In the scene, Dad received a phone call and hurriedly left for the office. However, he forgot that a pot of soup was still boiling on the kitchen stove.

When Phoebe heard the rumbling sound from the pot, she curiously reached out toward the pressure cooker.

I quickly rushed over.

The pressure cooker let out a loud bang, and I instinctively shielded Phoebe with my body. She was unharmed, but my entire back was scalded, my skin torn and flesh wounded.

"Zack! You're bleeding so much!" Phoebe cried out while hiding in my embrace.

While comforting Phoebe, I called Dad and asked him to come home.

Just before passing out, I said to my sobbing father, "Dad, you told me to protect Phoebe, and I did…"

The display screen froze at this moment.

I saw a tear spill from the corner of Dad's eye. Then, as if he were recalling that scene, his body trembled uncontrollably.

The people watching also had red-rimmed eyes.

A woman kindly spoke up for me. "Zachary risked his life to protect Phoebe, so how could he possibly have abandoned her and let traffickers take her? Could there be some misunderstanding? No matter how you look at it, Zachary seems like a good kid!"

Upon hearing those words, I suddenly felt resentful. I had always been a good child who listened to my father. Why didn't he like me anymore?

Phoebe also nodded. She looked up at Dad and said, "Yes! Dad! I believe everything Zack did was for my own good. He wouldn't harm me!"

After hearing Phoebe's words, Dad's expression darkened again.

"Back then, Fifi was tortured by the traffickers until there wasn't a single patch of unbruised skin on her body! What misunderstanding could there possibly be?"

After saying this, he turned to question the secretary beside him. "Have you found Zachary? Did he collude with the traffickers and put on an act in front of us on purpose?

"Have the traffickers called? Do they want money? Tell them that even if they kill Zachary, I won't give them a single cent!"

The secretary wiped the sweat from his forehead and said nothing.

I stood in front of Dad, shaking my head desperately. "No, Dad, I didn't collude with those people… Like Grandma and Grandpa, I've become a star in the sky."

But Dad couldn't hear me.

I watched as my tears turned into wisps of white smoke. I reached out to grab them, but I couldn't catch them no matter how hard I tried—just like how I couldn't reach out to Dad.

At that moment, the display screen started playing another clip.

In the scene, Phoebe was covered in dirt, with a lot of blood on her arms. She sat on the ground, wailing loudly, "Zack, it was obviously you who stole the class fund! Why are you pinning it on me? And you even cut me!"

I angrily pulled her by the arm toward the office. "Phoebe! Come with me to explain everything to Ms. Lily clearly!"

During the struggle, Phoebe fell to the ground. Her knee started bleeding, and she cried even louder.

"You're obviously the one who stole the class fund! You're only pinning it on me because you're afraid Dad will hit you!"

Furious, I couldn't help but slap Phoebe.

When they saw me lay a hand on her, everyone pointed at the screen and berated me.

"Ms. Lily already said that Zachary was the one who stole the class fund! How could he make Phoebe take the blame for him?"

"A child like Zachary is born inherently bad!"

I looked at them helplessly, wanting to explain, but I could only keep crying.

Dad also scolded me angrily, "This ungrateful brat! Did I ever treat him poorly? How could he do such a thing?"

Phoebe buried her face in Dad's arms, crying and saying, "Dad, I really didn't steal the class fund!"

Dad patted Phoebe's back to comfort her. His voice was ice-cold as he said, "I told you long ago that Zack is nothing but trouble! He stole, refused to accept punishment, and even talked back to the teacher at the police station! I really should have let Ms. Lily properly teach him a lesson for me!"

In everyone's eyes, I was already a bad kid.

As though my body sensed something, the spot where Ms. Lily had hit my head began to ache.

I held my head as tears streamed down my cheeks uncontrollably. "Dad, let me explain. It wasn't like that…"

Sobbing, I tried to grab Dad's hand, but no matter how many times I reached for him, my body just repeatedly passed through his.

As I tried over and over, it felt like fireworks were exploding in my head. In that moment, it felt as if something was being pulled out of my body.

Immediately after, the scene on the screen changed again.

A scary man grabbed Phoebe by the back of her collar and lifted her into the air.

"Zack! Save me! I'm scared!" she cried out to me with a terrified expression.

Everyone watching held their breaths.

"The trafficker is so vicious! How could he target a kid?"

Everyone waited to see my reaction.

I stood to the side with my head wrapped in thick bandages. I had an indifferent expression as I declared, "Phoebe, I won't save you!"

Even when faced with Phoebe's increasingly desperate cries, I remained unmoved.

"Phoebe, it's all because of you! That's why Dad hates me! I wish you'd been taken by the traffickers! I never want to see you again!"

Phoebe's small body trembled with fear as she pleaded softly, "Zack, you promised Dad you'd protect me! Zack!"

Phoebe called my name over and over again, but I didn't soften.

I fell to my knees before the trafficker, pleading earnestly, "Sir, please take both me and Phoebe away! My dad is mean to me. I don't want to go back. Can I come with you? I'll be obedient!"

The crowd erupted in an uproar instantly, cursing me out.

"Mr. Chapman has always been nothing but good to both children. How could he break Mr. Chapman's heart like this?"

"Zachary is just a kid, yet he actually handed Phoebe over to traffickers! If he were my son, I would've definitely beat him to death!"

I cautiously looked at Dad, whose eyes were filled with disgust and hatred for me. Tears instantly welled up in my eyes, and my heart ached badly.

Still, that blasted display screen kept playing.

Phoebe was huddled in the corner of the basement, constantly calling out for Dad. Her voice was hoarse from crying.

The trafficker, annoyed by the noise Phoebe was making, pointed at me and said impatiently, "You, get over there and make your sister shut up!"

Phoebe kicked at me to keep me away, glaring at me with hatred in her eyes. "Get away from me! I'll tell Dad! He will—"

Before Phoebe could finish, I pushed her hard. "Shut up! Dad won't come to save you!"

Everyone in front of the screen covered their mouths in shock.

I instinctively looked at Dad. His eyes were red-rimmed, and I knew he was heartbroken for Phoebe.

"Zachary! You brat!" he snarled.

Every word from Dad seemed to be uttered out through gritted teeth. I had never seen him so angry before.

I was so scared that I fell to the ground, and just as I was about to say something, a loud bang rang out from the screen.

Phoebe's head hit the wall behind her hard. Soon, she lay motionless on the ground, with a lot of blood flowing from her head.

Seeing Phoebe unconscious, the trafficker kicked me hard in the back in anger.

"You worthless brat, I already found a buyer for your sister! If you kill her, can you afford to compensate me for it?" he snapped.

My body hit the ground hard. My head felt swollen, as if it were on fire. Tears streamed down my cheeks because of the pain.

A loud smack sounded. The trafficker hit my arm heavily with a stick, leaving bloody marks one after another.

I cried at the top of my lungs, my sobs echoing throughout the basement.

The adults couldn't bear to look, but then, a man spoke up. "Serves him right! It'd be best if that brat Zachary died!"

A brat? Dad just said that about me too. Wasn't that an insult? Was I really that bad?

The screen continued playing the footage.

The trafficker dragged my body covered in wounds and threw me out.

"Go! Lure another child over! If you come back without anyone, I'll beat you to death!"

I stood trembling by the roadside, looking helpless.

"Zachary was beaten so badly by the traffickers. He'll definitely abandon Phoebe and run away now!"

"I'm not so sure about that. Zachary was born to do evil things. Just you wait and see!"

As the audience debated what I would do, on the screen, I just stood there blankly. When it got dark, the trafficker coldly dragged me back into the van, where I was beaten again.

The trafficker threw the stick down and said to me, "I've found a buyer for your sister, and I've already received the deposit. Tomorrow night, keep an eye on her, and don't let her run away! Otherwise, the consequences will be much worse than a beating!"

Phoebe kneeled before me, begging, "Zack, please let me go. I won't argue with you anymore!"

I kept my head down and stayed silent as I tied Phoebe's limbs with rope.

My actions sparked anger in the viewers, who shouted angrily, "That despicable Zachary! He deserves to die! I wish he'd died at the hands of the trafficker long ago!"

The footage on the display screen froze at this moment.

Dad's secretary arrived carrying a large black device, wiping sweat from his forehead as he said urgently, "Mr. Chapman! We found it! The signal source is coming from Misty Mountain!"

Dad's chest heaved violently with anger, and he clenched his fists tightly.

"Stream the footage to me in real time! I'm going to Misty Mountain right now to find Zachary! Just wait until I find him—I'll beat him to death!"

Just as he was about to get into the car, the crowd behind him suddenly began clamoring.

Dad turned his head to look, and his expression turned cold once more. While crying, I followed his gaze toward the large screen.

Phoebe was twisting and struggling. The ropes rubbed her wrists and ankles raw and bloody.

"Zack! Please let me go! I won't tell Dad!"

In front of the trafficker, I tightened the ropes on Phoebe's hands a little more.

"Phoebe, just give up!" I snapped.

The trafficker watched my actions and nodded with satisfaction. "Good! From now on, you'll stay by my side! Your sister is your first job with me! Work hard from now on, and I'll make sure you live the good life!"

I obediently nodded and kept my grip tight on the ropes binding Phoebe.

Phoebe's wails from the screen made the atmosphere at the school unbearably tense.

Dad closed his eyes in agony, his nails digging deep into his palm. I could even see blood dripping from his hand.

"Fifi actually suffered so much! It's all my fault for having such a heartless monster for a son!"

Phoebe hugged Dad's waist, seemingly more pained as she said, "Dad, I'm okay! I don't blame Zack!"

Meanwhile, everyone else was angrily cursing me.

I cried until I felt completely drained, so much so that my throat felt as if it were being cut by tiny knives.

Just then, another woman quietly posed a question. "Wait, the trafficker was determined to sell Phoebe, so how come she's now safely by Mr. Chapman's side? Zachary, on the other hand, never came back. Besides, the trafficker didn't originally intend to kidnap him, right?"

Dad frowned, as if he were considering the woman's words.

Soon, the scene changed again.

In order to deliver Phoebe to the buyer, the trafficker switched vehicles several times. During the final swap, Phoebe and I were stuffed into a cargo compartment.

While the trafficker was sound asleep, I carried the injured Phoebe out of the vehicle. I took her all the way to a cornfield, leaned close to her ear, and whispered a few words to her.

Before leaving, I secretly slipped a note into Phoebe's hand.

The adults watching the footage were stunned.

"Why would Zachary let Phoebe go? Wasn't he afraid the trafficker would find out and beat him to death?"

"Why did he suddenly change his mind? And what was that note about?"

When Dad heard the discussion, he turned to look at the sobbing Phoebe.

"Fifi, where is the note Zachary gave you? What did he say to you?"

Phoebe guiltily lowered her head. "Dad, I never saw any note…"

Just as Dad was about to continue questioning Phoebe, his phone rang. As he answered the call, his secretary's anxious voice came through.

"Mr. Chapman! We've located a mound of earth where the signal source is coming from!"

Dad immediately took Phoebe's hand and got into the car. He ordered, "Hurry up and dig! See if Zachary is hiding there!"

Dad and Phoebe rushed to where the secretary was. As the bodyguards dug up the mound, Dad waited nearby, looking down at his phone screen.

The scene on the display screen was being broadcast in real time.

At that moment, Phoebe panicked and tried to snatch Dad's phone, shouting, "Dad! Don't look!"

But it was too late, and Dad's eyes widened suddenly. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Immediately after, his secretary's urgent voice sounded. "Mr. Chapman, the signal source is coming from these bones. Initial speculation suggests these might… They might be Mr. Zack's bones!"