Chapter 17 Chapter 17 I hadnt told him what happened afterward, so he couldnt have known .

Hes not okay , I replied coldly .

He died three years ago .

The phone slipped from Jacksons hands , clattering against the floor .

The screen flickered before coming back to life .

He looked like he might collapse .

Dead ? Why didnt I know about this ? Why didnt you tell me ?! How do you think I feel ? I shot back .

Has anyone in your family ever cared about him in all these years ? Jackson trembled violently , too ashamed to meet my eyes .

I remembered the first time I met his parents and cautiously asked if he had any siblings .

Theyd dismissed the question with a wave of their hand : No.

Jackson himself had said , There used to be one , but you can consider him dead .

When I pressed for details , hed slammed a bowl down , warning me , We dont speak of him in this family .

Hed resented Joseph for escaping , for making him the new target .

Save your crocodile tears .

Do you really think he ended up in the Nyara Republic by choice ? Its all because of your family .

Jackson abruptly ended the call .

A few days later , his parents showed up at my door , telling me Jackson had disappeared .

They explained how hed rushed home that day and gone on a rampage , destroying everything in sight .

Hed blamed them for all the tragedies , saying if they hadnt forced Joseph to leave , he would never have gone to the Nyara Republic , never met me , and never died .

Everything was connected , hed said , with no way out .

Hed confessed that his suppressed emotions had led him to mistakenly believe hed fallen for the unconventional Sara , making him miss his chance with me .

None of it could be undone .

After that , Jackson quit his hospital job and vanished .

Zoey ! How can you blame us ? his parents pleaded .

As parents , we just wanted our son to make more money .

Whats wrong with that ? We told him to stay at the hospital , but he wouldnt listen .

Now look whats happened hes gone ! Isnt this all his own doing ? How could Jackson be angry with us ? Were his parents ! Please , help us bring him back ! Weve already lost one son ; we cant lose another ! I couldnt take it anymore .

I hurled my phone down .

Get out ! I screamed .

You dont deserve to be 17:44 Backup Girl No More : Adios To My V Card and My First Love 28.12 Chapter 17 parents ! Devastated , I found myself wandering back to that familiar forest .

I settled beneath a massive tree , watching the sunlight dance through the leaves as I hugged my knees to my chest .

Though the Nyara Republic had given me just one chance encounter , I could imagine how suffocated Joseph must have felt in that household .

Hed originally listed his partner as his emergency contact with Médecins Sans Frontières , but later changed it to me .

He never wanted his family to know about his struggles .

Despite coming from such a dysfunctional family , hed grown into an incredibly kind , gentle , and selfless person .

The thought filled my heart with an overwhelming sadness .

Suddenly , a gust of wind rustled through the trees , and something hard fell from above , striking my forehead .

I picked it up a dog tag .

Aid workers in conflict zones often carried them for identification in case of accidents .

I assumed it belonged to some soldier , but when I turned it over , I saw Joseph engraved on its surface .

My heart stopped .

I ran my fingers over the name repeatedly , unable to believe it .

How could this be ? Why would Josephs tag be here , of all places ? 17-11