The Daughter Who Was Supposed to Die Chapter 06

The Daughter Who Was Supposed to Die Chapter 06

“Dad…” Millie called softly.

Dad didn’t respond.

“Dad!”

She raised her voice, and her tears finally streamed down.

Dad turned his head. Slow, so damn slow, looking at her.

His eyes were distant and empty, like he didn’t even recognize her.

“Annie has a fever,” he said out of nowhere, his voice eerily calm.

“It’s just a fever. Her head hurts. I’m staying with her.”

He lifted his hand and gently touched my forehead. Then, a twisted, dazed smile on his face.

“See? Not hot anymore. The fever’s gone… once it breaks, she’ll wake up.”

Millie crouched down and took Dad’s icy hand.

He hugged me tighter.

“Annie’s gonna wake up soon.”

Millie broke down, sobbing.

“Dad, my sister is dead! She’s dead, do you hear me?! You locked her in the basement. She’s dead!”

Dad yanked his hand free and roared, “That’s bullshit!”

He kept denying. “She just passed out from being sick. Once she’s better, she’ll wake right up!”

Millie collapsed onto the floor, covered her face, and sobbed so hard she couldn’t breathe.

Grandma walked out of the kitchen with a warm glass of water. Her calmness was almost painful to witness.

She came up to Dad, crouched, and set the glass on the floor.

“Nick. Let go.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but you couldn’t say no to it.

Dad’s hands were shaking, but he wouldn’t let go.

“Mother… Annie isn’t dead. She’s just—”

“She’s dead,” Grandma cut him off.

Then her next words were sharp and merciless.

“You locked her in the basement all night. She burned with fever, and no one watched her You killed her with your own hands.”

It was like a knife to Dad. He shook all over, tears pouring down.

“I didn’t mean to– I just wanted her to be quiet. I thought she was faking it.. I swear I didn’t know—”

“You knew.”

Grandma’s eyes were cold and tired.

“She called out for a help. She cried. She said she felt awful. You all heard her, but you just chose not to believe her.”

Mom burst out of the room. She dropped to her knees in front of Grandma, grabbed her pant leg, and wailed like her heart was tearing apart.

“I was wrong. It’s my fault. I killed Annie. I deserve to die…”

Grandma looked at the father in pieces, the mother unhinged, the child in despair, and slowly closed her

eyes.

When she opened them again, there was nothing left but bottomless sorrow.

The crying inside the cabin was so loud that it finally drew attention from the neighboring pack members.

The woman next door pushed open the gate and came in. One look at the living room and-

Her eyes lit up, nosy curiosity written all over her face.

“What happened? Why all the crying…”

She tiptoed, trying to peek at what Grandma was holding.

“Didn’t they say Millie was supposed to… today… Don’t tell me it’s true…”

Mom snapped her head up, her eyes bloodshot and her face twisted with rage.

“Get out! Get the hell out!”

The woman jumped back, took a step away, but still couldn’t keep her mouth shut:

“I’m not wrong. Everyone in the tribe knows the elder’s prophecy. You doted on Millie, gave her the best of everything… and now it’s all gone too…”

Then her eyes landed on my face. She froze.

“Annie?” she blurted.

She continued saying in confusion, “Why Annie? Weren’t they saying Milly was the one who would die? How come it’s Annie?”

Those words were a knife. The sharpest. They cut right into a home that was already in pieces.

Mom went berserk and lunged to claw her, but Dad held her back with everything he had

At that moment, Millie suddenly stood up. She rushed up to the woman. Her face was pale, but her eyes burned with fury.

“Shut up! Don’t you talk about my sister! Don’t you dare!”

The woman got so frightened that she didn’t dare say another word and just hurried away.

The living room sank back into dead silence.

Only choked, broken sobs remained.

Grandma held me and slowly stood. Her voice was completely emotionless.

“Start the funeral arrangements.”

Mom lunged, trying to take me back.

“No, Annie’s not dead. She’s just asleep. Give her back to me!!!”

Grandma turned aside, landing her an icy stare.

“Sasha, you don’t deserve to touch her.”

One sentence, and Mom collapsed to the floor for good. She couldn’t get back up.

Meanwhile, Dad dropped to his knees and slammed his forehead into the cold floor, again and again.

The dull thuds could make anyone’s heart clench.

“It’s my fault… all my fault…”

Grandma just watched all of it and gently closed her eyes.