Chapter 6 When I woke up . Dad was watching over me , his I instinctively shrank back . ] There was a needle in my hand . [ ] My arm felt ice cold . eyes red . ] ] Subconsciously , I should have made a sound , but I seemed to suddenly forget how to speak . [ ] Dad asked me , " Feeling better ? " ] nodded . I couldn't feel the pain anymore . [ ] Inodded . " Are you hungry ? " Dad wanted to touch my hand . [ ] I instinctively pulled back . I stared at Dad , a little afraid he might reach out and hit me . [ ] Dad froze and pulled his hand back ] " Claire didn't steal anything , right ? " I grabbed the silver locket around my neck - it was heart - shaped with tiny engravings around the edges. I thought of Mom saying she didn't want me anymore . She didn't want me anymore . ] ] If Katie liked it , she could have it . ] I quietly took off the locket and handed it to Dad . [ ] Dad looked at me in disbelief . [ ] *I asked your mother . She did give it to you . " ] " Daddy was wrong . " " I didn't investigate properly before believing someone else . " ] Looking at Dad's trembling eyes , I felt nothing inside . It was different from before - back then when Dad misunderstood me , my heart hurt like a kitten scratching at it . [ ] " Can you forgive Daddy ? " || I stared at him , not knowing what to say . Not knowing how to express myself either . For a long , long time . Dad's towering figure seemed to shrink a little . [ ] He turned to the door and said , " Come in , all of you . " My brothers walked in carrying piles of snacks and toys . ] " Claire , this is the newest Transformer . I already put it together for you . Do you like it ? " Marcus's cheerful face was right in front of me . ] But I felt nothing . Mom didn't want us anymore . ] It wasn't because I wasn't good . ] They just didn't like me . Ryan picked up some snacks . " Good little sister , do you like these ? They're delicious . " " Didn't you say before that you wanted us to comfort you ? " I shook my head I handed him the locket from my hand . Ryan asked , " For Katie ? I nodded . Ryan couldn't smile anymore . [ ] It really was Mom who gave it to you . " " We asked around . It really I didn't want to listen anymore . I quietly lay down , pulled the blanket tight , and turned to look out the window . When the IV finished , I needed to use the bathroom . As I got out of bed , I heard people talking by the door . " How could such a small child drink hot pepper water ? And then she drank cold water - you didn't even notice she had non stop diarrhea . " " Plus a fever ver of 102 degrees degrees , unconscious f for several days . The fact that she's awake now is already very fortunate . " ] " Did you say she won't speak ? " " It's possible it's trauma - induced . I suggest doing an assessment this afternoon . " ] * Also , I recommend keeping her for observation to see if the high fever caused any intellectual damage . " ] Dad stammered , then finally asked the doctor . " Why is the child suddenly not close to me ? " ] The doctor smiled , " Well … it might be trauma . Her system hasn't processed it yet . Give her time to adjust . " || That afternoon at the psychology department , when the doctor asked me to draw , I drew . [ ] When they asked me questions , I answered . ] When Dad got the report , his hands couldn't stop trembling . I didn't know why . Dad was acting so strange . ] The day we left the hospital , my brothers sat in the car , all smiling at me . But I just felt cold all over . [ ] I turned to walk away . Ryan stepped forward to stop me " Claire , get in the car . " ] Before , they had blocked the car door and wouldn't let me in . ] Today was the first time . [ ] Dad picked me up with one hand and told them to get out . ] David and Ryan slunk out of the car and got into the car behind us . But even the brief time alone with Dad made me uncomfortable . At dinner , I'd barely taken two bites before throwing it all up . Dad's brow furrowed tightly as he scheduled a nutritionist to come tomorrow . [ ] He also hired a therapist . That evening . [ ] Miss Davis came to our house . I woke up drowsily and saw my three brothers standing in the living room as punishment . [ " David speaks first David , usually so mature , was trembling uncontrollably . [ ] " We were just playing with Claire . " ] Dad struck David's back with the ruler . ] The sound echoed throughout the living room . " This is how you treat your sister ? " || Dad pointed at Miss Davis . [] " If the teacher hadn't brought that surveillance footage , I would still be in the dark about what you've been doing to your own sister - spreading rumors and giving her hell ! " Do you deserve to be heirs to the Bennett family ? " ] ne . ]] Miss Davis tried to intervene . Dad didn't even glance at her . " Butler , see her out . " David didn't cry out in pain , just said he knew he was wrong Dad asked again , " Whose idea was it to lock Claire in the basement ? " [ ]