Chapter 1

*Valerie’s POV*

Ring… Ring… Ring…

The school bell shrieked through the empty corridor, signaling the end of yet another long day.

Outside, the sky was painted in streaks of burnt orange and grey. The sun had dipped behind the horizon, leaving behind a fading warmth and an unsettling silence.

I was late. Again.

Late afternoon classes had dragged, and now dinner was probably cold, if there was even dinner left.

I shoved my books into my bag without a second thought, probably leaving something behind, but I didn’t care. I just needed to go.

As I sped toward the school gate, a voice stopped me.

“VALERIE! You forgot your books!”

I turned to see Julia jogging toward me, panting and red-faced.

Her braids bounced as she reached me, hunched over, gripping her knees like she’d run a marathon.

Without a word, I snatched the books from her.

She raised an eyebrow. “A ‘thank you’ would be nice.”

“Yeah, thanks. Whatever,” I muttered, stuffing the books into my bag and rushing off.

I hailed a taxi and tried not to think about anything. I just wanted to go home.

The house looked off from the moment I stepped out of the cab.

From the distance, I could see the porch lights blinking, flickering like a warning.

I frowned. We fixed that just last week.

Still, I shrugged it off and went inside.

“Hello?” I called.

Silence.

No reply. That was weird. Usually, Mom would yell something back like, “In the kitchen!” or “Upstairs!”

I waited a moment, then walked toward the kitchen. Maybe she was cooking?

But as I stepped inside, I froze.

There was blood. In the sink.

Not a little. A dark smear staining the steel basin, dripping just slightly.

My stomach twisted. My skin prickled.

“Mom?” I called again, louder this time. Still nothing.

I bolted upstairs.

I checked her bedroom. Empty. Bathroom. Empty. Guest room. Empty.

No, no, no…

I dashed downstairs again, heart pounding, breath shallow. I ran to the backyard, praying I wouldn’t find what I was starting to fear.

And then I saw her.

My knees buckled.

There she was—my mother—floating in the swimming pool.

Lifeless.

Her dress billowed slightly under the water like a ghost caught mid-dance. I couldn’t breathe. My heart shattered in an instant.

My eyes blurred with tears, and before I could stop myself, I collapsed to the ground.

I screamed. Sobbed. Shook.

I fumbled with my phone, hands trembling too hard to type. I dropped it once, twice, finally managing to dial.

The ambulance came with its flashing lights and faceless voices. Police officers. Neighbors peeking through their curtains. Everything felt blurry.

Rosie,my mother’s best friend, appeared out of nowhere and pulled me into a crushing hug. Her cries echoed mine.

An officer with bright blue eyes and a tight blonde ponytail knelt beside me.

“Hi, Valerie. I’m Officer Abigail,” she said gently, a notepad in hand. “Can you tell me what happened?”

I tried. Between sobs, I told her everything I knew. She wrote carefully, then pulled me into a quiet hug.

I didn’t expect it, but I didn’t pull away.

Later, I was told my mother had taken her own life.

They took her body. Cleaned the scene. Packed the silence with official words and soft-voiced condolences.

Rosie offered to take me in. I told her no.

“If you need anything, anything at all, you call me,” she whispered.

“Okay, Auntie,” I replied quietly before retreating into my room.

My stomach growled. My head throbbed. My eyes were swollen. My hair was a mess. My knees scraped. I hadn’t eaten. I hadn’t drunk water. I hadn’t even taken off my shoes.

I collapsed on the bed.

That’s when I saw it.

A blue envelope. Sitting neatly in the center of my pillow like it had been waiting all day.

My fingers hesitated, then reached for it. I unfolded the note slowly, hands still unsteady.

Dear Val,

My precious baby Val. What I’m about to tell you might make you hate me, and I wouldn’t blame you if you did. But you deserve to know the truth.

I’ve had cancer—long before you were born. The doctors told me it was incurable. I tried. I really did. But I’ve been dying for a long time, just… quietly.

I couldn’t bear to let the disease take everything from me in the end. So I made a choice. I’m sorry.

I didn’t want you to see me waste away. I didn’t want you to remember me as weak.

I turned the page. There was more.

I’ve hidden some money in my closet. Use it wisely.

Take care of yourself. Study—but not so hard that you forget to live. Go to school—but not so much that you burn out.

Sleep well.

Eat your vegetables. Shower—no more than twice a day.

No… “smutting” until you’re older and with someone who treats you right.

Be good, baby.

Mommy loves you with her whole heart. I’m watching over you.

With all my love,

Mom.

I clutched the paper to my chest and cried until sleep took me.