Chapter Two

Kacy

I knew Dorothea was referring to me. I felt like an outsider in this house, and I didn't have any plan of staying here. Not ever. I'd rather have my own apartment than endure her harshness. I didn't even know what made my uncle fall in love with her. Not to judge, but she's not that beautiful. She's fat and always moody.

Uncle Ben married her after three years of being widowed from his first wife, named Marjorie. Unlike Dorothea, Marjorie was the best woman in the world. She was warm-hearted and friendly. She loved to bake chocolate waffles every time I came here. I couldn't understand why the universe usually takes people like her.

Marjorie and Uncle Ben have a daughter named Jane. She is currently studying abroad. Meanwhile, Dorothea has two children, Cathryne and Andre, from her first husband, whom I didn't know about. It was my uncle's decision to marry her and has nothing to do with me.

"Aren't you hungry?" Uncle Ben asked. He noticed that I'm not touching my food.

I got lost in thoughts and didn't see Jerome walking out from the dining room. I felt bad for him. Even if he's just a driver or a bodyguard, he's so kind to me and to my parents. He had been serving our family for almost 5 years already.

I stood up and said, "I'm sorry, Uncle. I just don't have the appetite. Please excuse me. I want to rest."

Dorothea looked at me with those piercing violet eyes as if she had the intention to kill me. A small smile crept on her face, and that frightened me even more. I don't know what's on her mind.

"I understand how you feel, Kacy," Uncle Ben said. "Clara!" He called Clara, the maid.

"Sir?" Clara asked, rushing towards us.

"Please show Kacy her room," Uncle Ben said.

"Yes, sir." Clara turned to me. "Follow me."

I followed Clara. We took the stairs and continued to a room on the second floor. We went inside. She turned on the lights, illuminating the room with a wide storage bed upholstered with white bedsheets. The pillows were white and soft. There was a cabinet beside the bed, a lamp on it, and an old book. I didn't ask for permission and jumped on the bed.

"It seems like you're exhausted," Clara said. "I'll give you time to rest. Just call me if you need anything. I'll be in the kitchen."

"Thank you, Clara," I replied.

Clara walked towards the door and asked, "Shall I turn off the lights, or do you want them on?"

"Just leave it, thanks!" I said with a smile.

Clara smiled back. Then, she walked out and shut the door behind her. I stood up, went to the window, and looked outside. The surroundings and the sky were dark as if it was about to rain.

I couldn't sleep thinking about my parents. I hope they are fine, that those gangsters didn't hurt them. I don't know what to do if they'll be gone.

My parents ran a lot of businesses. Perhaps those gangsters were ordered by their business' competitors to threaten them or, worse, to kill them. It was dangerous to take the same path as theirs. I don't know how to manage our businesses either. I was treated like a princess ever since I was a kid. A princess without the freedom to do anything she wanted.

The next day, I woke up early in the morning. It was 5:00 AM on my wristwatch—not the usual time I wake up. I opened the window and saw Uncle Ben outside. He was talking with someone at the gate. I went out of the room. I took the stairs and continued outside the mansion.

"Uncle Ben!" I called his name.

Uncle Ben looked at me. There was an unreadable expression on his face. He was alone. The strange man I saw from the window wasn't there anymore.

I walked towards him and asked, "What happened, Uncle? Are my parents alright?"

For a while, there was silence between us. Then Uncle Ben broke the silence by saying, "I... I'm sorry, Kacy, but your parents... Your parents are dead."

"Dead? What?" I exclaimed. Emotions took over me the moment I heard him say the word I've never wanted to hear all my life.

"Please, Uncle, tell me, tell me you're lying!" I couldn't prevent the tears from falling down my eyes as I realized that the people who raised me were killed by those monsters. I will never ever forgive them!

"I'm really sorry, Kacy, but your parents are dead. Their bodies were still in your house. We'll hurry to get there," Uncle Ben said.

"No... it can't be real!" I cried. I must be dreaming. I have to wake up from this nightmare. I have to see my parents. "They aren't dead yet. They aren't..."

I felt like a knife pierced through my chest as I recalled our memories together. It was just yesterday when we were so happy. In my mind, I could still see them smiling at me. I hate them for leaving me like this.

Mom asked me what I wanted as a birthday gift. She gave me a beautiful red dress designed with roses. My dad also bought me an expensive necklace with a ruby pendant, so why? Why would they leave me like this when all I wanted was to be with them?

Why would they go and leave me behind in this world? I don't need any of the material things they gave me. All I want is their company. I want to feel that I'm not alone in this world. I want to feel that I have parents and family who care for me, love and understand me for who I am despite my flaws and imperfections. I believe that nothing could ever be as precious as the love and consideration of my parents.

Am I asking for too much? Why would they die like this? Why? Why couldn't they stay for a little longer? I want to hug them, to feel their warmth, to say the words I've been holding back for too long, to tell them how much I love them... But now they are gone, I don't know... I don't know who to say these words to anymore... I just want to die too...

If only I had the power to resurrect the dead, I'd do it right away. I want to spend more time with my parents. They were the only ones I had. I don't have any friends or a lover. I'll be so lonely in this world. But I can't do that, I'm not some powerful hero who can bring back things and people that had already been taken away. I can't bring back my parents to life.

Thanks to Uncle Ben. He was so kind to manage everything while I was there, isolating myself in my room, crying all my tears out until my eyes ran dry, but my soul, my heart, kept aching. I don't want to talk to anyone. I just want to be alone. I couldn't even look at my parents' corpse. I couldn't accept that they are gone.

Many people attended my parents' funeral. Most of them are wealthy business owners, CEOs, and billionaires. The only family there was Uncle Ben. All of my grandparents had passed away. My mother was the only child of her parents, while my father only has one brother, Uncle Ben.

"Condolences, Kacy," Uncle Ben said. "You know, I and your father haven't been talking these past few weeks. He's always busy with work, and I'm also busy with my family business, so we rarely interact, but when we do, it feels like time is so fast. He's been a very good brother to me; we've shared the same dreams together, and I'm..."

Uncle Ben stopped as he burst into tears. Seeing him, I couldn't hold my tears back. So, this is how it feels to be left behind by a loved one? I wonder why God, the universe, or whatever you call it, always takes away people who are good and leaves the bad ones in this world. Is he planning to make my life worse? Just what the fuck is he trying to teach me?