Chapter 2
At the case discussion, after hearing Mom’s autopsy report, the officers present had solemn expressions. Because of my horrific death, facial recognition was impossible. The abandoned building where my body was dumped wasn’t the first crime scene, making it much harder to solve. Dad instructed his officers to search for suspicious individuals near the location where my body was found.
“Please have the forensic team examine the body again to see if there’s anything new. Send the extracted DNA to the lab as soon as possible,” Dad told Mom before rushing off with his team.
My parents seemed to care more for the corpse than for me. Mom once caressed Nora’s hair, saying forensic work gives a voice to the dead, a noble profession. I remember Nora nodding in agreement, only to wipe her hair in disgust when Mom turned away. That time, I slapped Nora, but Dad punished me by shaving my head.
Now, Mom gently touched my hair, whispering, “To die so tragically, the family must be heartbroken.”
I smirked bitterly. My family would probably be happy about my death. Maybe only my brother would be a little sad.
Mom’s gloved hand ran across my back. There were large burn scars from when I was kidnapped. When I was brought home, Mom was both surprised and displeased, “What happened to your back? It’s disgusting. Don’t scare Nora.”
Could Mom have recognized me through these scars? I bit my lip nervously, sweating at the temple. But the next second, Mom casually said, “These aren’t from this time.”
The assistant suddenly exclaimed, “Sister Zhang, there’s a piece of paper in the victim’s stomach!”
Mom’s eyes widened, sighing softly, “It’s been corroded by stomach acid. Let’s see if the forensic department can analyze it later.”
Her phone suddenly rang—it was Nora’s favorite song. Mom took off her gloves, hurrying to the hallway, speaking in the gentlest voice, “Sweetheart, what’s up? Mommy’s working.”
“Tomorrow? Really?” Mom paused, then promised, “Dad and I will definitely be there to cheer you on. Your brother is away on a business trip and can’t make it.”
Nora’s playful voice echoed in my ears, “Love you, Mom! I still hope Lydia can come watch my match. With her encouragement, I’ll definitely win.”
“Even if she doesn’t want to come, it’s understandable. After all, I’ve been hogging your and Dad’s love for so many years.”
Though she and I never got along, Nora loved to put on a show of sisterly affection in front of our parents. Based on past experience, Mom was probably about to scold me again. Sure enough, Mom’s voice rose, “You’re Dad’s and my darling. Lydia is nothing! Stealing from the family and bullying you behind our backs, she’s not fit to be my daughter.”
“Don’t worry, even if she breaks her leg, I’ll make sure she wheels herself to watch your match!”
Nora laughed sweetly, “Dad called me today, reminding me to be safe. Mom, if you have time, remind Lydia too.”
“Take care of yourself. As long as Lydia doesn’t die in front of me, who cares where she goes to mess around?” Mom always spoke with disdain when mentioning me. Maybe it’s because the daughter they found had been raised poorly, not meeting their standards. After they found me, they never even bothered to change my last name. To them, their only daughter was Nora.
While they worried about Nora’s safety, no one remembered I was their biological daughter. If they knew the reason for my death, I wonder how they would react. After all, my death was orchestrated by Nora, and it involved them too.