Chapter 1

My birthday wish when I turned 18 was to adopt Pepper, a stray cat in our neighborhood.

After all, the ten minutes I spent playing with Pepper on my way home from school every day were the only time I felt alive.

I knew Mom wouldn't agree to it, but I still mustered my courage and made the suggestion.

As expected, Mom flew into a rage. "Your sister died and was robbed of everything she could've had, but you want to use my hard-earned money to feed a worthless stray? How on earth did I end up with such a wretched daughter like you?"

Lowering my head, I insisted, "Pepper is a good cat. He can catch mice, and he doesn't eat a lot. It won't cost much to feed him. I… I can save up some pocket money to buy food for him."

Mom was so mad that she started pacing around in circles with her hands on her hips.

"If you can be so nice to a mere animal, why were you so cruel to your sister back then? Remember, you're the one who killed your sister, so you deserve to spend the rest of your life drowning in guilt! You have no right to be happy!"

She jabbed a finger at my forehead. "Why couldn't it have been you who died back then?"

Mom said I was being naughty back then. I had filled a juice bottle with disinfectant and told my sister, Bernette Emerson, to drink it.

Bernette was rushed to the hospital to have her stomach pumped, but she still didn't survive. That was how we lost her.

I was too young back then, so I actually didn't remember much of it.

But since everyone told me that was what happened, I believed them.

The crushing guilt weighing on my heart was suffocating.

So, no matter what Mom said, I would choose to silently bear it.

But this time, I wanted to stand my ground. "The security guard said he'll be taking the stray cats to an animal shelter soon. If I don't bring Pepper home before then, I won't get to see him ever again. Also, it's my 18th birthday. Mom, can't you grant this one wish of mine?"

All my classmates said turning 18 was an important event.

On their 18th birthday, no matter what they asked for, their parents would give it to them.

So now, why was Mom so mad that even her eyes had turned red?

As always, Mom lit a candle in a corner of the room. "Fine, I know you're not going to listen anyway. Go ask your sister, then!"

My gaze darkened.

For as long as I could remember, the candle had never once gone out.

I stared at the burning candle, silently counting in my mind, "One, two, three…"

As soon as I counted to 60, Mom put the candle away. "Alright, that's a full minute. Your sister doesn't agree. This conversation is over. If I see even a single cat hair in this house, you know what's coming!"

That night, I had a fitful sleep. Even when I did fall asleep, I kept having nightmares.

In my dreams, after Pepper was taken to the animal shelter, the bigger cats ganged up on him, and he cried so much that it broke my heart.

In another scene, Pepper didn't go to the animal shelter. Instead, he was sent to the slaughterhouse. His fate there was too horrifying to describe.

I even dreamed about bringing Pepper home.

But then, Bernette stood next to me, asking me as blood gushed from her eyes, "Dahlia, how can you be so kind to a cat, but so heartless that you'd want me dead?"

The next day, I spent all my pocket money on Pepper's favorite cat treat.

But when I got back to the neighborhood, I couldn't find him anywhere.

Mom suddenly appeared behind me. "Stop calling for that cat. I just told the property management that the cat is hurting the residents. I stood right there and watched them kill him and toss him in the bin."

Pulling out her phone, Mom took a step in my direction. "I even took a video of it. Do you want to see?"

I covered my ears and let out a scream. "No! No!"

Fearing that I might see Pepper's mangled body, I turned around and ran upstairs.

Before I realized it, I had run all the way up to the roof, and I found myself standing on the very edge of the building.

At that moment, I suddenly couldn't find any reason to keep living anymore.