Chapter 12:

Seeking Attention

who I am is not who I want to be


In the world of attention seekers, where people strive for the spotlight, Akane found herself lost in a quest for her parents' acknowledgment. She had left her home after a violent confrontation with her father, a desperate attempt to gauge whether his love extended beyond his obsession with wealth. She hoped that her disappearance would spark concern, and her parents would come searching for her, finally giving her the attention she craved.

But as days turned into weeks, and forty-five days passed without any sign of her parents, Akane's hope began to wane. She continued to live with her grandmother, yearning for the day when her parents would show they cared.

On the 48th day, a chilling discovery shattered her world. In the early hours of the morning, as she mindlessly scrolled through social media, she stumbled upon a post with her father's name. The caption was ominous: "17-year-old Daughter of Minister of Finance: Manzo Toru killed her mother and escaped from home."

Dread coursed through her as she conducted a frantic online search to verify the information. To her horror, she found numerous articles and news reports echoing the same shocking story. Her mother, it seemed, was dead, and the world believed she was the culprit.

Akane couldn't believe her eyes as she stared at the news reports, her body trembling with fear and disbelief. She switched on the television, hoping against hope that the reports were untrue. But there, on the screen, was the lifeless body of her mother, a stark and haunting reality.

The world around her seemed to blur, time itself slowing to a crawl. She raced to her grandmother's side, shaking her awake from a deep slumber. With trembling hands, she showed her grandmother the news, their faces reflecting disbelief and terror.

Akane's parents had engaged in a bitter altercation that fateful night. Her mother had demanded a divorce and threatened to expose her husband's attempt to kill their daughter. In a fit of rage and panic, Mr. Manzo had pushed his wife from the balcony, ending her life. His motives were clear; he needed to eliminate any potential threat posed by Akane's revelations about his dark deeds.

To cover his tracks, Mr. Manzo had orchestrated a web of deception. He fabricated a story for the media, painting Akane as the murderer, a young girl who had allegedly pushed her own mother to her death. He manipulated evidence with the help of a loyal servant, ensuring that the world would buy into his sinister narrative.

Mr. Manzo, a man with a spotless public image, believed that people seldom delved beyond the headlines, rarely bothering to fact-check. He was confident that his reputation would shield him from suspicion, leaving his daughter falsely accused.

In the wake of these horrifying events, Akane's grandmother decided to send her abroad, believing it was the only way to keep her safe from her father's clutches. Akane spent a year overseas, tirelessly honing her skills as a hacker. But in the shadows, a profound transformation was taking place within her.

Her growing misanthropy had reached its zenith. Akane harbored a deep-seated hatred for humanity, fueled by the injustices she had endured and witnessed. She had become a "Misanthrope," relishing the prospect of vengeance against those who had wronged her and others.

She was determined to settle scores, to exact retribution for all the pain and suffering she had endured. Forgiveness was no longer an option, and she had compiled a list of reasons why her father deserved her wrath.

Akane's vow to herself echoed with unwavering conviction, "I swear, I'm gonna make him pay for everything he has done to me and my mom. He is not my father anymore. I refuse to acknowledge a monster like him as my dad."

She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that her father had murdered her mother. She had borne witness to their incessant fights, and now, driven by a consuming thirst for justice, she was determined to confront her past and ensure that her father paid for his sins.

Ayesha
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