Chapter 2

Twenty years ago, Queenie broke up with my father and immediately married a wealthy and powerful man per her family's arrangement. Times changed, and the wealthy man lost his fortune. Meanwhile, my father, who had been poor, married my mom and managed to turn his life around—becoming wealthy.

It was a dramatic turn of events. My mom eventually passed away, and Queenie got divorced. These two were good news to my father.

Just like that, Queenie and my father got back together. She and her daughter moved in and stole everything that was mine—my clothes, my room, and eventually, my father.

Seven days ago, Rosie came home happily, saying she had gotten her driver's license and could now drive. My father said he would buy her a car, but she hesitated for a moment and shyly said, "I think the pink car in the garage is pretty nice."

I replied coldly, "That car is a gift from Dad to me. If you want one, ask your dad to buy it. Don't you have your own dad?"

That pink car was a birthday gift from my father when I got my license, and I rarely drove it. I thought Dad understood, but what he said next shattered my hopes. "It's just a car. If Rosie likes it, give it to her. Blake Xavier, you have so many cars. Why fight with Rosie over this one? Just let her have it."

Hearing that, I suddenly realized that my father was not the loving father he once was. I did not want to let Rosie have the car, so I threw away the car keys.

Furious, my father had someone change the locks and gave the car to her. However, Rosie somehow managed to lock herself inside and could not get out when she tried to park the car.

I had no idea how it happened. However, it was the height of summer, when the temperature reached 104 degrees. Without air conditioning, the car quickly turned into an oven.

Before she passed out, Rosie took out her phone and chose to call my father first. "Mr. Xavier, I'm so scared. It's so hot in here. My only regret is not being able to be your legal daughter."

The other end of the line soon went silent. My father rushed out of his office like he had lost his mind. He used the car's GPS to find Rosie and rescue her.

Fortunately, she only suffered a heatstroke and was all right. However, when Rosie woke up, her first words were, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have stolen Blake's car. Mr. Xavier, please don't blame her."

Just like that, my father assumed that I had locked Rosie in the car and lost his temper without conducting an investigation.

I had no idea what was going on at the time. My father just suddenly kicked down my door and barged in. After slapping me twice and leaving me in a daze, he dragged me to the garage. "It seems that I've spoiled you! You're even capable of murder now!"

He shoved me to the ground, pressing my face against the floor as I looked confused.

"If Rosie had stayed in there a bit longer, her life would've been in danger. You're a grown-up. How can you do something this foolish?" He called over two strong bodyguards who tied me up. Ignoring my desperate crying and shouting, he locked me in the trunk.

"Reflect on yourself. You can come out when you kneel and apologize!"

I desperately screamed for help from inside the trunk, but that only annoyed my father. "Stuff her mouth with something and lock her up for a few days to wear down her attitude!"

The temperature in the trunk was at least 104 degrees, and I could not take it after just an hour.

Now, seven days had passed. It had been four days since I took my last breath. With this temperature, my corpse had probably started to decay.

That was exactly what happened. Fluids from my decomposing corpse seeped through the trunk's gaps and slowly dripped onto the ground.

The driver noticed a strange smell when passing through the garage, but he said nothing.