Chapter 95

Hearing those words, I felt a bit relieved. Even though my body hadn't been found, saving someone was still a victory.

Ann was whisked away, still in shock. She'd been through a terrible ordeal, pushing people away, refusing food and water. Her mental state was fragile, making conversation impossible.

Chase wasn't pleased with the outcome. Pointing at Ann, he snapped, “We’re still in the dark about Amanda. What’s the point of bringing her back?”

Dad looked exhausted, having been awake for nearly a day and a night. Rubbing his temples, he said, “Trenton has connections. Maybe he can find some leads. We have to use the money anyway, and since we know this young woman, we’ll be doing a good deed for Amanda.”

“After all that, we’re still empty-handed. Where could Amanda possibly be?” Chase’s irritation grew, his face darkening with the memory of his earlier discovery. He hesitated, unable to utter the word "dead." His face grew even darker. “Dad, should we go to the police?”

“No! Absolutely not,” Dad instantly rejected the idea. “Remember, Amanda disappeared. If this goes public, it’ll cause trouble for both the Reyes and Kennedy families. Even Nicole would be implicated, and the repercussions would be devastating.”

“But we still don’t know where Amanda is, and I’m terrified she might be…” Chase trailed off. He'd feared for my safety, but now it seemed I wasn't even in the park. He felt utterly drained. All he wanted was to find me, no matter the cost.

“No!” Dad declared firmly. “I refuse to believe my daughter is so weak that she'd end her life over a broken engagement or was killed without reason. She's always been kind. She wouldn’t have enemies. We must have missed something. Let’s go back and search properly. We can’t involve the police.”

“Alright then.” Chase, easily persuaded, accepted his father's reasoning.

Exhausted from the day's events, they both fell into a deep sleep on the plane.

As they disembarked into swirling snow, I spotted Ann's parents. They were a down-to-earth couple; her mother worked as a nanny, and her father sold burgers outside an elementary school. Despite their modest circumstances, they'd raised a remarkable daughter. Her mother's efficiency and trustworthiness were such that her employers also arrived upon hearing the news.

I watched as the couple embraced Ann tightly. Ann's employer's son, watching intently, several times almost rushed over but hesitated. In his young eyes, I saw pure affection.

How wonderful.

At that moment, I envied Ann. She had loving parents, a boyfriend, and perhaps, after overcoming her ordeal, a bright future.

But I had nothing.

The Hammonds knelt before Dad, repeatedly expressing their gratitude. Even the employers exchanged pleasantries with Chase, thanking him for his help.

Then, the young man approached Ann. He looked lost and dazed, hesitant to embrace her. His eyes, devoid of judgment, were filled with warmth. His voice trembled as tears welled up. “You’re back.”

Ann's eyes widened, her blank expression finally showing signs of life. She rushed towards the young man, tears streaming down her face.

I reached out, trying to catch a snowflake drifting down from the sky. On such a bleak day, my presence felt even more ephemeral. Perhaps soon, I would vanish like these snowflakes, silently, without anyone noticing.