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 stared at

his eyes gentle and

on, let me

and sped away from that

night road

was heavy, and he was driving faster than before. I could feel his urgency, and his fingers tapping the steering wheel showed he was nervous.

at the entrance gave it away: Sunshine Elementary School,

like

the car lights and rolled down the

and the other on the steering wheel, looking at the

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, worried someone else might get annoyed and

the scene he described started to come back to

he had a smile on

dumb and timid, didn't even dare to ride a bike. So I had to take her. In the summer, she always wore skirts, and I was always worried her skirt would get caught in

girl was super sentimental. I caught a butterfly and put it in a jar for her. When the butterfly died, she was

lightly, trying to hold back

and

soaked himself and getting chewed out at home." "That big fool was super tall,

all stuffed up from crying, and

my tears and softened his voice. "Why are

tears while laughing, and pretended to glare at him

tell me you were the Jason I knew? How could I have recognized

thought it would be

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 I really didn't

moment," Jason said and suddenly got out of the

returned with a tube of ointment in his

said, gently pinching

my head, staying

gaze

wrong?" I asked, feeling a

"Don't move," he said.

felt a cool sensation on my

he asked while applying the

I understood.

"It's nothing," I said.

didn't like talking behind people's backs, even though it was true that Faye wanted to strangle

down the ointment, still very close to

just keep tolerating and

moving slightly as if he was about to

close. The subtle scent of

suddenly became very intimate, and then my phone rang,

saw the word "Honey" on the screen, Jason took

leaned back in his seat, tilting his

I won't be sending her back for now. You

hadn't even processed what had happened by the time he

without a hint of anger, but very decisive, even a bit

turned off my phone and then his

think you don't want to

back would just make

a hotel? Your choice," Jason suddenly