The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 16By Novel7s / September 8, 2026 The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 16Histened. Quiet. Almost drifting.Over these four years, I’d imagined a hundred versions of what happened to them.I figured they’d keep cradling Tally. A happy family of three.But instead. Day after day. Regret. Torment.My parents had finally turned all that belated love and guilt toward me.And Tally. Knocked off her cloud. Finally getting a taste of what it felt like to be the one cast aside.Wasn’t this exactly the justice I’d craved for eighteen years?But now. Hearing it. I couldn’t name what I felt.“Tally.” I cut her off. Calm.“Winter…”She waited. Hopeful.“I’m not coming back.”I looked at myself in the mirror. Confident. Composed. I gave a small smile.“Their guilt now? It’s not because they suddenly love me. It’s because they can’t forgive themselves.”“And your pain right now? It’s just the sting of losing what you had.”“You’re right. You didn’t do anything wrong. But…I paused. My eyes hardened.“None of this has anything to do with me anymore.”I didn’t wait for her to speak. Hung up. Clean.Late justice is an expired cure.I healed myself a long time ago. In a wasteland without any of them.I took off the graduation gown. Beneath it, a simple floral dress. Walked out of the hall, pulled my heels off, and stepped onto the cool grass.
