Back at home, I locked myself in my room and tightly held the diary in my hands.
My parents followed me closely, knocking on my door anxiously.
"Katrina, what's wrong with you? We are really worried," they said.
Then I heard Felix's voice, "Baby, you can tell me anything. Can you open the door and let me in?"
I tried to calm my emotions, making sure my voice didn't reveal my panic.
"Don't worry, I'm just feeling a bit scared all of a sudden. Maybe it's pre-wedding jitters. I want to be alone for a while."
A few moments later, the footsteps outside gradually faded away.
I leaned against the bed and stared at the yellowing diary.
If someone wanted to play a prank on me, they would have to possess clairvoyance, but I didn't believe there was such a person in the world.
I took a deep breath and opened the diary.
The second page read: "Dad bought a new house, and Mom was pregnant but had to take care of another boy. Whenever Mom mentioned this boy, her eyes would fill with fear, but as Mom's daughter, Daisy had never seen him."
The third page read: "The year I was born, Dad got drunk and hit Mom. Grandma almost strangled me. It was only because Mom risked her life that I survived."
The fourth page read: "Mom's body was damaged from the beatings and she couldn't have a little brother. Dad and Grandma became even crueler. Mom carried me and tried to escape, but Dad dragged her back home and broke her leg. Mom could no longer dance with me."
…
The small diary felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and each page required immense courage to turn.
"I grew up and became sensible. Besides Mom, no one in this family loved me. Dad would pull my hair and smash my head against the wall. Grandma would take a needle and stab me, calling me a jinx. Mom fell from her wheelchair, begging on her knees for Grandma's mercy, but in the end, we both ended up being beaten even worse."
"Dad didn't allow me to go to school. It was Mom who taught me how to read and draw. Mom was an excellent teacher."
"When Grandma and Grandpa came to visit us, Grandma would treat me slightly better, keeping my injuries hidden and giving Mom medicine in advance to make her sleep. Grandma would tell everyone that Mom had accidentally fallen and become a vegetable, wiping away her tears as she left."