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.

face, I stared at

tried to calm down, his eyes

me show you

got back in the car and

road was

car, Jason's breathing was heavy, and he was driving faster than before. I could feel his urgency, and his fingers tapping

letters at the entrance gave it away: Sunshine Elementary School, my old

looked nothing like

the car lights and rolled down the window, letting

the window and the other on the steering wheel, looking at the school gate with a slight smile, lost in

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

scene he described started

a smile on his face and

her.

caught a butterfly and put it in a jar for her. When the butterfly died, she was sad for ages

trying to hold

too, crying and laughing

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

all stuffed up from crying, and my voice sounded all

pulled out a tissue to wipe my tears and softened his voice. "Why are you crying? Do you hate me that

wiping my tears while laughing, and pretended

job, why didn't you tell me you were the Jason I knew? How could I

be nice to get to know each

from school together every day until he suddenly transferred schools in 8th grade. After his family moved away from Broadway Alley, I never saw

moment," Jason said and suddenly

while, he returned with a tube of ointment in his

said, gently pinching

my

leaned in, his gaze falling on my

asked, feeling a

"Don't move," he said.

a cool sensation on

to your neck?" he asked while applying

I understood.

"It's nothing," I said.

though it was

seemed to understand. He put down the

just keep tolerating and retreating. Also, you don't

paused, his Adam's apple moving slightly as if he was about to say something, but held

The subtle scent of

very intimate, and then my phone rang,

my phone, and just as I saw the word "Honey"

to answer and leaned back in his seat,

won't be sending her back for now. You should deal with

happened by the

finish, his tone was calm, without a hint of anger,

my phone

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

back would just

my place or a hotel? Your choice," Jason suddenly