They Never Loved Me. Now I Don’t Remember Them. Chapter 07

The rain soaked Matteo to the bone.

As he searched, one thought kept tearing-through his mind.

Had Isabella been cold? Had Isabella been scared?

A girl who was already forgetting everyone she knew-

and he’d left me alone in the Cinder District.

“Isabella!”

He kicked open doors, searched abandoned buildings, and overturned trash cans.

He shoved my photo in front of anyone he passed.

“Have you seen her?”

No one had.

One man on the corner glanced at my picture and laughed.

“Maybe I had some fun with her.”

Matteo pulled his gun.

The shot rang out before anyone could stop him.

Then he kept searching.

The rain finally eased, but there was still no sign of me.

By then, both families had mobilized everyone they could.

Street informants and contacts, casinos, docks, private medical facilities, traffic surveillance-

every lead was checked.

The reward for verified information climbed higher and higher.

Still nothing.

Eventually, Mom and Dad returned home with Matteo.

They went straight to my room, hoping to find some clue about where I might have gone.

The room was still a mess.

Clothes covered the floor.

Books had been knecked from the shelves.

The broken pieces of my coin bank were still scattered beside the bed.

Then Matteo noticed the memory journal on my desk.

His hands shook as he opened it.

Mom and Dad stood beside him.

They began to read.

Day Four.

I saw a dress displayed in a boutique window today. I really liked it, but it was too expensive.

Bianca saw it too. Mom bought it for her without even asking me.

My memory is getting worse. I can’t even remember what it felt like when Mom used to love me.

Mom’s face went pale.

Matteo turned the page.

Day Five.

Matteo came over today. He sat beside Bianca the whole time.

I brought them espresso. He barely looked at me and told me to leave.

It hurt. But I could still handle it.

His fingers tightened around the page.

The next entry was shorter.

Day Six.

I tried to remember Matteo’s face today.

I couldn’t.

That’s good.

Maybe I’ll finally forget him.

Matteo stopped breathing for a second.

Then he kept reading

Day Seven.

I think I’m forgetting things faster now.

Stop loving Matteo De Santis.

Mom and Dad won’t give me money for college. Remember to be at the restaurant by ten for my summer

shift. Address: [confirmed restaurant address].

Break off the engagement with Matteo De Santis tomorrow.

The last page had only one sentence.

I don’t think anyone loves me.

The rest of the ink had blurred beneath dried tear stains.

Mom broke down.

“Isabella…”

She covered her mouth as sobs tore out of her.

“I was wrong.”

“God, I was so wrong…”

Dad lowered his head.

His eyes were red.

For the first time, neither of them could pretend they hadn’t seen what had been happening.

They called Bianca into the sitting room.

Mom stared at her.

“Bianca.”

Her voice was cold.

“I want the truth.”

“Did Isabella actually push you?”

Bianca’s face stiffened.

“What?”

“Mom, what is this?”

She immediately moved closer.

“Did Isabella say something? You know how she lies. She’s always been jealous of me-”

“Jealous?”

Dad gave a bitter laugh.

Bianca stopped.

Matteo had been silent until then.

Now he looked at her.

“There are surveillance cameras all over this house.”

Bianca’s face slowly lost its color.

Matteo’s voice turned cold.

“We checked the surveillance footage before we called you in.”

He stared at her.

“So think very carefully before you answer again.”