Chapter 3

The officer grew alert the moment he heard my words. Without hesitation, he cuffed Linda’s hands. “If there’s something to say, you can explain it back at the station.”

It was only then that Linda began to panic. She screamed, “You can’t just listen to a child’s nonsense and accuse me like this! I’m innocent! I swear I’m innocent!”

“Innocent or not, the traffickers are already in custody. Once you meet them, we’ll know the truth.”

Real fear washed over her face now, and she broke down crying. “Stella, you ungrateful little brat! Do you have no conscience?!”

I clung tightly to the officer, refusing to let go, terrified she might somehow snatch me back and sell me again. The horrors of my past life were still fresh in my mind—I couldn’t bear to relive them. Linda glared at me with such venom that I trembled, forcing myself to cry harder, playing the frightened child perfectly.

At the station, Linda was taken away for questioning, while I was left in the lobby. An officer kindly brought me some food. Looking up at him, I asked, “Uncle, what does ‘worthless girl’ mean?”

“Linda said I’m just a ‘worthless girl,’ but Mom and Dad treat me like a treasure. I *am* their treasure, right?”

The officer pulled me close and comforted me. “Of course, Stella. You *are* your parents’ treasure. And if your aunt has done something bad, we won’t let her get away with it.”

I nodded, but it wasn’t long before the officer who had been interrogating Linda returned, shaking his head. “She’s denying everything, says she doesn’t know the traffickers.”

One of the officers murmured, “The kid wouldn’t lie, but children can misinterpret things…”

“I’m not lying!” I hurriedly interrupted, shaking my head. “I saw it! Linda had money in her hands!”

The officer patted my head gently. “Don’t worry. We’ll investigate everything thoroughly.”

Before they could dig deeper, Eddie showed up with Dylan in tow, and with them came Evelyn. The moment Evelyn saw me, she stormed toward me and slapped me hard across the face.

“You little bastard! How dare you lie and cause trouble for Linda!”

Turning to the officers, she shouted, “This girl has been a liar since she was little. You can’t believe a word she says!”

Dylan rushed at me next, shoving me so hard that I fell to the ground. “Give me my mom back!” he yelled.

I burst into tears, crying out, “I didn’t do anything! Daddy! Mommy! Stella hurts! Stella hurts so much!”

The officers quickly stepped in, shielding me. “How dare you hit a child here! This is a police station!”

Evelyn stammered, her lips trembling. “I… I was just teaching her a lesson for lying and causing harm.”

“We’ll determine the truth through our investigation. It’s not your place to lay a hand on her!” snapped the officer.

That finally silenced them, though Eddie’s glare was filled with hatred. His eyes bore into me, and I couldn’t stop shaking.

Just then, my parents arrived, breathless and frantic. The moment Maria saw me, she rushed forward. “Stella!” she cried, scooping me into her arms and holding me tightly as tears streamed down her face.

Carlos wasn’t far behind. He knelt down, sobbing loudly. “Stella’s back! It’s all my fault. I never should’ve left you alone at home!”

One of the officers interrupted, his tone serious. “Stella says she fell asleep at Linda’s house. You’re saying she was alone?”

Carlos wiped his tears and nodded. “We live right next door. Maria and I work long hours, so Stella sometimes eats at Linda’s house. We even pay her for the meals.”

“What’s going on, officer?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

I looked up at my parents, my voice trembling. “Daddy, Linda sold me. She said without me, you’d have nothing to brag about, and all your money would go to Dylan instead.”

At my words, Eddie exploded with rage. “You little brat! Watch your mouth!”

Dylan chimed in, his voice cruel and mocking. “Yeah, you worthless girl! Selling you will get me candy!” He kicked me hard, adding, “My mom said without you, all Uncle Carlos’s money would be ours. Why did you have to come back?!”

Carlos’s face turned ashen with fury. Without hesitation, he swung a fist at Eddie, landing a solid punch. “You bastard! How dare you lay a hand on my daughter!”