Chapter 174

If Chase's earlier behavior seemed odd, the statue crumbling before everyone left the crowd completely stunned. Even seasoned officers couldn't believe their eyes; for a long while, nobody moved.

The officer who'd drilled into the statue looked terrified. "Captain," he stammered, "I swear, I followed protocol precisely. This wasn't my doing."

Robert's face was grim, his mind racing back to Chase's strange behavior, as if he'd truly seen Amanda. Ghost stories were timeless, and while Robert hadn't witnessed one, he knew the tales weren't mere fiction. He raised a hand, silencing the officer.

Chase and his mother knelt beside the rubble, their faces etched with unmistakable grief. "My daughter," his mother sobbed, "my poor daughter, what a tragic end!" Chase cried, "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. Come back to me, and I promise I'll never scold you again. You must be playing a prank on me, right? Please, stop this, Amanda. Come home, won't you?"

Frantically, Chase scooped up fragments of the statue. Nearby officers intervened. "Mr. Reyes," one said, "please calm down. These fragments are crucial evidence; you must leave the area immediately."

Chase's eyes were bloodshot, his glare wild. "Get lost!" he roared. "Keep your dirty hands off my Amanda!"

"Mr. Reyes," another officer warned, "if you continue this, we'll have to use force."

But Chase remained unmoved. "Amanda," he whispered, "don't be scared, I'm here. I'm here to take you home."

Davin approached, his steps deliberate, his cane a general's baton. He struck Chase hard on the back. "You ungrateful fool!" he thundered. "You never appreciated her while she lived, and now you won't let her rest in death!"

Chase took the blow silently, tears streaming down his face as he clutched the statue fragments like a child. "Grandpa," he choked out, "I've lost Amanda…"

The sky grew darker, the snowstorm intensifying. Derek noticed a small bead near his foot, identical to the talisman Chase possessed—a smooth, shiny material of unknown origin. He picked it up.

His voice, roughened by the wind, said, "Let's go."

Jack nodded, assisting him as they disappeared into the blizzard. The rest was for the police to handle.

As I faded away in Chase's arms, I felt myself falling into endless darkness. I had no idea where I was or what state I was in.

When I opened my eyes, everything was pitch black. Slowly, scenes began to appear, like images on natural screens. Two little girls, eerily similar, were displayed. The only difference: a bright red mark between the brows of one.

Then it hit me—one was me, the other Rosie. We grew up in different cities, in the same era. My childhood, especially after Nicole's disappearance, was blessed. My parents showered me with love, my grandparents were wonderful. I met Chase, and life was smooth. Rosie's childhood, however, was filled with hardship.

Chapter…