Chapter 1 Three years ago , Mom left me a note saying she'd save me from hell . Told me to wait at the marina . I stood there for three days and nights , yet she never showed . Instead , my uncle came - the same one who'd kicked me out of the house . Your mom's dead . You're on your own now , kid . " ended up squatting in this half finished building near the marina , living off whatever I could scavenge from dumpsters . Today , some fancy woman in designer clothes stops right in front of me . There's a boy with her , looks about my age . he pulls off her sunglasses . loly shit . It's my supposedly " dead " mother . he points at me and says to the kid , " See that , Brighton sweetie ? This is what happens when you don't study hard . You end up like this piece of trash , digging hrough garbage . Stay away from her - poverty might be contagious . " hen she throws three hundred - dollar bills at me like I'm some street performer , loops her arm through her new son's , and starts walking away . Take the money and disappear . Don't let me see your face again - it's disgusting . " catch the glint of that massive diamond ring on her finger , and suddenly everything clicks . he's not dead . he just dumped me like yesterday's garbage to live her perfect little life . m clutching those hundreds so tight my knuckles are white . Mom - Marlena Voss - walks arm - in - arm with her new son , Brighton , toward a sleek black Mercedes . he second they're in the car , Brighton starts whining for hand sanitizer . Mom , that gross girl touched me . " Don't worry , honey . Well wash your hands the minute we get home . " The window rolls up , and they're gone . mindlessly pick up plastic bottles from the gutter , but my brain keeps flashing back to three years ago at the marina . t was drizzling that day . Mom was packing with tears streaming down her face . Baby , Momany's taking you away . Your dad's gambling is going to destroy us . We're starting fresh , just you and me . " The held me so tight I could barely breathe , her tears soaking into my hair . " Tomorrow night , eight o'clock . Meet me at the old marina . Come alone , okay ? " Then I waited at that marine for three straight days . First day , I was hopeful . Second day , scared . Third day ? Pure despair . When Unde Zander showed up , I thought Mom had sent him . 22:21 From ' Beloved Daughter ' to ' Dead Burden ? Now Watch Your Perfect Family ' BURN ! 24.5 % Chapter 1 I rush over full of hope , only to meet his cold stare . " Your mother's dead . " He shoved a death certificate at me . " Car accident . DOA at the hospital . " I shook my head like crazy . No way . Not possible . " Don't believe me ? Keep waiting then . " He turned to leave . " Either way , I'm not taking care of some deadweight kid . " From then on , I got kicked to the curb and ended up on the streets . My first night in that abandoned building , I cried until sunrise , clutching Mom's photo . When stray dogs tried to steal my bread . I fought them off with my bare hands . They bit me bad - blood everywhere - but I couldn't lose . Losing meant dying . Back to reality . I'm watching that luxury car disappear , and weirdly , I feel ... calm . instead of buying food with that three hundred , I walk into a monument shop . The lady behind the counter looks at me like I'm something stuck to her shoe . Little girl , you sure you want to buy a headstone ? " Yes . " Cheapest one's two hundred . You want it ? " nod and pull out every cent I have . The headstone's tiny , but it'll do . tell the engraver : " Beloved Wife Marlena Voss . " de looks confused . " Kid , you sure about beloved wife " ? " Positive . " Then I haul that headstone to her fancy gated community . The security guard tries to stop me , but I tell him I'm making a delivery . light in front of her mansion , I set up the headstone . eighbors start gathering pointing and whispering Whose jod is that ? " " Why is she setting up a grave marker ? " Maricua comes storming out , face white as a sheet Brighton hudes behind her , whimpering . " Mom , why is that dirty girl here again ? " When Marlene reads the headstone , she goes completely pale . " Are you insane ? " I look at her calmly " Since you're dead , figured you needed a proper memorial 22:21