Chapter 2

Mom's brows were tightly furrowed. "This wasn't a random act, was it? What kind of hatred could they have harbored for this child?"

Normally, even in revenge killings, the brutality wouldn't reach this level.

Officer Ben replied respectfully, "Dr. Smith, the homicide unit's preliminary investigation has ruled out robbery and random acts. It's almost certainly a revenge killing. Detective Hayes and his team are currently sweeping the city for recent missing person reports."

"Understood."

Mom meticulously pieced the remains together, hoping to find some useful information to help solve the case.

But it was all in vain.

Even teeth, which could identify someone even after disfigurement, had been taken by the criminals along with the head.

With only a body so severely damaged, almost pulverized, and completely stripped of clothing, finding the true identity seemed an impossible task!

I floated in the air, partly relieved, partly emotional.

Thank goodness Mom didn't realize it was me. Otherwise, she'd probably just call me useless again…

Mom let out a deep sigh. "What a poor child! What kind of generational hatred could lead to such brutality against a child…"

Tears seemed to glisten in Mom's eyes.

Mom, meticulously piecing together every bone fragment.

Mom, trying to find every single piece of useful information.

Mom, showing sympathy for a complete stranger, a headless female corpse.

It was all so foreign to me.

I knew Mom didn't like me.

When I was in elementary school, I had a fever one rainy night. She took me to the emergency room by herself.

Mom had wanted Dad, who was working late nights, to get some rest, so she didn't wake him up.

But Mom didn't know that Dad received an urgent mission notification shortly after. He rushed to the scene without even washing his face.

That same rainy night, Dad died in a shootout with a drug lord.

Dad's body was also handled by Mom.

I was too young then to understand what death meant, what it felt like.

Thinking back now, even Mom wouldn't have wanted to personally process her own husband's body, right?

It was all my fault, unluckily enough, for getting such a high fever that night.

It was normal for Mom to resent me.

If I hadn't been sick, Mom would have desperately stopped Dad from going on that mission. If he hadn't gone, he wouldn't have died.

It was all my fault…

I looked down at Mom. She still hadn't recognized that the body on the autopsy table was mine.

I glanced at the body again – fragmented and filthy.

Covered in what looked like mud or blood, every piece of flesh appeared gray and black, no different from leftover food dumped down a drain.

Even if it were me, I wouldn't have been able to recognize myself.

No wonder Mom couldn't.

In the quiet morgue, a phone suddenly rang.

Mom stopped her work, frowning as she looked at Officer Ben and Officer Taylor.

The two young officers shook their heads vigorously.

"Dr. Smith, we didn't bring anything in when we came!"

Mom then realized it was her own phone ringing.

She pulled off her gloves to check. It was Aunt Carol calling.

"Hello, I'm busy…"

"Oh, Sarah, I don't know, have you seen Chloe? I can't reach her on her phone…"

"Chloe?"

Hearing my name, Mom's brows furrowed.

"I don't know! I chewed her out yesterday. She probably ran off to a friend's place to spend the night. Just leave her be!"

Aunt Carol sounded anxious. "Why did you yell at her again? I heard Chloe got into a really good university and plans to major in criminal justice! She was so happy yesterday!"

"Criminal justice, my foot! Someone like her should just study business, make honest money, and stay out of trouble! Becoming a police officer would be an insult to the profession!"

Mom's tone was as sharp as ever.