LOST

Chapter 3

Amelia's pov:

It was John Uncle.

His face darkened when he saw the red marks on my cheek.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

I immediately looked away.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me, child."

His voice was gentle, unlike everyone else's.

For a moment, I wanted to tell him everything.

Max.

The accusations.

The slaps.

Everything.

But fear stopped me.

What difference would it make? I thought.

They'll never believe me anyway.

"I'm fine," I replied with a forced smile.

John Uncle sighed but didn't push further.

Later that evening, everyone left the farmhouse.

The silence felt strange after the loud party.

I was carrying a box of decorations when I heard footsteps behind me.

"Amelia."

I turned around.

To my surprise, it wasn't Mia.

It was Max.

Again.

Fear immediately spread through my body.

"What do you want?" I asked coldly.

He smirked.

"You should've stayed quiet earlier."

My hands tightened around the box.

"I didn't do anything."

"Exactly," he laughed. "And nobody believed you."

Before he could say another word, a deep voice interrupted him.

"Get away from her."

Both of us turned.

John Uncle stood a few feet away.

For the first time, I saw genuine anger in his eyes.

Max's confident smile disappeared instantly.

Without saying another word, he walked away.

John Uncle waited until he was gone.

Then he looked at me carefully.

"Now tell me the truth."

For the first time in years...

I wondered if someone might actually listen.

I told him everything that had happened earlier, tears falling uncontrollably from my eyes. John Uncle pulled me into a hug and gently patted my back.

"Why don't you leave them?" he asked softly. "Their hearts are made of stone. Just go away from here. I'm sure you'll be much happier without them. If you need my help, I'm willing to help you."

As he patted my back like I was his own daughter, I felt something I hadn't felt in years.

For the first time, I felt like I had a family.

I wiped my tears away and forced a smile.

"Thank you so much, Uncle, but I still can't leave. I promised my mom that I would stay with them until I turn eighteen. By the way, do you know anything about my mom?" I asked, hoping he might be able to tell me something.

He didn't answer immediately. It looked like he was deep in thought.

"Actually, when I joined this house, all the old staff members had already been dismissed. But I once met an elderly lady named..." He paused and tapped his forehead with his finger. "Umm... what was her name again?"

I leaned forward eagerly.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

"Jane! That's it. Ms. Jane."

My heart skipped a beat.

"I still remember the day she left," he continued. "It was the same day I joined. She wasn't crying because she had to leave the job. She said she felt sorry for your mother. According to her, your mom left with you because your father cheated on her. She felt terrible for both of you."

"Really?" I gasped. "Then that means my mom wasn't a mistress, right?"

Hope filled my chest.

"I want to meet Jane Aunty. Can you help me, Uncle?" I asked eagerly.

He remained silent for a moment before nodding.

"Wait... I think I can. Last week, while deep-cleaning my room, I found one of my old diaries. I remember writing down Ms. Jane's phone number and address in it. I'll look for it and give it to you."

A wave of relief washed over me.

For the first time in years, I finally had hope.

Maybe soon I would find my mother.

Maybe soon I would discover the truth.

The next morning, I woke up feeling different.

For the first time in years, I wasn't dreading the day ahead.

I had hope.

As I got ready for college, my phone vibrated.

A message from John Uncle.

"I found it."

My heart skipped a beat.

I quickly replied.

"Found what?"

A few seconds later, another message appeared.

"Ms. Jane's phone number and address. Meet me near the old shed after college."

I stared at the screen, unable to stop smiling.

Maybe this was it.

Maybe I was finally going to learn the truth.

The entire day at college felt longer than usual.

I couldn't focus on a single lecture.

The moment classes ended, I rushed home.

John Uncle was already waiting for me near the old shed.

When he saw me, he pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket.

"This is her number and address," he said.

My hands trembled as I took it.

"Thank you, Uncle."

He smiled warmly.

"I hope you find the answers you're looking for, child."

I looked at the phone number written on the paper.

Should I call her?

What if she didn't remember me?

What if she refused to talk to me?

Taking a deep breath, I dialed the number.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Three times.

I was about to hang up when someone answered.

"Hello?"

An elderly woman's voice came through the speaker.

My throat suddenly felt dry.

"H-Hello... Is this Ms. Jane?"

There was a brief pause.

"No. Who is this?"

"I'm sorry. My name is Amelia. I got this number as Ms. Jane's."

"Oh, Ms. Jane?" the woman said. "That was a long time ago. When Ms. Jane left the city, she gave me her old phone along with the number. After that, we never met again, and I haven't heard any news about her."

My heart sank.

The hope I had been holding onto disappeared within seconds.

"I see..." I whispered.

"I'm sorry, dear."

I forced a small smile even though she couldn't see it.

"Thank you, Aunty. If you ever hear anything about her or happen to meet her, could you please tell her that Amelia Finley called? Tell her that Mrs. Finley's daughter wants to meet her."

There was a moment of silence before she replied warmly.

"Of course, my child. If I hear anything, I'll let her know."

"Thank you."

After ending the call, I stared at the phone in my hand.

For a few hours, I had allowed myself to hope.

I thought I was finally close to learning the truth about my mother.

But once again, I had reached a dead end.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips.

"Maybe I'm not meant to find the answers," I murmured.