chapter 3
Hailey swayed her hips as she walked over, took Nathan's other hand, turned his body toward her, and said softly, "I've been waiting for you for so long."
Nathan paused, kissed her, and the two walked hand in hand to the car.
I silently sat in the back seat, watching the scenery outside the window, gradually growing uneasy.
Wait, are they going to the Morris Manor?
I looked at everything in front of me in panic. Where is my home? Where are my family's graves?
In front of me was only a field of flowers, the fragrance overwhelming, with people watering and weeding.
I stumbled out of the car, rushed forward, grabbed one of them, and hoarsely asked, "Where's the original house? Where did the cemetery go?"
"Isn't this the Morris Manor? How did it turn into a flower field?"
The person was startled, then loudly replied, "The house you mentioned was demolished long ago. Mr. Wright said the soil and water here are perfect for a spice base."
Not far away, Nathan stared at his toes, coughing without saying a word.
Hailey smiled warmly at me and said, "Diana, don't worry. Although your family's cemetery was removed, their ashes are still there. They're on that boat."
I mechanically turned my head and looked where she pointed. There sat a small boat I used to love playing with as a child.
The bright yellow hull, edged with red, was already worn and dirty.
A whimper escaped my throat, and I dashed out suddenly.
My foot stepped on gravel, and I fell hard to the ground. My palms scraped and bled, but I felt nothing as I got up and kept running.
The small boat was rotten, and as soon as I stepped on it, my foot sank into a hole.
Ignoring the pain, I leaned over and searched inside. The ashes? Where are my family's ashes?
Finally, I saw a toppled urn in the corner.
The gray-white powder lay quietly inside, as if it could be blown away by the wind at any moment.
My whole body trembled violently, tears streamed down uncontrollably, and I held it tightly in my arms, shaking.
Tears blurred my vision, and pain tore through my body and soul.
Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma... I'm sorry, it's all my fault!
It was me who fell in love with someone I shouldn't have, it was me who harmed you!
The small boat rocked. In the distance, Nathan's voice called out, "Diana? Diana! Answer me!"
Hailey walked over first, her face full of pride and jealousy.
She grabbed my hair and slapped me hard several times without mercy. "Diana, why don't you just die?"
"If you don't die, how can I become Mrs. Wright? I'm the only one for Nathan!"
I had no time to fight back, just held the urn tightly.
Soon, Nathan came over as well.
Hailey chuckled softly, dragged me to the stern, and gave a hard push.
"Clang!" The urn hit the boat's edge and shattered. I panicked, trying to gather the ashes.
Hailey leaned down, a sinister smile curling at the corner of her lips. "Guess who Nathan will save?"
Then she grabbed my shoulders and flipped us forcefullywe both fell into the water!
The river water rushed into my nose and mouth. I struggled desperately, but could only watch helplessly as the gathered ashes dissolved into the water, drifting away.
Heartbroken, I reached out to grab them, and then pain shot through my neck.
Hailey slashed my neck with the sharp shards of the urn. Blood gushed out, quickly diluted by the water, as my body heat faded away.
Before I passed out, I saw Nathan jump into the water and hold Hailey without hesitation, just like three years ago during the mall fire, when he ignored me, who was within reach, to save her trapped inside.
If the firefighters hadn't arrived in time, I would have been burned alive.
I was completely drained, drifting with the river's flow.
Am I really going to die like this?
Nathan helped Hailey ashore, gently comforting her, and finally noticed me.
Just as he was about to get up, Hailey suddenly threw herself into his arms, weakly sobbing, "Darling, I feel so awful. Am I dying?"
Tears streamed down her cheeks, making her look pitiful.
Nathan immediately focused all his attention back on her, cupping her face and kissing her tenderly. "No, Hailey, I promise you'll be fine!"
"Ambulance!" he roared, carrying Hailey away.
I was pushed by the river, crashing into a rotten boat, using my last bit of strength to grab its edge.
In a daze, my family members reached out to pull me up.
"Diana, good girl, you must survive."
Blood-red tears streamed from my eyes. "Just wait, Ill send the culprit to hell!"