They Pretended I Didn’t Exist for Twenty Years… So I Disappeared Chapter 02

They Pretended I Didn’t Exist for Twenty Years… So I Disappeared Chapter 02

The living room went completely silent.

Then Lily let out a dismissive scoff.

Ryan pulled me into a corner and immediately started berating me.

“Why do you always have to ruin the mood when we’re supposed to be having fun?”

“You already have everything. Why do you always have to fight Lily over things? She grew up without parents. Can’t you have a little compassion for her?”

I stared at my brother and almost laughed at the absurdity of it.

“Which one of us is actually your sister? Did you forget what you used to say?”

Our mother had died in an accident while saving Lily.

After Lily was orphaned, she came to live with the Bennett family.

Ryan had hated her at first. After losing Mom, he used to put bugs in Lily’s bed and lock her in a dark room.

I was the one who stepped in to protect her.

I even went along with Lily’s Invisible Game and welcomed her into my circle of friends.

Back then, Ryan had snapped at me through clenched teeth.

“Claire Bennett, I’m your brother. She’s not. Why do you keep taking her side over mine?”

But now Lily was the one who seemed like his real sister.

Ryan froze, then looked away with a guilty expression.

“You’ve always been tough. Mom died and you barely even seemed upset. It’s a little late to start acting fragile now.”

My nails dug into my palms.

Mason added fuel to the fire.

“Exactly. Why do you have to be so harsh? Lily only wishes she’d known us sooner.”

Then he threatened, “Keep this up and we’ll keep playing the Invisible Game.”

Those words used to scare me more than anything.

No matter how unreasonable Lily’s demands became, I always caved eventually.

But this time, a deep ache pulled at my lower abdomen. I couldn’t think about anything else.

I pulled on a coat and headed for the door.

Lily suddenly decided to play nice.

“If Claire really doesn’t want to do it, then forget it…”

“No.”

Ethan, who had barely spoken, cut her off.

“We already said this was the last time. Why is she still making a scene?”

He paused, then clapped his hands once.

My heart skipped a beat.

That clap was the signal that started the Invisible Game.

Ryan immediately walked straight past me and threw an arm around Mason as they went to Lily.

One massaged her shoulders while the other handed her fruit.

Ethan wrapped an arm around Lily and fastened the anniversary gift meant for me around her neck.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I ran out of the hotel.

Behind me, I heard Lily say in surprise, “She’s actually leaving? Ethan, we’re in the middle of nowhere. Aren’t you worried something could happen to her?”

“What could happen?” Ethan replied. “I told her this was the last time, and she still had to embarrass me in front of the guys. She needs to learn to stop acting like this.”

Ryan and Mason immediately backed him up, just like they always did.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and went to the police station.

A female officer took my statement right away and handed me a cup of hot water to warm me up.

I checked the time.

Three hours had already passed since the assault.

For the first time that night, someone had shown me kindness.

After I finished giving my statement and left the police station, I stood outside wondering where to go.

Then a violent pain tore through my lower abdomen.

Cold sweat beaded on my forehead.

My knees gave out, and I hit the ground.

Blood ran down the inside of my thighs.

Barely conscious, I called Ethan on instinct.

“It hurts… Come… come to the police station…”

There was a pause on the other end.

Ethan didn’t answer.

Lily did.

“Claire! All this because I asked to borrow your boyfriend for a week? You actually took it to the police? You lost the game, so own it. The police aren’t going to get involved in this!”

Ryan and Mason shouted angrily in the background.

“Why are you being so stubborn? Didn’t we already agree to this? Why are you going back on your word now?”

Ethan stayed quiet for a moment before finally sighing.

“Claire, seeing you act like such a sore loser is honestly disappointing. Take some time and think about what you’re doing.”

My heart sank.

The world around me blurred.

The last thing I remembered was the female officer running toward me in panic.