Mother's True Love.

Jules' Last Words.

One Week Before Jules Disappeared

Jules' handwriting was shakier now, the letters uneven as if written in a rush—or through tears. Her words carried the weight of someone who had been pushed too far, too many times.

"Things are getting worse. I don't even know how to describe it anymore. It's like every day is just a reminder of how small, how powerless I am. People at school... they don't even bother hiding it now. The looks, the whispers, the mocking laughs. I've become invisible in a way, but not the kind that makes you safe. The kind that makes you a target."

Emily's breath caught in her throat as she read Jules' words aloud, her voice trembling.

"Sarah... she doesn't say anything. She doesn't do anything. And I get it, I do. She's scared. She probably thinks she wouldn't survive it if she stood up for me. I know she wouldn't take it like I do. I don't blame her, but it still hurts. I feel like I'm alone. Alone with these bruises that keep showing up on my arms, clearer every day. Mom doesn't care. She's too busy with her own problems, and I'm just her outlet. Every time something goes wrong in her life, I'm the one she lashes out on. I'm the one who pays for it."

Emily's hands started to shake as she read Jules' words, her voice cracking with the weight of them. Tears blurred her vision as she continued.

"I'm tired. I'm so tired of being her punching bag. I'm tired of feeling like no one cares. I know what people think... that it's just high school stuff, that it'll pass. But it's not just that. It's everything. It's like the whole world is crushing me, and I can't fight it anymore. I've tried. God knows I've tried, but... I'm done."

The words on the page seemed to blur together for Emily. The pain, the sadness that Jules must have felt—it was too much to bear. She could barely breathe as she read the next line.

"I'm going to see Nathan soon. I want him to know the truth. Not just about the bullying, but about everything. It's not just the people at school. It's everyone. It's Mom, it's Dad, it's Sarah, it's me. They've all killed something inside of me. My dreams. My hope. My will to keep going. I just want it all to stop. I want to stop feeling like this. I want God to take me away."

The page ended there, and Emily couldn't continue. Her voice had broken down completely, and her body shook with sobs. She covered her face with her hands, guilt ripping her apart from the inside out.

"Why didn't I see this?" Emily cried, her words barely audible. "Why wasn't I there for her? Why did I leave her alone to go through all this?"

Alex watched her, his face etched with pain and sympathy. He moved closer, wrapping an arm around her as she wept. But Emily could feel the guilt swallowing her whole, suffocating her. She had run away when Jules needed her the most, and now... Jules was gone.

"I can't do this," Emily said between sobs, shaking her head. "I can't keep reading it. I just... I can't. It's too much."

Alex didn't argue. He simply took the diary from her trembling hands, understanding the weight of the request she had just made. "I'll read the rest," he said softly. "You don't have to do this alone."

Emily nodded, her body still shaking. She couldn't bring herself to read another word of Jules' pain. She couldn't imagine how her sister had lived through it for as long as she did, enduring everything alone.

Alex opened the diary again, flipping through the final pages. His eyes scanned the words, his expression growing darker with every sentence. He glanced up at Emily, hesitant.

"There's only one more page left," Alex said quietly, his voice filled with dread. "This is it... her last entry."

Emily clenched her fists, unable to stop herself from shaking. She nodded, urging him to continue even though the fear in her chest was almost paralyzing.

Alex took a deep breath and began reading the last page, knowing that what they were about to uncover could change everything.