Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 119 That Winter Night

So, I was ten that year.

It was a super late winter night, and my folks still weren't back. I couldn't fight off the sleepiness and crashed early, only to be jolted awake by some frantic knocking.

Half-asleep, I thought it was my parents, so I stumbled to the door. Instead, there were these two tall cops, snowflakes all over them.

I followed them out, shaking like a leaf. I had no clue what was going on, but their serious and kinda sad looks freaked me out.

The crash scene was a total mess. Even though it was crazy late, there were still a bunch of people around.

The truck's front was all smashed up, and the snow was littered with glass shards.

Someone was lying there in the bloody snow.

From a distance, I couldn't make out his face, but I knew that dark blue suit. It was my dad's.

I walked over to him, staring at his bloody face, refusing to believe he was gone.

It was all so brutal, like a bad dream.

I wished it was just a nightmare. I'd wake up in my cozy bed, hear the key in the lock, and run out to see my dad coming in.

Before shaking off the snow, he'd reach into his pocket, all mysterious, and say with a grin, "Emily, guess what Daddy got you?"

In my 26 years, I've seen all kinds of smiles, but my dad's was the warmest.

That winter night, I lost that smile forever.

The cops told me my dad was dead, and my mom was barely hanging on, taken away by an ambulance.

I just stood there, frozen, crying my eyes out.

The crowd was sympathetic. A kind lady handed me some fire paper and matches, saying I should light a candle where my dad passed to remember him. There was a kapok tree by the road. I lit the candle under it and accidentally burned my hand. The pain was so real, reminding me it wasn't a dream. Dad was gone, really gone, never coming back.

That winter night was a harsh line, ending all my happiness.

When dawn broke, I had to grow up overnight, and my life's script got totally rewritten.

This kapok tree was the same one from back then.

Now, everything's changed, but thinking about that night still hurt like hell.

I ran my hand over the now much thicker trunk and said, "My dad had his accident right here. I lit a candle for him under this tree to say goodbye." "Emily."

Jason's voice came from behind me, soft and choked up.

"I've had it rough all these years, probably 'cause I didn't have my dad around. I got bullied a lot. Dad would probably think I'm a total loser."

I hugged the tree, and all the bitterness just poured out. I couldn't hold it in and started bawling.

"I'm no better off than Faye. I have nothing, absolutely nothing."

"Who says you have nothing?" Jason suddenly grabbed my arm, all worked up.

my face, I

to calm down, his eyes gentle and full of

on, let me

back in the car and sped

night road was

his urgency, and his fingers tapping the steering

gave it away: Sunshine

like it

the car lights and rolled down the window, letting

the steering wheel, looking at the school

there was this little girl who flunked a test 'cause she couldn't find her pencil. Turns out, her deskmate had it, but she didn't say anything. She cried all the way home, and it was super annoying, like a broken record. I hated walking with her 'cause it felt like everyone thought I was the bully. But I couldn't leave her alone,

the scene he described started to come back

but he had a smile on his face and a twinkle in

girl was really dumb and timid, didn't even dare to ride a bike. So I had to take her. In the summer, she always wore

jar for her. When the butterfly died, she was sad for

coughed lightly, trying to

crying and laughing at

himself and getting chewed out at home." "That big fool was super tall, had a smaller appetite than girls, and always forced his breakfast

all stuffed up from crying,

voice. "Why are you crying? Do you hate me that

my tears while laughing, and pretended to glare

you were the Jason I knew? How could I

be nice to get

We went to and from school together every day until he suddenly transferred schools in 8th grade. After his family moved away from Broadway Alley, I never saw him again. Guys change a lot as they grow up, and

for me a moment," Jason said

with a

your head," he said, gently pinching

lifted my head,

in, his gaze falling on

asked,

"Don't move," he said.

felt a cool

happened to your neck?" he asked while applying the

I understood.

"It's nothing," I said.

backs, even though it was true that Faye wanted to strangle

He put down the ointment, still very close to me, looking at me

can't just keep tolerating and

moving slightly as if he was about to say something,

subtle scent of his cologne was very different from

quiet space suddenly became very intimate, and then

as I saw the word "Honey" on the

to answer and leaned back in his seat, tilting

I won't be sending her back for

even processed what had happened by the time

finish, his tone was calm, without a hint of

my phone

decision for you. But I think you don't want to go back right now,

would just

my place or a hotel?