All Chapters of My Sister's Missing, and I'm on Trial: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"I'm talking to you. Are you listening?"Let the ribs cook for a bit. Come see what David got you. He spent more than 30 dollars on a jacket. He picked it out just for you."Still stiff with unease, my mother, Harper Quinn, dragged me into the living room. My stepfather, David Lambert, was busy setting up a computer, looking pleased with himself. He narrowed his eyes when he saw me, then picked up the jacket and walked over. "Come on, try it on. The celebration is tomorrow. You need to dress nicely. Don't go wearing those ragged, patched-up clothes and embarrass us," he said.Mom took the plain black jacket from him and smoothed my hair. "This jacket alone could buy Abby a whole lot of ribs. See how good David is to you? Go on, thank him."It was the first time David had bought me anything since he and Mom got married.I struggled to force the words out. "Thanks, Dad.""You're all grown up now. You're a good boy."David reached out to pat my head, but I instinctively took a

It was dawn when Mom and David finally returned.I didn't dare sit idle, so I reheated the ribs and served them to Mom and David. But David knocked the plate out of my hands. I immediately dropped to my knees, picking up the pieces of meat that were still on the plate before holding them out to him. "Dad, you can hit me or yell at me. Just… please eat something."David glared at me with bloodshot eyes. "Zachary, if we don't find Abby, you're going to pay with your life!"His eyes held a hatred so deep it chilled me to the bone. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his daughter.I cooked every meal, washed his clothes, and worked myself to exhaustion for him, but none of it mattered. In his eyes, I was nothing more than a tool. I'd spent my whole life trying desperately to win his favor. In the end, he still sold me off so Abigail could have a better education."Why are you still standing there? Get lost!"He kicked me hard, and the piping-hot ribs spilled all over me. I did

"Mom, I didn't do it. I didn't…""Stop pretending." Mom cut me off with a cold look. "When your own father got drunk and fell to his death, no one was home. Everyone thought it was an accident. But I saw what happened. I saw you pour the soapy water there beforehand. I saw you slowly loosen the balcony railing," she said."Zac, where is Abby? Tell me. I won't hold it against you. As long as we can find her, I won't tell anyone what you did."At that moment, I felt like the belt was hitting me again, cutting through my skin and striking deep into my heart.In the past, Mom would at least pretend. She would secretly slip me some money, pat my head, or ask if I was okay, keeping up the appearance of a loving mother.She pretended not to see it when David beat me. Then afterward, she would come to comfort me.But now, she didn't even bother pretending. Her eyes were cold, wary, and filled with undisguised disgust.I didn't understand. I truly didn't understand."Mom, I'm your son

Frank was a good cop. When we were at the hospital, he saw the scars covering my body. After learning that I'd been abused for nearly ten years, his eyes turned red."What kind of monster does that to a kid? He abused you for years. What he did was a serious crime. Why didn't you report him?"I lowered my head and rubbed my eyes in response to Frank's anger and concern. "I was too scared. If I reported him and he got out, he would've beaten me even worse."He squeezed my hand tightly. "That won't happen. He's going to prison now. You just focus on living your life. Your sister's disappearance was an accident. You didn't do it on purpose, so don't blame yourself. We'll do everything we can to find her…"When I got home, Mom was nearly hysterical. She wiped away her tears and cried, "What are you trying to do? Zachary, what do you want? Abby is missing, and David is in jail. Are you going to hurt me next? Do you want me dead too?"Now that it was just the two of us, I stopped preten

Ten minutes later, David opened his eyes wide and desperately tried to get out of bed to grab me, only to collapse just one step away. He could no longer crawl forward. He flailed his hands in anger, pain, and despair. Gradually, he stopped reaching for me. Instead, he clutched his chest, struggling to breathe. Each breath came out with a harsh, rattling wheeze."Doctor! Get a doctor!" David cried."Huh? What did you say? I can't hear you."A chain-reaction crash had occurred on the nearby highway just before I reached the hospital. The injured were all brought to this hospital, and every doctor was swamped. No one could hear David's faint cries for help.I simply stood there and watched as his breathing slowly stopped. I had waited so long for this moment. I thought I would laugh—that I would feel satisfied, relieved, or maybe even happier than I had ever been.But… I felt nothing. He was like a pile of garbage rotting right in front of me, the stench so foul it made it hard