Chapter 3 CUPCAKE

Camellia could swear it was crazy running back to the hospital. But she had to confirm something. She had no transport fare. So she might as well run.

She took roughly forty minutes to get there. She was already panting heavily, but she didn't care. She pushed the revolving door and went inside.

There was a nurse at the reception. There were other nurses. But they weren't the face she was looking for.

“Miss?” The receptionist beckoned to her. She went over.

“Please. Can you help me find the nurse who attended to me earlier today?”

“Who…are you?” The receptionist asked, brows knotted in confusion.

“I was brought here yesterday. I got discharged today. I left with a group of men. You didn't see us?” Camellia explained hysterically.

“No, miss. My shift started this evening.” The nurse explained.

Camellia nodded, but her eyes wandered, hoping she'd see the nurse. She was the only one who'd confirm that those men did say they knew her. And that they were her father's coworkers.

There she is! Camellia squealed inwardly as she spotted the nurse. She ran to her, startling her a bit.

“I'm so sorry, Ma'am. I've been waiting for you.”

The nurse gave her an unsure look. “Can I help you?”

“I was discharged earlier today. You remember me, right?”

The nurse gave her a once-over. “I guess?”

“Those men, you said they were my father's friends, right? Could you please come with me to the police station and be my witness? The officer didn't seem to believe me when I told him that they were my father's friends, or, do I say, co-workers.” Camellia was holding onto the nurse’s hand desperately.

Swiftly, the nurse withdrew her hand. “I couldn't have said that. Because those men were from the funeral home.”

“What?” Camellia was having a hard time believing what she was hearing. “That can't be possible. You literally told me….”

“Could you please leave? This is a hospital, and you're disrupting the peace.” The lady turned to leave, but Camellia grabbed her hand swiftly again.

“Wait. Hold on, please. Who cleared my hospital bills? If those men were from the funeral home, then they didn't clear my bills, did they?”

“They did.”

“That doesn't make any sense!”

“Listen, lady. I don't know what you're trying to figure out. But I've told you everything I know. Now if you'd please excuse me, I really have other things to do.”

And just like that, the nurse was gone. Camellia could feel her whole world twirling before her eyes.

She didn't know where to go from here. She definitely couldn't return to the police station. That officer would insist that her father committed suicide, and she might go crazy from listening to his absurdity.

Was this it then? Was this the end of her revenge? This felt like a dead end. She wasn't sure what to do from here on. She felt wretched about giving up when she had barely started. Her father really would be disappointed that she could do barely anything for him.

Eventually, she decided to go home. It was already pitch dark, and she didn't have money for a taxi. It was risky going home alone at this hour. She lived in the worst neighborhood in this deadbeat town.

But Camellia didn't care about that. At this point, there was nothing left to lose. She might as well just die.

She took lazy steps on the sidewalk, crying her eyes out as she headed home. She couldn't tell how long the walk took. Eventually, she was home.

She locked the door and went to her room. Curled up in her bed, she was feeling visionless, shattered, sad, bitter, and very confused.

What the hell happened today?

Why was everyone acting like they had their memories erased? Why did it feel like they were ganging up to make her look crazy?

The thoughts echoed in her head as she shut her eyes to sleep.

The increased barking of the dogs outside gave her intense chills. And somehow she could hear those aggressive barking sounds even in her sleep.

Her father was right outside her door. He was knocking incessantly. She came out of the kitchen, excited to go open the door.

He walked inside, and she went to hug him. Almost did. But paused when she saw the knife hanging in his guts.

Camellia shrieked as her father collapsed on the floor. He was bleeding profusely. Camellia gasped in horror, realizing she was completely drenched with blood

“Father…” she whimpered, patting his face. He was cold as ice. “Father, please, wake up.”

Father…Father…she kept whispering, and then her eyes slowly opened. Her pillow was already drenched in tears. She dug her fingers into it as she bawled her eyes out.

How would she be able to navigate through this traumatizing grief? Sleeping feels like hell. Being awake feels worse. All she could do, the only thing she could do that would make her feel better, was find her father's killer.

That's the only thing keeping her going at the moment.

Before noon, Camellia was dressed and headed to the police station. She went straight to the officer's desk.

For some reason, he didn't look disturbed. Or angry to see her. It was as if he was expecting her.

“Good day, Sir.” Camellia greeted her warmly. She hoped he'd forgiven her for how she ran out of here yesterday like a damn maniac.

“Good day to you too.” The officer replied. “I was actually waiting for you.”

“Did you find anything about my father's killer?”

“Actually, we've been asked to close the case. It's being wrapped up as suicide.”

“What?” Camellia shook her head in disagreement. “That's absurd. He didn't commit suicide. He'd never do such a thing.”

“Maybe that's true. But no evidence proves otherwise. And for us to thoroughly investigate it as murder, we need actual evidence. Not just your intuition.”

“Please…” Camellia was almost getting on her knees. But the officer stopped her.

“Don't do that. Kneeling and begging wouldn't change anything. It's the procedure here, and we have to stick to it.”

Camellia could already feel the dead end. The police weren't ready to help her. They were closing the case as suicide. She was all alone.

“And one more thing, miss. Don't waste your time. Just…move on. For your own good. Go back to your normal life.” The officer said with a hint of compassion on his face.

The words echoed in Camellia's head as she headed back home.

Move on? That sounded impossible.

For her own good? What the hell did that mean?

Go back to her normal life? Could she ever have a normal life again?

NO. They already ruined every bit of normalcy her life had. She'll always be remembered as the daughter of the drunk who jumped into the river. And her father would always be remembered as the hopeless drunk who wanted nothing but to end his life.

What's normal about that?

Camellia got home, feeling an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. She couldn't recall the last time she ate. All she wanted to do was sleep and never wake up.

She had already turned to head to her bedroom when she spotted the little wrapped box sitting in a corner. She went to it and opened it. She gasped at the first wad of dollars that fell to the floor.

She looked inside the box, and there were more wads. And a letter.

Quickly, she opened the letter and read through it.

How about you buy yourself a better life and don't look back? It's so much more than rotting in this goddamn town and seeking something you'll never get, CUPCAKE.

Cupcake. Just like the umbrella. Was this a coincidence? Or not?

Who sent this? Camellia wondered in shock and fear. And what did the sender mean by something she'd never get?