Chapter 1 The Displaced Daughter

• "You only have two months remaining." After receiving her diagnosis, Valérie Horton left the hospital. With a pale face, she stood in the hospital yard aimlessly, making fun of herself behind closed doors. She thought back to her wonderful day yesterday, when she took a slice of birthday cake home from work. Valerie experienced excruciating pain the moment she finished the cake, as though her internal organs were being forced together. The pain was so great that she passed out in the rented room.
• After going through two months of this anguish, she had grown accustomed to it. She was immediately concerned. However, she decided against going to the hospital since she needed to conserve money and felt that it was nothing. She was unaware that it would be more expensive.Valerie was told she had a fatal illness on her 20th birthday. She was an optimist, but she didn't know what to make of the surprising revelation. She couldn't recall how she boarded the bus and went back to her budget rental room. Valerie finally woke up from her daze as she observed the unclean walls. She set aside the diagnosis and silently got to work cleaning... "Hands up, hand up. Is Valerie at home?
• After giving her eyes a quick wipe, Valerie unlocked the wooden door. Valerie's landlady, Susie Walton, was standing outside with a companion. When she spotted Valerie, she smiled."I'm here to get the rent, Valerie." Yes. I'll immediately move the funds to your account. Valerie took her phone in an instant and transferred the money. Susie grinned more broadly when she looked it up on her phone. Alright. Valerie, please don't hesitate to contact me for assistance. "I understand, but right now I don't need anything. I'm grateful, Susie. Susie made some corny comments, then walked out and slammed the door. Susie's companion leaned forward and quickly grabbed her arm. "What is happening? What kind of place would a young girl live in?
• This space was merely a dilapidated warehouse. Why did you give her the rental?Hello. It wasn't me who started it. I had no choice but to cave in to that girl's pleas. She is paying for her utilities with $25. Susie snuggled in closer to her companion, glancing at the door. That's a secret, though. Keep it a secret from others. That girl is the Horton family's misfit kid. How come? The Horton household? The Horton household? Susie quickly put her hand over her friend's mouth. Thought Susie, "I knew it. She has a huge mouth.
• "Silence! Do you not recall that the Horton family had a missing daughter? It's reported that Mrs. Horton went insane because she missed her girl so terribly. The Horton family said that the older daughter intentionally neglected her sister and blamed her for it. Thus, they expelled her. Susie gestured to her buddy that she was talking about Valerie as she nodded at the door. They both knew the outcome of that tale. It was the story of Capstead, where one of the wealthiest families had expelled the bad elder daughter and lost a daughter. The friend of Susie scowled. She seems weak, though. She can't have committed such a heinous crime, in my opinion. Beats me. We are merely ordinary citizens. How might we interpret the thoughts of the wealthy?
• Even though she is their daughter, they detest her greatly. Perhaps she is a love child. The two women forgot how thin the door was and how loud they were, even though they were chatting in each other's ears. Every phrase was heard by Valerie. Disoriented by her memories, she picked up the diagnosis. Back then, she was only a teenager. Valerie had no choice but to slip out of the house with her younger sister, Zoe Horton, after she made a fuss about wanting to go outside and requested Valerie to go with her.
• She was unable to refuse Zoe's plea. Zoe vanished on the very same day. Valerie looked all over the street, but she couldn't see Zoe. Despite the blood blisters beneath her feet, she continued to walk without pausing for breath. Valerie was frightened. She was worried that anything would happen to Zoe. She also worried that as a result, her family would despise her even more. Valerie was unable to report the news, though. The Horton family lost it all when they found out that Zoe was missing. "Where's Valerie at? Request that she come to my study right now! Valerie sat on her bed in the attic that night. Her feet were bleeding, and the blisters had burst. But the anguish was nothing compared to her heartbreak.
• Valerie bit her fingernails, trembling. She opened Reese's study door, terrified. Inside were the four guys who made up the Horton family. Valerie felt her heart fall as the door shut. Valerie, the little girl, felt choked up by all the criticism and swearing. Her family never offered her an opportunity to clarify anything. Valerie clutched the diagnosis, jerking herself out of her reverie. Her internal organs were in constant torment, which echoed her heartbreaking pain. Like a fish out of water, she gasped. It was something she would always remember.
• Reese looked at her with disgust that evening. What a farce! Her own father detested her. Little Valerie had forgotten about the excruciating agony in her feet in the face of Reese's malice. There was nothing except a shiver down her spine. Valerie was forced out the following day despite having cuts on her body and her feet. They were in no doubt at all. Valerie later entered an orphanage. Rather than being greeted with warmth, all she received was scorn and shame. And they continued until right now... as she was the Horton family's misfit daughter. Valerie reasoned that perhaps Zoe could become a regular child if she wasn't allowed outside that day. She might enroll in classes, get employment, start a family, etc.
• Her headache grew worse as she thought about it. Valerie adjusted her breathing to ease the ache as soon as she realized she was entertaining bad thoughts. Valerie wanted to cry after a long while. She quickly hid her eyes and bit her lip while crying. Valerie had made every effort to drown out her sobbing. She was unable to cry aloud. She had no justification for sobbing uncontrollably. because sobbing would not allow her to start afresh in life. It was unable to prolong her life or alter it in any way. Valerie knew that crying would simply highlight her own pitiful state.
• Valerie sobbed for several minutes, ignoring the snot and tears on her face as she sat passively on the broken chair. Valerie eventually wiped her face firmly and reached inside her stone-washed canvas bag for a fountain pen and a piece of ripped paper. The ink in the pen almost ran out. She stopped dead in her tracks and dropped the fountain pen and the ripped paper. Then she reached inside her bag for a nicer pen and a fresh sheet of paper. Valerie was unable to bear to use them previously since they were too precious. Valerie turned on the lamp and got to work on her writing.
• Valerie resigned a month later, having received her money for that month. She terminated her lease as well. Using a beat-up rucksack and all of her cash, Valerie fulfilled a lifelong dream. She made her way across the nation carefree. Valerie wanted to live for herself because she knew that this was her last month of life. once... A dead body was found on a mountain two years after it was discovered by a lumberjack in a picturesque town. He gave the cops a call right away. Reporters descended on the village, alarming the government.
• With permission from the government, the reporters were able to obtain photos of the deceased body. With her hands clasped over her chest, the lifeless figure lay serenely on the ground. Within her clothing, the cops discovered three sheets of paper. One had a hospital diagnosis, while the other contained a printed itinerary. As soon as the reporter saw the final piece of paper, tears started to form. It was torn, with one neatly handwritten sentence on it. "I don't require one more life."