Back when I lived with Grandma, I was a happy little girl. Grandma didn't have much money, but she always gave me the best of what little she had.

Mom only came back during the holidays. When I showed her my report card, looking for praise, she wouldn't even glance at it.

"What's the point of a girl studying hard? You'll just end up some man's wife anyway."

I cried and ran to Grandma, who gently pulled me into her arms to comfort me. "Don't listen to your mother's nonsense. Education matters. My Ivy is so smart. You're going to do great things someday."

I thought I'd live happily with Grandma forever, but then she accidentally broke her leg while working. She couldn't take care of me anymore, so she begged Mom and Dad to take me in for a while.

But Mom refused.

"That little brat makes me sick just looking at her. I can't even eat. I'm not taking her. Not even for a day."

In the end, Grandma threatened to kill herself, and that was the only reason they brought me back from the countryside.

But everything I did annoyed Mom. Even wearing short sleeves and shorts would get me yelled at.

"Dressing like that at your age. Who are you trying to impress? Why are you showing off your legs? You think you're something special?"

To avoid making Mom angry, I wore long sleeves and pants no matter how hot it was. But when the heat made me sweat, Mom would cover her nose in disgust.

"You reek. Figures, coming from the countryside. You're as filthy as your grandmother."

I didn't dare argue back. I could only cry silently while telling myself it wasn't true. Grandma was the cleanest person I knew.

I ate quietly, drank in small sips, and stayed in my room as much as possible so that Mom wouldn't have to see me. But Mom still got angry that day.

When Dad casually complimented my braids, saying they looked nice, Mom cut my hair off at the roots.

I wanted to cry so badly. I was a little girl, and Grandma always said little girls were supposed to have braids. My long hair was Grandma's favorite.

But I didn't even dare cry. Crying would only get me yelled at more. I could only cry secretly under my blanket at night.

Even that ice cream was something Dad only gave me because he felt sorry for me, sneaking it to me when Mom wasn't home. Owen wasn't happy about it. He reached out to grab it from me.

"Mom says you're just the family servant. You're not allowed to have ice cream. Give it to me. Everything in this house belongs to me."

But I'd only ever had popsicles before. I'd never tasted fancy ice cream like this. I really wanted to know what it tasted like.

For the first time, I didn't listen to Owen.

That made him furious. Without thinking, he hit me hard on the head. I never imagined that after I passed out, Owen would run into the freezer and freeze to death.

Mom already hated me, and now she thought I'd killed Owen. So I understood when she hit me and yelled at me.

But they shouldn't have punished me like this. I was so cold. Now, I'd frozen to death just like Owen.

Grandma was still waiting for me to come home. Her greatest wish was for me to get into college and escape from that rural valley.

That was why she worked herself to the bone for other people, just to save up enough for my tuition. If it weren't for me, Grandma wouldn't have broken her leg.

Thinking about this, even though I was just a soul now, my heart suddenly ached.

Mom and Dad were sorting through Owen's things, talking about what to keep in his memory.

And still, no one thought of me.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was the little girl from next door coming to play with me.

I thought surely Mom and Dad would realize I was missing now. But Mom only told her I was out playing and sent her away.

Before the girl left, Mom even gave her my favorite bunny hair tie. That was Grandma's birthday gift to me. It was my most precious possession. Mom and Dad knew how much I loved it.

Dad frowned. "That doesn't seem right. Ivy really loves that hair tie."

Mom's mouth twisted into a strange smile. "I did it on purpose. She killed my son. She should lose everything she loves too.

"And this is nowhere near enough. When she gets back, I'm going to beat her senseless.

"That little brat is clever. She knows we're going to punish her, so she's hiding."

It seemed Dad still thought about me, at least. That night, he quietly left ten dollars on my bed.

I thanked Dad over and over from above. But he never came to my room again after that. He never noticed that the ten dollars went untouched.

One afternoon, Grandma suddenly called.

She said she missed me and wanted to talk to me. Hearing Grandma's voice made me want to cry so badly. I missed her too.

But Mom started screaming at Grandma over the phone. "You old hag, this is all your fault! You sent that little brat here, and now my son is dead because of her!

"How should I know where she went? Maybe she ran off with some guy. She puts on that pitiful act, and men just eat it up."

I tried desperately to explain that it wasn't true. I wasn't that kind of girl.

She shouldn't say that about me. What if Grandma believed I had turned bad? She'd be so disappointed.

But no one could hear my cries. I was just a soul.

That evening, Mom and Dad were packing up Owen's clothes when Grandma showed up at the door. Watching Grandma limp along, I paced frantically. I wanted so badly to go down and help her.

"Where's my granddaughter? Did you lose her?" Grandma asked.

"No, Mom, don't worry. She just went out to play," Dad replied, sounding guilty.

But Mom's expression was defiant. "I already told you, didn't I? She probably latched onto some man. From the day she was born, I knew she was a little seductress—"

Before she could finish, Grandma struck her across the face. "I've put up with how you treat me, but you will not talk about Ivy like that!

"My Ivy isn't that kind of girl. Since you won't take proper care of her, I'm taking her home with me right now.

"What kind of people are you? You call yourselves parents? Your child is missing, and you don't even care.

"Aiden Rivera, you find my granddaughter right now. If not, I'm disowning you!"

Grandma, who had never raised her voice at them before, was suddenly furious for my sake. Mom and Dad were startled by Grandma's outburst. They quickly put down what they were holding and went to look for me.

But after searching everywhere, there was no sign of me. Then something seemed to dawn on Dad, and he stared at the freezer.

He grabbed Mom's hand, trembling. "Did you forget to let Ivy out?"

Mom's face went pale with fear. "No way. That clever little brat should have gotten out on her own by now.

"Wait. I don't think I've seen her once these past few days. But she must have been lying low…"

They both rushed toward the freezer. When they reached the door, they hesitated. After a long moment, Dad yanked it open.

They both froze at the sight before them and screamed.