"Don’t forget to let the homeroom teacher know she’ll be absent."
My mother-in-law also chimed in with a kind smile. "Then I’ll leave Clara in your care today."
Their reactions were calm. Natural. Not a hint of anything suspicious.
And yet, the more normal they seemed, the more unsettled I felt.
After Kelvin left with my mother-in-law, I turned my gaze toward my daughter.
She was sitting at the table, quietly eating her breakfast, so obedient and sweet.
My eyes grew red with tears.
I could not help but remember the tragic sight of her lifeless body in the pond from my previous life.
How terrified must my little girl have been in that final moment of her life?
I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat, sat beside her and gently asked, "Clara, how have your dad and grandma been treating you lately?"
She gave me a sweet smile as she answered, "They’ve been really nice to me."
I paused, then continued softly, "What about your homeroom teacher? Is she kind to you?"
"She’s very nice. She takes good care of me at school," she replied naturally, her innocent face glowing with happiness.