Chapter 1

The day the Wilson family came to take back their biological daughter, Mrs. Elena said in front of everyone:

"Don't worry. I'll be a better mother than you, her adoptive one, ever were."

I didn't say anything. I signed the papers and let go.

After that, my daughter Aria called me once a week, her tone ten times sweeter than before.

"Mom, the Wilsons hired a nutritionist for me. I've gained several pounds."

But the collarbones in her video call looked even sharper than when she left.

"Mom, Blake took me to the amusement park. I had so much fun."

But there was a band-aid over her right eyebrow. She said she bumped into the carousel.

"Mom, they transferred me to a private school. All my classmates are really nice to me."

But when I looked up the school, there was no enrollment record for her at all.

The last time we spoke, she said the Wilsons were taking her abroad to study, so it might not be convenient to stay in touch.

Right before hanging up, she suddenly lowered her voice and said quickly:

"Mom, there's a diary in the second drawer of my closet."

I found the notebook that same night. Inside was a photo of the Wilson family's son.

On the back, in Aria's handwriting, were four words:

"He's not human."