THE DAUGHTER THEY ERASED

Chapter 1 Three years ago, everything ended in one night. The house was too quiet. Ashley stood in the middle of the living room, her hands shaking, her breath uneven. The lights were still on, but it felt dark. Like something had already gone wrong and the walls knew before she did. “Ashley.” She turned. Peter stood at the entrance, his face hard, his eyes searching her like he didn’t recognize her anymore. “You said she was here,” he said slowly. Ashley nodded quickly. “She was. I saw her. Molly was here, Peter. She came into the house. I tried to talk to her but—” “Stop.” His voice cut through her words. Ashley froze. Peter stepped forward, his jaw tight. “Molly was just released this morning. She called me. She said she wanted to come home, to fix things.” “I know,” Ashley said quickly. “That’s why I didn’t panic. I thought maybe she changed, maybe she wanted peace, but something was wrong. She wasn’t acting normal.” Peter let out a dry laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Molly has never acted normal, Ashley. That’s not new.” Ashley swallowed. “That’s not what I mean,” she said. “She looked… angry. Not just angry. Like she came for something.” Peter stared at her for a long moment. “And where is she now?” he asked. Ashley opened her mouth, but no words came out. That was the problem. She didn’t know. “I… I don’t know,” she said finally. Peter’s expression changed. Slowly. Dangerously. “You don’t know,” he repeated. “She was here,” Ashley said, her voice rising now. “I’m not lying. I saw her. We argued. She said things, terrible things. She blamed me for everything that happened to her, for prison, for her life. She said I took everything from her.” Peter moved closer. “And then?” he asked. Ashley’s mind raced. The memory was broken, scattered. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “She was shouting, and then… it’s like everything went blank. I remember her walking toward me, and then… nothing.” “Nothing?” Peter’s voice dropped. Ashley shook her head, panic rising now. “I don’t remember, Peter. I swear, I don’t remember.” Silence filled the room. Heavy. Suffocating. Peter looked at her like he was trying to see through her. Then his phone rang. He didn’t break eye contact as he answered it. “Yes.” He listened. Ashley watched his face change. Confusion. Shock. Then something darker. “Where?” he asked. A pause. “I’m coming.” He ended the call slowly. Ashley’s heart pounded. “What is it?” Peter didn’t answer immediately. When he did, his voice was different. Cold. “They found Molly.” Ashley’s breath caught. “Where is she? Is she okay?” Peter’s eyes locked onto hers. “She’s dead.” The word hit the room like something breaking. Ashley stepped back. “No… no, that’s not possible. She was just here. She was standing right here, Peter.” “They found her outside the estate,” he continued, ignoring her. “At the back road. No witnesses. No one saw anything.” Ashley shook her head, tears forming. “No, you don’t understand. She came here. We spoke. She was alive.” Peter’s silence said everything. “You think I did this?” she whispered. He didn’t answer. That was the answer. Ashley’s chest tightened. “Peter, look at me. You know me. You know I wouldn’t—” “I don’t know what to believe,” he said sharply. The words cut deep. “I told you what happened,” Ashley said, her voice breaking. “Why would I lie?” Peter ran a hand through his hair, pacing now. “She just got out of prison, Ashley. She wanted to fix things. She called me. She sounded different.” “She wasn’t different,” Ashley said quickly. “She was angry. She hated me.” “And now she’s dead,” Peter replied. Silence again. Ashley felt it closing in. “I didn’t do this,” she said, softer now. Peter stopped pacing. Then slowly, he looked at her again. “You said you saw her.” “Yes.” “You said you argued.” “Yes.” “And then you ‘don’t remember’ what happened next.” Ashley’s throat tightened. “That’s not proof,” she said weakly. “No,” Peter agreed. “But it’s not nothing either.” Ashley stepped forward. “Peter, please. You have to trust me.” His eyes flickered. For a moment, just a moment, something softer appeared. Then it disappeared. “She’s been appearing to me,” Ashley said suddenly. Peter frowned. “What?” “Since last week,” she continued quickly. “I’ve been seeing her. In my dreams. Sometimes even when I’m awake. She stands there, watching me.” Peter’s expression hardened again. “She says things,” Ashley went on, her voice trembling. “She blames me. She says I ruined her life.” Peter shook his head slowly. “You’re hearing yourself, right?” he said. Ashley froze. “She’s dead, Ashley.” “I know what I saw!” “And I know what this sounds like,” he replied. The distance between them grew. Invisible, but real. Days passed. Investigations came and went. Questions were asked. Answers didn’t satisfy. Ashley kept repeating the same thing. Molly came. They argued. Then nothing. But the more she spoke, the less people believed. Because the story didn’t make sense. And the nightmares didn’t help. Every night, Molly appeared. Standing at the edge of the bed. Silent. Watching. Ashley stopped sleeping. She started reacting to things that weren’t there. Flinching. Turning suddenly. Whispering to empty spaces. Peter saw it. And something inside him broke. Not just grief. Not just anger. Fear. One evening, he stood by the window, his back to her. “This isn’t getting better,” he said. Ashley sat on the couch, her hands wrapped around herself. “I just need time.” “You’ve had time.” “I’m trying, Peter.” “No,” he said quietly. “You’re sinking.” Ashley’s chest tightened. “I’m not crazy.” “I didn’t say you were.” “But you’re thinking it.” Peter turned to face her. “I think you need help.” Ashley shook her head immediately. “No.” “This is not normal,” he continued. “The nightmares, the things you’re seeing—” “She’s haunting me,” Ashley said. Peter closed his eyes briefly. “That’s exactly what I mean.” Tears slid down Ashley’s face. “You think I killed her.” “I think something is wrong,” he said. “That’s not the same thing.” “It is when someone ends up dead.” The words settled heavily between them. Ashley stood up slowly. “So what are you saying?” Peter hesitated. Then he said it. “I’m sending you somewhere.” Ashley’s heart dropped. “No.” “It’s for your own good.” “No, Peter. Don’t do this.” “You need treatment.” “I need you to believe me!” His silence answered again. Ashley stepped back like she had been hit. “You’re choosing this,” she whispered. “I’m trying to help you.” “You’re abandoning me.” Peter didn’t respond. And that hurt more than anything. Because it meant he had already decided. A week later, Ashley stood at the gates of the hospital. Cold metal. High walls. No way out. She looked at Peter one last time. “Please,” she said softly. For a second, his eyes softened again. But it wasn’t enough. “I’ll come for you,” he said. Ashley held onto those words. Even when the gates closed behind her. Even when the doors locked. Even when the nights became longer. Because that was all she had left. A promise. And the truth. Both slowly slipping away.