Her tiny hand clasped tightly in her father's, she had darted from one ride to another with a glee that came from pure, unburdened freedom.
She had eaten sticky cotton candy, ridden roller coasters that made her scream with joy, and even braved the haunted house with Daddy by her side.
Her father, Chi Yuanfeng, had been the perfect companion. He was always attentive, always ready to shield her from discomfort, and even indulged her in silly games she invented along the way.
From holding her hands while she skipped across bridges to letting her pull him along for the bumper cars, every minute had been filled with warmth and laughter.
She had thought, naively, that this was the pinnacle of the day, that nothing could possibly ruin their peace.
But the universe, as it often did, had other plans.
As Huaijin skipped along the paved pathway toward a brightly lit Ferris wheel, she heard voices, lively, shrill, and far too familiar.
