.”

Ethan rose with a blank expression and headed for the door.

“Since Vera claims Julie is dead, I’ll believe her one more time.

“Her ashes are supposed to be at the funeral home on Riverdale Road. I’ll go take a look myself.”

He gritted his teeth before adding coldly, “If they’re lying to me, neither of them will get away with it.”