All Chapters of Thrown in the Oven, Burned by Regret: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

...Cecily shook Carrie's arm, whining, "Mom, I want that strawberry cake."Carrie froze, her tone stiff and laced with some kind of inner struggle. "This cake is..."She choked off, feeling a lump in her throat. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, she forced a tired smile. "Sure, sweetie. I'll open the box for you."Cecily let out a triumphant cheer. Floating in the air, I felt a sharp, sour pain stab through my heart, which had long stopped beating.The agony was even worse than the flames burning me in the oven. Carrie used to say it was my greed that brought in that homewrecker, but now she had bought a cake for Cecily.The girl munched on the cake happily, then noticed Carrie's gaze fixed on the kitchen door. She blinked innocently, saying, "Should we get Ava to come and eat? She must be starving."Those words popped Carrie's forced calm like a needle. She snapped her gaze away, her voice turning sharp. "Don't worry about her. If she's hu

...Carrie opened the door to see two police officers and my dad, Stefan Obrien, whom she hadn't seen in a while.Stefan rushed up to her, demanding, "What were you saying in the parents' group? And the preschool says Ava hasn't shown up for days. What did you do to her?"The sight of him reignited all her old and new grudges. She barked, "You have the nerve to call the police? You two heartless scumbags teaming up to humiliate me, huh?"The lead officer cut her off, his expression serious. "Ms. Compton, we need to ask about your daughter's disappearance. When was the last time you saw her?"Carrie stormed inside, yelling toward the kitchen, "Ava, are you done throwing your fit? Get out here now! Let your dad and everyone see what a joke I've become. Happy now?""Mom, I'm not hiding," I muttered desperately.The officers exchanged looks and started searching the house. They checked every corner but found nothing. Finally, only the kitchen was left.Carrie crossed her arms, her

...Those words hit like thunder, drawing everyone's attention.Stefan finally noticed the strange girl in the house. He looked closely at the princess dress Cecily was wearing—it was mine—and then at the charred body in the oven.He got it in an instant, his eyes blazing with anger. "I know cheating was my fault, but Ava was your flesh and blood. How could you dump all your hate for me on her?"His finger shook as he pointed at Carrie. "How could you be so vicious? She was so little, and you locked her in an oven. Are you even human?"Carrie got triggered by his words and stood up, screaming back hysterically, "Oh, now you care about her? Did you think about her when you were cheating? You brought her cakes just to meet that tramp, didn't you?"I huddled in the corner, staring blankly at the farce."Enough!" Stefan bellowed, his face showing a broken resolve. "Fine! I'll tell you the truth. Grace and I getting together had nothing to do with Ava. She was my first love. If you h

...Carrie suddenly went nuts, slapping herself. "It's me! It's all my fault! I tore up Ava's drawing. I'm not human."Marta, who'd been following quietly behind, couldn't take it anymore. She rushed forward, grabbing Carrie's hands and hugging her tightly. "Stop torturing yourself! It's breaking my heart!"Carrie struggled wildly, crying and screaming until her strength gave out. She went limp in the embrace.Under Marta's care, Carrie gradually calmed down. But she often sat alone, hugging the oven and muttering to herself, "Ava, don't be scared. I'm right here."Stefan came by a few times, but each time Carrie went berserk, smashing things to drive him away. Later, he started a new family and sent money occasionally, but he never set foot there again.Carrie settled down, no longer hugging the oven and muttering my name. She locked herself in her room, not eating or drinking for three days.Marta grew anxious, ready to call someone to break down the door, but Carrie came out