I immediately blacked out.
Fearing exposure, she decided to finish the job. Without hesitation, she set the old house on fire, trapping both me and the building in flames.
That was how I was burned alive.
Little did she know that I would eventually reveal the truth to my mother in the most unexpected way.
When she discovered the truth from my diary, my mother was shocked. She completely lost her mind. She could not believe that the man he loved for thirty years had only been playing games with her. Moreover, the adopted daughter that she cherished more than her own daughter for more than twenty years was the product of his affair.
With trembling hands, she locked my blue diary and the photo in the storage room where I once lived. Her entire body felt as though it had been drained of energy and she slumped down onto the sofa, feeling overwhelmed and defeated.
When my father came back home from work, my mother was still sitting frozen on the sofa. She stared at him with her mind in turmoil. She was torn between wanting to confront him and holding back.
When he saw the flower and the knee massager on the table, my father smiled and said, “It is such a thoughtful gift. Must be from our dear Isabella, right? That girl really knows how to care for her mother, doesn't she? She's truly our little angel.”
My mother's face turned pale, but she remained silent.
“What? You don’t like the gift? Oh, come on, she made the effort! You should appreciate that. If it were that unlucky girl Andrea, do you think she’d even remember to give you anything?”
“Enough!” my mother shouted angrily.
"Andrea is your own flesh and blood. How can you speak about her like that?"
Taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor, my father reached out to touch her forehead. He was so confused by her outburst, but my mother swatted his hand away.
“What’s wrong with you? Why are you mad at me over Isabella’s gift?”
“Shut up! All you ever talk about is Isabella. Isabella that, Isabella this. Let me tell you something, this gift that you’re so quick to dismiss was from Andrea, not Isabella.”
My father’s body stiffened as if he had just seen a ghost.
After hearing what had really happened, he scoffed and said dismissively. “A bunch of flowers and a cheap knee massager? Of course, only Andrea would give you something like that. Just wait, when Isabella gets back, she’ll bring you something much better.”