Early the next morning, Mom and Dad were preparing to drive to the police station when a girl stopped them. I recognized her immediately. It was Nina Travers, my former high school classmate. We had made a pact to apply to the same university and start a relationship. Instead, I was sent to prison by my parents.

"Mr. Speck, Mrs. Speck, do you know where Scott has gone? Can you tell me?” she asked, her eyes were a bit red.

Judging from her words, she must have been searching for me for a long time. I really felt for her, but I could not make it up to her anymore.

Mom got out of the car. "Young woman, you’re so pretty, so why do you keep thinking about that terrible person? There are better men in this world. He’s not right for you."

"No, he’s not a terrible person. He’s my boyfriend," Nina said stubbornly.

My heart was full of emotion. I did not expect her to still remember our promise.

"Alright, alright, hurry up. We still have to investigate the case today,” Dad urged. With that, Mom said, “Don’t look for him anymore," and then they both walked away, my soul dragged along with them. It appeared that I was bound to them.

Before leaving, I looked at Nina, whose eyes were red. "Scott, I will definitely find you," she muttered.

At the police station, Mom was preparing to identify me using a DNA test. Dad and Captain Carter had gone back to the scene. They searched the place for a long time, but did not find any useful clues. They could only return fruitless. The DNA test report would be ready in a few minutes anyway.

Mom and Dad waited patiently at the door. "We'll soon know who the deceased is. With that, we can infer the murderer’s motive," Mom said with a sparkle in her eyes.

Dad, however, opened his phone and glanced at it. I noticed that he had sent me a text message. [Go find a job and don’t come back looking for us. We don’t want you anymore.]

I did not expect him to still be thinking of me, but what I wanted to say was that I could no longer return.

At that moment, Mom’s phone suddenly rang. It was a call from my sister, who had been dead for five years.

Mom covered her mouth excitedly and quickly answered the call.

"Mom, it’s Selene, I’m back."

"Y-You... where are you?" Mom’s voice was filled with emotion.

"Selene? Is it really you?" Dad asked hurriedly.

"Yes, it’s really me. I’m home. Hurry back, I miss you both."

When Mom and Dad rushed back home, they found my sister sitting on the sofa, next to a young man.

Mom and Dad were both so emotional at the sight that they cried.

"My Selene, it’s really you! You’re not dead." Mom rushed over and hugged her. Dad also went over, holding her hand and carefully inspecting her, his face covered in tears.

“Selene, where have you been all these years? We thought you were dead."

"I didn’t die. I managed to escape back then, and this boy saved me,” Selene said and held the man’s hand.

"His name is Faris, and he’s my boyfriend."

"Thank you so much, thank you."

This was the first time I saw Dad being so emotional. Mom just held Selene and cried, repeatedly telling her how much she had missed her over the years. "Then why didn’t you come back all these years?" Dad then asked.

Selene lowered her head. "I didn’t dare come back because I was still in college. I knew you wouldn’t approve of me having a boyfriend, so..."

I froze, my body stiff and my heart full of grievance and sadness. Because of her fear, I went through five years of torture. After she died, I was beaten and scolded by our parents. My skull was cracked open, I ate food meant for dogs, and I suffered at the construction site. None of this eased their hatred, they even sent me to prison. I was cut off from the outside world. I had to work every day, and was bullied by those inside the prison. My future was ruined, and now my life was gone.

Here, I was learning now that my sister had been pursuing her love. It was why she did not come back.

I had been in excruciating pain. Selene… why was she so selfish? Did she know how much I had suffered these past five years?