Chapter 5
276words
The sudden pull on my arm made me gasp in pain.
My mother wept, her eyes filled with utter disappointment.
"Apologize to Emily's mother right now! Tell them where she is! Or I'm not your mother anymore!"
The crowd's insults grew louder, more vicious.
Pale with pain, I tried to free my wrist from her grip.
My father kicked the back of my knee violently.
A sharp cry escaped my lips as I collapsed to the ground.
My mother held on too tightly, not letting go.
My arm twisted at an unnatural angle—I felt the sickening pop of dislocation.
I gasped, my vision swimming, eyes burning with unshed tears.
Before I could process the fresh agony, my father knelt beside me.
He began slapping his own face repeatedly, his voice breaking as he apologized,
"It's our fault—we raised her wrong! No need for the school to expel her—we'll withdraw her voluntarily!"
"We'll cover Emily's tuition if she's found! Please don't involve the police—Lily still has her whole life ahead..."
His voice broke completely, My mother sobbed beside him.
I was drenched in cold sweat, trembling from the pain.
Gritting my teeth, I was about to reveal Emily was at the courthouse when Susan's phone rang.
She nearly dropped it upon seeing the caller ID.
Answering eagerly, "Emily? Where are you? Mom and Dad are going out of our minds! Give us your location—we're coming to get you!"
Emily's panicked, tearful voice came through the speaker,
"Mom, help me! Lily forged my identity for a forced marriage! They're taking me out of the state to some isolated compound!"
