All Chapters of Atoned for Nothing: His Death Ploy: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

On my tenth birthday, I screwed up big time. I got my brother killed.I grew up in a happy family. My parents, Robert Miller and Susan Miller, loved me. My brother, James Miller, was awesome.I was everyone's little princess. But that all crashed with one phone call.On my birthday, I called James, whining for him to come home. He lost his life because of it.The plane went down. His body was never found.Robert and Susan hated my guts for it."Why did you make him come back?" they accused me. "Why wasn't it you who died?"That crash didn't just take James. It took me too.Guilt and regret chewed me up. Everyone's blame shoved me into a black hole.I questioned myself, "Why did I call him? Why did I kill him? Why did Death take him?"If I hadn't dialed that day, he would have been alive.Too bad regret couldn't change anything. No one had answers for me either.Since that day, I had been made to atone for my mistakes.Every year, on James's memorial day, which was also my

Robert perked up. "Oh, her right leg bone is missing. It might have scars or surgery marks that could help you trace her down. Her face got burned with acid. Fixing it will take time."He sighed, peeling off his gloves. Next to him sat my bloody toy, but he failed to recognize his gift to me for protection.After wrapping up his work, he checked his phone and got pissed off by what he saw.He called Susan immediately."Did you see Emily's call? That liar is at it again, spouting junk to get under our skin," he huffed. "She still doesn't get it. If she hadn't forced James to come back, Rain Mire wouldn't have gotten him. Now she's saying she's being followed."I wasn't lying. I was dead.I'd never lie about such things to mess with them. I was desperate when I sent that SOS.Unfortunately, neither of them had taken it seriously.I heard Susan on the phone, just as pissed."I saw her message and ignored it," she said. "She's just dodging her duty. That kid doesn't give a damn ab

Robert's voice cracked. "James, is that you?"James nodded and choked, "Dad, it's me. I'm back."The always-stoic Robert hugged him tightly and pounded his back. "You're alive. Your mom and I waited for eight years. You're finally back.""James, my poor child." Susan ran up, grabbed his jacket, and collapsed into his arms.She sobbed, "Where have you been all these years? Why didn't you call us?"James teared up. "I'm sorry. I wanted to make something of myself and make you proud. I didn't mean to hide from you."Susan swatted him, pouring out her grief and longing.Robert steadied her, eyeing James. "Did you get hurt in that crash?""Look," Susan chimed in, "we looked for you for eight years. Everyone on that plane was gone. We thought you were too."James pulled them to the couch, thumping his chest."I didn't get on that plane. Oh..." he said, tugging a pregnant woman forward. "Meet my wife, Jessica."Robert, who had sharp memories, recognized her as the same girl they ha

The next day, Robert sculpted my skull bit by bit. My eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth took shape.When he leaned back and saw my face, his expression froze.He shot up, staggering back. "No, it can't be Emily. I messed up. This isn't real."He lunged to smash the restored face, but Daniel burst in to stop him.Daniel was shocked to see my face. His lips shook. "Emily?"Robert thrashed like a madman, trying to destroy it. "It's not her. I got it wrong. She is at her friend's place. She's not dead.""Snap out of it!" Daniel yelled. "When have you ever botched a reconstruction?"He pulled a hospital list from his pocket. "Last night, we found her missing right leg bone. It had steel plate holes. We cross-checked hospital records, and Emily's name came up."Robert's struggling slowed until he went still. His eyes glazed over as he remembered something. That year I jumped to survive, my right leg didn't break. It snapped later under Susan's kicks and his cold stare.He shook his he

Sarah was full of rage. "You never cared about her. Where were you when they burned cigarette marks on her arms? Where were you when they called her a parentless freak? Where were you when she texted you for help? I was this close to finding her, and you screwed it up. You killed her hope."She paused and added, "She cared about you so much. You hate disobedient kids, so she took your beatings without a word. You hate dumb kids who don't ace tests, so she studied nonstop until her hands were raw with frostbite. She told me she deserved it because she killed James, but it has been eight years. Are your hearts made of stone? Or is she not your kid? You don't deserve to be her family."She broke into tears. "If I'd gone with her to the cemetery, she would still be here. If I were her, I'd never forgive you. You people deserve to rot in hell."She ran off crying.Robert crawled up and trailed her until she got home safe.I looked at him with mixed feelings. I admired his bravery but h