All Chapters of The Only Victim: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

When Mom and Dad ran downstairs with my younger sister, Ravenna Sutton, a crowd of neighbors and onlookers had already gathered outside.Everyone was discussing how the empty apartment upstairs had suddenly caught fire.Dad seemed to hear a scream. His instincts as a veteran firefighter made him want to rush upstairs immediately, but Ravenna grabbed his arm."I didn't hear anyone scream. Don't go, Dad. It's too dangerous."Mom nodded in agreement. "She's right. The flames are already spilling out from the window—it's too dangerous."Finally, the fire truck arrived. Dad geared up and ran upstairs to put out the fire.In the middle of the charred room sat a burned corpse. That was me.My eyes were shut, my head hung low, and my entire body was totally burned and curled up from the fire.But because my hands and feet had been bound to the chair with iron chains, I remained in a sitting position.Soon, Mom came upstairs as well. She was the best doctor in the city. With just one l

Mom and Dad were deeply concerned about the progress of the investigation—after all, catching the murderer was directly tied to how soon they'd receive compensation.So, Leo contacted a police officer he knew and got a copy of the case report.They flipped through the photos—crime scene images, pictures of the corpse. My charred body was exposed right in front of them.As a firefighter, Dad immediately identified that the fire had started from the body itself, and he knew that the accelerant used could reach temperatures of up to 750℉ in an instant.Mom pointed at the photo, detailing all the suffering I had endured before death.I knew—Mom had always wanted to be a forensic doctor. But when she became pregnant with me, she felt that coming home to hold me after handling corpses in the hospital wasn't right, so she gave up that dream.I once overheard her holding Ravenna and saying, "Being a forensic doctor is a great profession. If you ever want to become one in the future, I'll

The police told them to wait for further notice before Leo ended the call.Mom and Dad avoided eye contact—after all, they hadn't even finished reading the police report.In their hearts, nothing was more important than Ravenna.If they had just turned a couple more pages, they would have seen that a shattered glass lunch box was found at the crime scene. It was the same lunchbox I used every time I brought Mom food when she worked late.The night I was kidnapped, I was about to leave the house to bring her dinner."Why are you glaring at me? You're becoming more and more like that Danica. Remember this—Raven is the sister you grew up with. Danica was raised on a farm in the countryside—she's rough and vulgar. What kind of decent child could she be?"Do you know how many people have birthdays on October 3rd? That doesn't mean it's her. A silver necklace? I don't believe she could afford that—she probably stole the money. If she turned into a thief, she might as well be dead."Mom

Mom and Dad arrived at the police station quickly."I'm telling you, if that necklace turns out to be something Danica stole, I'll break her legs and throw her out of the house!"Mom still refused to believe that the body could be mine.At the station, the police first showed the necklace to the engraving shop owner. With just one look, the owner immediately recognized his own work."I remember this necklace. A young girl came in—quiet, well-mannered, with a ponytail. She came twice. The first time, she just asked about the price. A month later, she returned with the money."I warned her that the engraving on the pendant would be permanent, but she was very firm. She said this date was the most important day of her life."When the surveillance footage played, Mom and Dad fell completely silent.Mom stared at the screen and swallowed. "That girl looks a bit like Danica."The audio from the footage was clear, and the girl's voice carried a slight accent. "This is the most importa

Ravenna turned and left. The man could see the confusion in my eyes.One by one, he shoved stones into my mouth until it was full, making it impossible for me to speak. Then, he sealed my mouth shut with tape."You don't know me, but I know your parents—an incompetent firefighter and a useless doctor."When my apartment caught fire, your father chose to save the old lady next door first. Because of the fire, my wife went into premature labor. She was sent to the hospital, and your mother was the one who tried to save her—but she failed. My wife died! "All I was left with was my daughter and this burned, crippled body. "It was your useless parents who killed my wife and destroyed my once-perfect life!"As he spoke, he plunged a knife into my body over and over again.I didn't know how many times I was stabbed. My mind started slipping into darkness.Then, a sudden, searing pain shot through my fingertips, jolting me awake. A pair of pliers gripped my fingernail and yanked it out